Looking Back on the School Year

Okay, so I have been thinking about my classroom policies and expectations.  Evaluating the ones that work well and the ones that need to be revamped.  Here is a list of the ones that have worked great and the things I plan to change for next year.

AWESOMENESS IN ACTION

1. Weekly planner kept in Excel.
• Having more than one prep I have found that being EXTRA organized is absolutely critical.  Also, when I had to go back and type up everything I had done for the year it was all right there.  BONUS!
2. Homework blog with Syllabus.
• This is awesome for many reasons: 1) I don't have to write the assignment down at the end of class - I always forgot, 2) I can post announcements when I think of them, 3) They can't use the "you didn't tell me" excuse.
3. Daily Agenda for the week on the board.
• Again, this goes to the students can't use the "you didn't tell me" excuse.



Awesomeness, right?  Just a little electrical tape and you, too, can have one.

4. Real-life problems in quartly projects to expand what is learned in class.
5. Emphasized the importance of units in answers and that word problems are always answered with words in complete sentences.
6. Demonstrating the TI-84 calculator.
• I am the TI master.

NOT SO MUCH

1. Allowing papers with fringe to be turned in at all.
2. Allowing papers to be turned in without headers.
3. Allowing homework/quizzes/tests to be reworked at any point within the quarter.
• I am not changing my rule about being able to rework failing grades BUT I am not going to let them do it all at the end of the quarter... they will have to have it done by the Chapter test else no dice.  We give them a study hall period every other week and the students don't really use it for what it is intended and I am going to force them to change that at least for my class.
4. Not Differentiating more.
• In math there is a huge difference from the students who have been forced to go to Academy and who haven't and I have not been very accommodating to those kids.  We have been working at the slowest student's pace and that isn't exactly fair.
5. Not consistently marking off for not showing work.
• Some times there is lost points some times there isn't.  I need a clearer show your work policy and stick to it.