I'm Thankful!

In honor of Thanksgiving next week, I decided to write about what I am thankful for:

• An AMAZING Math Team at my Site and in the District.  The road hasn't been easy with our implementation of CCSS, but we stick together and work harder so that it's the best for our students.
• A FANTASTIC AVID Site team.  Our Coordinator works so hard on a limited budget.  We've raised hundreds of $ so we can take the kids to UCLA and UCI next month.
• Two TA's (and an acting TA) who are the BOMB.  Without them I would be drowning in paperwork and even more stressed.
• A soccer team and athletic program that have allowed me to contribute, even with my other commitments.  
• My Freshman AVID students who remind me every day why I teach!!  They drive me crazy sometimes, but we are a family. Below you can see the pictures I presented each student with positive words their classmates used to describe them.
• And of course my family who supports my long hours, stressed nights, and extra spending.

2014 Fall Freshman AVID

Foundation Gala

Saturday night was our school Foundation Fundraising Gala.  Our Foundation does so much to support our athletics, arts, and other campus programs, and this Gala is a huge source of that monetary support.  This was my second year attending.  The evening starts with a Silent Auction, then dinner, Live Auction, and Fund-a-Program Paddle Raise.  This year they had a photo booth, so groups were busy taking funny pictures! My husband and I wondered the silent auction for an hour and placed a few bids here and there.  We actually donated several of our photography prints and framed them neatly, so really we kept walking around having a competition on who could get the highest bid (he won with his picture of the Chicago River that got $65; my photo of the beloved Mr. Padre Statue got $45). We were seated at a table with two of my favorite colleagues too!! 

Overall, the evening was nice and helped to raise a lot of money (although I think more was raised last year). It's nice to get dressed up and out there, and shopping for a new dress the night before isn't too bad either!

My hunie and I

Mathies in attendance being goofy!

My CMC-S Reflection

October 24-25 I got the opportunity with some of my amazing team members to attend the 2014 California Mathematics Council South Conference in Palm Springs. The focus of the conference this year was "Common Core Mathematics: Building Competent and Confident Problem Solvers."  This was my first time ever attending this conference, so I didn't know what to expect.

Streets of Palm Springs

So first, Palm Springs doesn't seem to have much going on!  Everything was close and within walking distance, so that was super nice. But not too many options for food around us.

Here are the sessions I attended and my take-aways:

1. The Art of Questioning: Transforming your PLC.  

Session Description: When we analyze student work collaboratively, we build a toolkit of questions from a broader perspective. Practice teaming to develop push and probe questions to use for making instructional adjustments and serving all learners to make sense of problems.

Reflection: Working ahead to decide on questions that can get students to think and question more. Also working with a team to develop (we all don't need to do everything!) Really looking at what students do and mistakes they may make to understand what is going on and those misconceptions they may have. Don't just give the information to students.

2.  Attacking Finance Problems Algebraically

Session Description: Hybrid of algebra 1, 2, probability, statistics and precalculus topics form the basis of this UC a-g level 'c' approved math modeling course in financial problem solving. Reading, writing, discussion and projects are an integral part of the course.

Reflection: FANTASTIC session!  This would be a great course for us to add to our District after Integrated 2. Would allow students another math option, especially those that are not ready for Integrated 3.   Spoke with publisher and requested a copy of the text also. Will request information for UC approval so that we can bring it to Math Leadership, Curriculum Council, and the Board.

3.  Statistics, Sports, and Real Research

Session Description: Perform an experiment from a new multi-disciplinary course integrating CCSS Statistics, Sports Analytics, Sports Medicine and authentic student research.

Reflection: Additional course we could consider adding to our math classes. Would bring variety and offer additional options following the Integrated sequence. Students could be taken before an AP Stats class. Not sure if this would work too well right now at our site, but could be considered in the future.

4. Desmos: Infinite Graphing Power

Session Description: Supercharge students' problem-solving toolset with Desmos, the free online graohing calculator. Learning more about Desmos and the capabilities of the program within our classroom.

Reflection: WOW! Can do so much with this program in our math classes. Takes a little bit to set up a problem, but then students can link to it and explore the graphs - important with transformations of graphs - and discover the effects of changing "things" in the equation without actually graphing by hand. Can also insert a table of information, do linear regression. Great for exploring EVERYTHING! Can do graphs in radians and also set up polar graph instead of grid. Discovering equations for "real-life" math pictures too (parabolas - bridges)

I attempted to attend the session on using Google Forms for Assessment, but it was already packed and full before I was able to get there. One of my colleagues was able to go though, so we were at least able to share information.

