In the Beginning . . .
Last year, I taught the way I had been taught, which is common among new teachers. My teaching was very structured: 5 minutes for the warm-up, 30 minutes of notes off the overhead, 20 minutes to work problems. Monday I introduced a new topic or unit, Tuesday and Wednesday we covered the topic, Thursday we did a test review, and Friday we had our test. Very structured. It had to be structured for me to feel like I was managing the room. I also had a crazy color-coding system, where each period had their own color. I put their names on the desks on colored labels that matched their class period, I put names on the wall for "Star of the Week" in their color, and I put their color sticker on their work if they got a 96 or above on anything. Now I think that is ridiculous, but it worked that year.
I was overly organized last year, and I wanted my students to be overly organized as well. I spent a lot of time teaching them how to take notes and keep a binder of their work. I wanted to teach them how to be students. I think that those skills will really benefit them throughout high school and in college.
This Year
This year, I haven't done nearly as well teaching my students how to be students. Instead, I've put more emphasis on the material. The reason I changed my focus this year is simple: I now teach a state tested subject, Algebra I. My students have to pass that test to graduate high school. I wish I could have spent more time teaching the students how to behave, especially since this is their first year in high school, but I just don't have the time considering all the objectives I need to cover to get them ready for the state test.
My teaching is no longer that routine. I tried out every strategy I know to see which ones work for the students. Instead of trying to change their behavior, I find stragies that suit their behavior. For example, my students hate taking notes because on average they are reading at a 4th or 5th grade level. When they write, they have to focus on writing, not on what they are writing. They also have a hard time sitting still for 90 minutes. So, one of my favorite strategies is called I give them short articles on a topic followed by questions and practice problems. The students read the material, highlight any important material, and answer the questions. It's almost like a game, because they are trying to find the answers somewhere in the text. Instead of copying the sentence, "A matrix is a rectangular array of objects known as elements," they answer questions like "What shape is a matrix?" "What is each item in a matrix called?" They focus on comprehending the material, not writing it down. They can work in groups or by themselves. They can talk as much as they want, since I'm not talking to them. This is their favorite way to learn. I just walk around and help anyone that gets stuck.
One of my classes is entirely project-based. No tests. All of my Transition to Algebra students are also enrolled in another math class, either Pre-Algebra or Algebra. It didn't make sense for them to test twice on some of the same material. I want them to actually practice what they are learning. All the projects are done individually and in class. This way I know each child is getting the benefit of doing the entire project. I noticed that the students ask a lot more questions. Many students say they understand something a teacher tells them, but when they actually have to practice what they are taught, they find out they don't know as much as they thought. Instead of telling them upfront, I let them get stuck on a problem. They learn more when they have to ask.
I am constantly asking the students about what we are doing in the classroom. If I try a new strategy, we take a vote on whether or not it was effective. I give them a survey at the end of each term where they tell me what worked and what didn't, and what we should do more of in the classroom the next term. This year, I've been very open to finding what works.