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Starting to get it.
May. 7th, 2009 06:52 amAs of yesterday, about two thirds of my kids understand how to use repeated subtraction to do division - though all my prodding was not enough for them to go out on a limb and try something new on their own. When I ask them to show me two or three different ways of answering a division question, they have the strategies and can name them.
In Literacy, we're working on persuasive writing. We're at the shared writing part at the moment - that is, I gave them a topic, "we need more intramural sports at our school," and we're writing it together on the overhead. They're all complaining about how long it is. It's basically a five-paragraph essay, and we're on overhead #3. Their hands hurt, they never have to write this much, they're not going to finish copying it down, etc, etc. I tell them to suck it up. Even so, the lessons are working because I love this kind of writing, and that always comes through to the kids. Whenever someone's complaints take the, "What does she know about this anyway?" tack, someone else tells them to shush because I'm a published author so clearly I know my stuff. It's gratifying.
Persuasive writing is a good follow-up to evaluating point of view, because you have to be able to view your topic from the point of view of your audience before you can write in a way that will convince the audience. So I'm getting a good feel for how well they can apply their understanding of point-of-view, most of which I didn't teach them - the supply did while I was off.
I started looking at graduation stuff today. Most of the work comes in June, but I talked with the principal and we decided on the person getting the Principal's Award for Leadership. It won't come as any surprise, and it shouldn't - that award should get nods of acceptance from most of the kids when it's announced, if you've picked the right person. The other awards are always harder.
Time to get moving.
In Literacy, we're working on persuasive writing. We're at the shared writing part at the moment - that is, I gave them a topic, "we need more intramural sports at our school," and we're writing it together on the overhead. They're all complaining about how long it is. It's basically a five-paragraph essay, and we're on overhead #3. Their hands hurt, they never have to write this much, they're not going to finish copying it down, etc, etc. I tell them to suck it up. Even so, the lessons are working because I love this kind of writing, and that always comes through to the kids. Whenever someone's complaints take the, "What does she know about this anyway?" tack, someone else tells them to shush because I'm a published author so clearly I know my stuff. It's gratifying.
Persuasive writing is a good follow-up to evaluating point of view, because you have to be able to view your topic from the point of view of your audience before you can write in a way that will convince the audience. So I'm getting a good feel for how well they can apply their understanding of point-of-view, most of which I didn't teach them - the supply did while I was off.
I started looking at graduation stuff today. Most of the work comes in June, but I talked with the principal and we decided on the person getting the Principal's Award for Leadership. It won't come as any surprise, and it shouldn't - that award should get nods of acceptance from most of the kids when it's announced, if you've picked the right person. The other awards are always harder.
Time to get moving.