My amazing Team (minus 1 who we missed dearly)

I was happy to have the opportunity to attend (and the funding to make it happen for all of us).  I look forward to going again next year!!

#edcampsd

Today, I decided to go outside my norm and attend Edcamp San Diego. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I registered the day it was available (about a month ago). I figured I needed to get out more and explore other Professional Learning Networks. I need more people to follow on Twitter instead of just stalk! I was excited to learn more, and even more excited when I saw 2 of my coworkers!

So, the Edcamp movement is about creating PD that participants want. It's an "unconference" conference, so to speak. You get there, and educators create sessions the day of the conference and post the titles. They are based on what attendees are interested in learning about. Then participants choose where they want to go.  Our District has done similar PD ideas where our teachers submit topics for sessions. We can choose your too 4 and they try to schedule you accordingly. Problem is that you have to submit your idea 3 months in advance for presenting- so much changes by then- and participant pick like 6 weeks before the session. In my Districts defense, they are having to schedule 1300+ teachers for a day, so I see why. But, I find that I'm so stretched in what I'm involved in and interested in that I don't have enough sessions available for all I want to do!

While at EdcampSD today, I learned more about Chrome Extensions (ah, way cool! I can't wait til I get back to the classroom to play with), technology for math, expanding my PLN, and a discussion on some challenges we face in education (a session is only 50 minutes, so we didn't discuss too many and sure didn't find any solutions!). It was a great experience and I'm looking forward to more PD opportunities of my choosing.

Next up . . . California Mathematics Council-South Conference in Palm Springs! Leaving Thursday might and then sessions on Friday and Saturday. I'm looking forward to this one as I will be with three others that are part of my amazing math team!

Gearing Up!

Tomorrow is the BIG day - the first day of school for students!!  Us teachers had 3 days last week of professional development (our favorite, right?) and getting our classes ready.  Of course, when I went by today to triple check that everything was ready to go for tomorrow, there were several teachers there doing the same (and I'm sure even more yesterday).

 So I took a few pictures of my classroom so I can remember what it looks like before the chaos starts, and also so it may inspire others in theres.

This is what students will see when they walk in. I hand students a playing card so that is where they find the table they will be sitting at. So, that is the purple tents on the desks.

I've been writing a Quote of the Day for years now. This is the one that will greet students tomorrow.

Looking at the front of the room.  I have class norms posted to the left.



Thanks to Pintrest - I made this one to fit my needs.

Looking from my desk to the door.

I've HATED for the past two years these exposed shelves - students would put stuff there and leave trash all the time. So I went to Wal-Mart and got some tension rods and then found curtains that (almost) fit my need (small modification needed so it would work perfectly, but no one has to know!). You can also see my storage containers for student supplies - not often needed but it's for rulers, markers, protractors, compasses, scissors, glue sticks.

This is on top of my counter.  It's just a small file system for students whom are absent to pick up work and for students to grab the form to do quiz corrections and request a test retake.

 I tried really hard this summer to get organized.  Last year was the first year I didn't switch schools, so this year I really settled in to try to make it nicer.  With new course curriculum and new leadership roles, I wanted to be certain that everything was in a good location.

Oh, hope my "roommate" and there students don't mess too much up - I'm a bit OCD and not sure I'm going to be able to handle sharing.  ;-)

The Simple Things

I went to the "office" today.  As I finish a pile at home, I take it back into work and reorganize.  I wish I could say that I don't bring any more work home with me, but I always seem to bring something else to work on.  Today I took back Algebra 2 (I got through enough last week that I will be set for about the first 3 weeks of the year) and I grabbed some Geometry, since I will now be teaching a section of that in the Spring.

I've also been going into work periodically so that I can run copies of stuff that I know I am going to need that first week.  I hate waiting in line for the copy machine during the 2 days we have before school starts (as we know that's the time they always break!), so I try to get as much done as possible beforehand.  So I was STOKED when I found out we received our new machines (they are Cannon and not Xerox) since the fiscal year just started and we have a new contract.  I tested this machine a few months ago and I was SOOOO happy with what it offered.  I also found out that they are in our new staff lounge!!  Which means that come August 13th, we will have an official staff lounge.  We had just been using an empty classroom, but with the huge growth in our enrollment, we will need all available rooms for the new teachers we have hired (last count I saw 24 new additions to our site!).

