I've been planning...

I think I'm teaching a whole new course next year--the last time I taught geometry, it wasn't common core, and it was to a group of severely underperforming high school students. This time it will be to middle schoolers who are taking it concurrently with algebra.  It's not the same kids, not the same course, definitely not the same ball game. 

I've been inspired by all of the bloggers of interactive notebooks out there, especially math=love, and Everybody is a Genius.  This is my INB so far...

I'm stealing the Numbers About Me activity from Sarah Rubin, and modifying it a bit to make it a cooperative task.  They will be working in pairs, and one partner will have one half of directions, while the other partner has the other half.  They will be graded on how accurately they followed directions.  I'll post that once I've got it all figured out.

I've always made my students number their pages, even when it wasn't an interactive notebook, but I think this upcoming year, I will make them number their pages with the center spread being pages zero and page one, odd pages will continue to be on the left, and evens will be on the right, just like the numbering of a standard book.

Opening pages:

• Me at a Glance--stolen from Sarah Rubin, printed at 85 - 90%, so it will fit inside the notebook better. 
• Master table of contents.  As much as I would like to continue my book by topics, like I have done in the past, and have everything standards-based, the math program that I'm using doesn't roll out material in discreet units.  In theory, the spiraling will insure the reteaching and relearning of material.

Pages -98 and -97:

• Page -98:  Overflow of the table of contents
• Page -97:  Syllabus.  Again, inspired by Sarah Rubin, who was inspired by Jessie Hester. My previous syllabus and course description, while I really liked it, was very text and information heavy.  This one is much easier to read, and still has the meat of my potatoes.  The QR code is even a link to my work email.  

Pages -96 through -91 get a little messy, because my work spouse decided to proceed without me, and I subsequently changed my mind.  The stickies override the pages.  I'm resisting the urge to make a whole new book.  I've already started using the book for math purposes.

The FAQs will start on pages -96 and -95.  I tried to brainstorm as many questions as I could, focusing on questions that were not directly answered by the syllabus.

Pages -94 and -93 will be the long-term goal-setting and the math biography, which (again) was lifted from Sarah Hagan.

Pages -92 through -87

After the informational pages, I'm doing personalities and learning styles. That has always been something that's important to me. I'm not a hugely kinesthetic person, or musical, or creative. I'm a very technical person, so I HATED when I was told to do a skit/dance/song about something. If we know what we are good at, and who we are, we can stretch and grow into more self-actualized people. Right?

Pages -92 through -87

-92 and -91:  color personality quiz, with the color explanation on appropriately colored paper (again, inspired by Sarah Rubin, who was inspired by Sarah Hagan)

-90 and -89:  learning styles with explanations 

-88 and -87:  multiple intelligences. I'm going to have the kids paste study strategies and potential career pathways to the folded part. 

Now, here comes the actual math.

I'm quite happy and proud of the opening unit pages.  The table of contents for each unit was borrowed from Sarah Hagan.  I added a tab, more for myself than anything else--it's made from the scraps that get cut off. 

Next is the ever useful pocket and vocabulary pages. At first, I was going to use cut/folded/pasted Frayer models, but that occupied too much space to warrant its existence. I like this idea much better. Less space, only one session of cutting and taping (hopefully), and it could be done at any time during the unit.  I'm very happy about figuring out how to mirror my margins like in books--the inner margin is larger than the outer.  :-)

I'm anxious about the new school year. A bit scared, apprehensive and slightly overwhelmed, but it'll be great. 

week in review.

So I think things are going well with my interactive notebooks.  I have yet to finish an entire lesson with my kids—we're going slowly but surely.  After spending a few days staging an intervention and group therapy, and two with an actual lesson (that will culminate on Monday),  I have a few things in mind for the next iteration of this.

• I will start numbering the pages from the center.  Page 1 will be the page on the right of the center seam, and the left page will be zero.  The students will number their books positively towards the back of the book, and negatively towards the front.
• I will make sure that there are getting-to-know you types of activities for the first few pages.  
• I really loved the "Me at a glance..." page from Sarah Rubin over at Everybody is a Genius.  The multiple intelligences, learning styles and color quizzes are brilliant.  
• I think i will also put in a math autobiography as well.  There's a one that goes with the CPM curriculum that I could incorporate.  I've also had students write letters to Math in the past.  My English teacher work-girlfriend (I'm in a polyamorous work-marriage) uses mock Facebook profiles and timelines to do character analyses, so maybe I can work something in there as well.    I'm not committed to anything yet, but I'm committed to the idea of something.

There are, however, a few things that I'm currently in search of, primarily how do I measure progress, and how do I grade my students' notebooks, if at all?  Mrs. Hester doesn't and Sarah does minimally.  I think I'm leaning towards a peer review, or short scavenger hunt.  I don't feel like putting too much effort into something that doesn't necessarily prove mastery of a standard.  And as for progress, I think if I'm happier, and my students are in a more productive/persistent/positive atmosphere, that's progress.

I really look forward to doing this again, but with actual intent, as opposed to out of a desperate need for change.

Tomorrow's go...

My daughter likes to "have a go" at things instead of "having a turn".  So, this is tomorrow's go.  I hope it turns out ok.  And even if it doesn't, change is good.  At least I will know what not to do.

I was searching for solutions for absent students, and I think this may work.  Kagan has the facilitator deal with paperwork for the absentia, so I put in a space for the facilitator to sign her/his name.  I like that it's reminiscent to the old, pink office message slips.  I think I'll even copy it on pink paper.  I made it so that there are four to a page, but still has ample space to write on.  This makes me very happy.