One student never mind what he can and cant do in Mathematics Class….
…..but amazed the teacher at the end of the Term…
“Teacher, I won’t be needing Mathematics, in doing my job as a chef in the future!… others would say… yeah, we will be doctors, I will handle patients, I don’t need it too!” This is the subject that I hate the most, but I love you teacher, na, but I hate your subject so much”…… I usually hear students saying in front of my face… Sad but true.
Handling a classroom packed with students with different things in minds, different ambitions to do, different learning abilities is the most challenging part in the teaching profession.
Imagine teaching the group whose individuals will be in different areas of work in the future and they are studying the same speed, same content and equal atmosphere in the class.
In this article, I am excited to share the ways I actually do when I teach a class of 25 students with different abilities, different learning styles and but studying in the same bilingual program.
The following were the timeline and what was done:
- The first day of Math class: “Announcement!, everyone must have a Math Lesson Notebook, MathLab Notebook, only pencil, Math Challenge Notebook!” Some students’ reply: what?????
Teacher announcement continuous…..” on top of that, everyone MUST, prepare a part to do in the Math and Science Show at the end of the term! Some say: Oh nooo! Some say: Oh Yessss!
- Second Day of Math Class: Now, take out your Lesson Notebook, label the cover by filling out the information needed. The first page of the notebook: Write the Course Outline, Unit Topics, and expectations we will learn for the whole duration of the term. Then make a background or art graphics or anything that is in your mind. Draw, illustrate something around that first page of your notebook. Majority of the students say: Wow, can I use some colours as well? Can I draw like this, like that?…..
- 1st, 2nd, 3rd, ….8th week: Spotted students who are good at drawing, speaking, solving, class disciplinarian, joker, roaming around and player, etc.
Teacher in serious classwork and management: Class, may we call on a student no. 8, to come in front and help us explain how the problem can be solved? show some other methods to solve such…
Class, may we call on a student no. 16, to come to the whiteboard and help us illustrate the shape based on the word problem?
Class, we call on Student No. 20, to give an example of a problem that can be related to sports and we will apply our math on it…. Etc. etc.
- 9th week: Announcement: Get all your unfinished ‘classwork’ be complete and send before the Midterm exams….Teacher: can I come to see you after last period and teach me about the topic I didn’t understand?.
- 10th Week: Midterm Exam Week
- 11th week: Announcement of Scores: My dear class, there are 5 students in this class who need to retake the exam! Oh My God.. one student exclaim… Happy to come and ask when the retest will be….
- 12th – 16th week: Class in serious Math challenging tasks.
- 17th week: Student cries out for help and assist them to have all topics be reviewed and wrapped up.
- 18th: Math and Science Show: Everyone has been assigned a task; on a venue, on logistics and preparation; on performance, on stage, sound system, emcees etc.
- 19th week: Final Exam week. Much more serious, and every soul cries out to get higher mark, reiterates that one has done this in class, one had been a good help in class, one had been an artist in the show and everyone pleads that good marks are needed to enter upon a great university of their dream. Amazing!
My dearest RA academy readers, the classroom is the beginning of their bright future they dream about.
Every single soul in that classroom, absolutely has different ease of learning, doing and performing.
What I just actually do is every single student whether they are Math A+ student or not, they perform every single role in the Math class.
The speaker and the translator in class may not as good Mathematician later, but can be a speaker and a motivator.
Somebody is an illustrator in the class can be a book writer later.
Somebody is a well organized and behave in class, may land into a psychology career.
Couple of students are good at emceeing, and be leaders and mentors later.
Ultimately, be motivated and gladly take that somebody in class who had not made a good final score mark but can be an architect, engineer and be that somebody he loves to do in his/her life in the nearest future.
I take with hope and pleasant aspiration for this student I featured below, a student who never tries to solve every single Math problem, not even in the formative exam.
But look how creative and innate talent he has. His sample illustration of the Math problem be:
Overall, take every single in the class as talented and they can learn differently, looking at the problems differently.
Be an instrument for them to get on their own ways, never reprimand and never get angry.
Always give them the room for self-discovery, and they will shockingly amaze you what they can do later, not everyone can do.
