7 Comments

Glad a student had the “whoa I’m smart suddenly” moment!

Expand full comment

I love the way you said that you feel like getting to know you activities are contrived. I agree. Getting to know them is a year long process not a first day activity. Yes, I ask my kids to work on math from day one and try to squeeze as much math in with the training of routines and norms in my classroom. I used to Harry Wong the crap out of the first week of school. However, that proved to be functional at best. Now I start out by telling my kids that I read and re-read a series by Charlie Higson. It is a zombie apocalypse story and only the humans under 14 survive. Similar to Lord of the Flies but instead of just boys it includes all kids under 14 and is set in London. The author is exceptionally great at character development and zombie descriptions that make a person squirm. I tell my students that I plan to cast them as the character that best reminds me of them and through the year.

How does this relate to math? Kids must become problem solvers in this book series and that is how I see all my students from day one. I plant the seed in their mind, that no matter what they have experienced mathematically to this point, that I think they all have the potential to excel in my class. Not just survive. I hope to cultivate creative problem solvers. It sets the stage for relationship building and mostly seems to convince them that I find them to be capable problem solvers.

In turn, I enjoy the check in screens (DESMOS) because it reminds them that I don't see them as another random kid but I really do want to check in and see them as humans with more problems than just math. I enjoy the wackiness of the activities and how they can jump in an not have to be terrified of a red checkmark on their work but instead play with the possibilities and learn from trial and error.

Long story short. I wish you and I could teach in the same hallway. Upon my first read of your work. You seem like the kind of teacher I would want my kids (students or offspring) to encounter. Thank you.

Expand full comment

Thanks for sharing! I love hearing first-day ideas that go beyond get-to-know-you, syllabus, expectations stuff.

Expand full comment

Man I love reading about how you teach.

Expand full comment

Thanks Ben!

Expand full comment

Love this. Routines, baby.

Day 1, 2, 3 of school are under-leveraged/misunderstood by many teachers. They live inside the wrong analogy: the marathon, just 3 days out of 180, really gentle start, silly icebreakers.

The right analogy is dating. Dates 1, 2, 3....obviously you gotta get that right!

Expand full comment

I agree with that. Though the thing that breaks the dating analogy is the students who aren't present for whatever reason.

The other thing that I think is misunderstood is that you can have multiple goals. Getting to know students isn't my number one but I understand teachers that prioritize getting to know students, especially English teachers. But you can prioritize getting to know students, and routines, and other stuff. One mistake that's easy to make on day one is you only plan one activity because there are so many logistics to wade through, but then everyone's done 20 minutes early.

Expand full comment