The other simple pleasure I encountered upon arriving was that my classroom had just had its deep cleaning.  The custodial staff had stacked all the desks and chairs, moved the other furniture.  They completely dusted and cleaned the cabinets, counters, and other surfaces, and they had just finished with the carpet.  It looked so spotless and wonderful in there!!

My simple happiness:  New copy machines and a super clean classroom!  What more could a math teacher ask for!

Paper-Less

I've spent the last few weeks thinking about how to be more organized.  I went to my room and started cleaning things up and rearranging so that I could accomplish that task this summer and be reading for the new school year.  As I was doing that, I've created FIVE boxes full of paper ready for recycling (I save student tests and some work as record for a year, so that was 2-3 of them).  So, I started thinking, "In our world of technology, how are we not more paperless?"

I decided to research how I could use Google Forms more efficiently for this purpose (I found "10 ways" and "80 ways" that helped give me ideas).  I already have my students do a First Assignment through forms that collects information about them and math experience.  I've used the forms in the past for End-of-Course Surveys, technology surveys, and collection of information from my department.  But, I didn't feel that was enough.

This week I created multiple forms that I felt would assist me better.  As a support provider for beginning teachers, I also though about what would also assist my new teachers and what they needed to document as part of their BTSA program.  So, I created:

• AVID Get to Know You
• Math Get to Know You (recreated)
• Communication Log (document parent communication)
• Meeting Agenda/Minutes
• Professional Development Log (based on the California Standards for the Teaching Profession)

I was SOOOO excited about what I had accomplished that day.  When my husband came home from work, I started to tell him about the meeting minutes and I was so excited.  Then he drops "but I wouldn't want it as a spreadsheet.  I'd want that information as a PDF."  I responded with "well, that's just how Google Forms does it.  It automatically records the responses in a spreadsheet...I think."  Which then led me to researching further if what he was saying would be even possible.  I'm a little OCD, so not just anything would do.  I'd have to find the way to get it just perfectly.  I already had a way envisioned in my head, so it was just seeing if that was then possible.  I ran across a site that was EXACTLY what I was looking for - Merging info from google forms to a PDF document to send via email.  TJ Houston wrote a script and had an advanced explanation of how to do this.  Since I know nothing about script, this took me a little longer to accomplish then it probably should have.  My first attempt had a small error in the script, so I had to figure that out and fix it.  Second attempt, the input values loaded into the wrong places on the PDF, so then I had to figure out if that was an error in the script or something wrong with the form (it ended up being how I created the form then the order it placed in the spreadsheet - so, I had to recreate the latter part of the form).  The third attempt was a success!!!  By that time, I was so grateful because it was 2:00am and I was exhausted.  

I met the next day with a few teachers, so I decided to test the form out again and have record of our discussion and next steps.  It was so perfect!!  I was able to automatically send myself the minutes, which I then forwarded on to the other teachers.  

I am so excited about the possibility with this option!!  I'm excited to share the possibility with the staff at my school and even the District.

Now, if only I could get my students to be this excited and passionate about accomplishing math!

Something New

So, I'm taking on a new role in teaching this upcoming school year.  Well, really it started just before this last one ended.  This past school year I was "Co-Department Chair," but I am now officially the Department Chair.  Our school has been around for 5 years now and has been growing exponentially.  I was hired there only 2 years ago.  Just before I got there they had 5 teachers in the department - next year we will have 9!  Our enrollment is going up by about 300 students.

I'm nervous about taking over the department.  I don't have as much experience as some of them, but I think I'm a leader and can really get our department on the same page and moving forward as we implement Common Core (disclaimer: we actually work really well together.  We collaborate regularly and typically are on the same page).  I think the key here is getting us organized and to be together as we implement Common Core.  Like many districts, we aren't just shifting to Common Core, we are also shifting our course sequence as we are going Integrated (that discussion will be for another time).

I've spent the past couple of weeks using the internet to see what others are doing with Integrated Math for Common Core.  I was able to find some great ideas out there for so many other things, but not as much as I was hoping for with Integrated Math.  So, I decided "why not become a resource for others?"  I have a lot of great ideas of my own to become a better and more efficient teacher in the classroom.  And, as we implement Integrated Math, maybe I'll have some ideas for other's.

Now, I'll add "Bloogger" to my something new hat!