The lastest news with LotusHead!

[LotusHead]

I got hired to teach middle school math at a local school.  This will be the first time I've been fully employed since pretty much my entire existence on TMD.

I've been perfectly happy working at Sylvan Learning Center after school, and subbing as much as I can, but I'm tired of being broke all the time.

Monday is day 1 of the rebirth of my career. Whoot!

[The Atog Lord]

Great! Congratulations and good luck!

[AmbivalentDuck]

Congrats! Which grade do you teach?

[Prospero]

Congratulations!!!

[LotusHead]

Congrats! Which grade do you teach?

I don't know. Fingerprints went through late Friday night, Monday morning I turn in the last of the paperwork and get my ID badge, then I go to the school and find out! I start monday, kids start Wednesday.

[Smmenen]

You're going to be great!

[AmbivalentDuck]

Congrats! Which grade do you teach?

I don't know. Fingerprints went through late Friday night, Monday morning I turn in the last of the paperwork and get my ID badge, then I go to the school and find out! I start monday, kids start Wednesday.

Interesting since that gives you so little time to get a lesson plan ready.

[LotusHead]

It could be worse, last year I subbed for 3.5 weeks for the sub for the teacher they hired instead of me, who quit after a month for outside reasons .
I wanted that job, but they had already decided on someone else, they were just waiting for fingerprints to clear. Whether it was X weeks or 1.5 weeks, I do not know, but you can't rush the FingerPrint guys.

I am super happy that I get the 2 days to plan things out instead of not stepping foot on campus until a week after class starts.

Apparently, all the kids need ID at all times to show that they really belong there (and are not Drug Dealers, etc).

It's a peacefull little suburb, but that's where things are at at the moment. (maybe the all ID thing is for next year at the High School level).

[Team_Vacaville-Junior]

Well I guess it's official. Now its Mr. Scrubby McNeilson to everyone now lol I hope the little bastards at crystal learn as much from you as I an others in your un-official apprentiship covertly known as Team Vacaville Congrats again Mr. Neilson.

[AmbivalentDuck]

Apparently, all the kids need ID at all times to show that they really belong there (and are not Drug Dealers, etc).

It's a peacefull little suburb, but that's where things are at at the moment. (maybe the all ID thing is for next year at the High School level).

Is it just me or did high school not include day care/metal detectors/ID badges when we were in school?

[Bibendum]

I don't know who WE is but im 27 and had ID tags in highschool. I was from a Long Island suburb and they were mandatory.

[nataz]

Congrats!

[saspook]

Awesome, you can teach them that 2+2 is 4, and that 2+1 is 3 and that if x<3, then Y=3 but if X>3, then Y=X and other Workshop math.

[vaughnbros]

Good luck on the job!  It seems like most people love or hate math depending on their teacher.  So make them love it.

Awesome, you can teach them that 2+2 is 4, and that 2+1 is 3 and that if x<3, then Y=3 but if X>3, then Y=X and other Workshop math.

I like what you did there at the end.  It depends what grade hes teaching though.  I don't think they learn peacewise functions until 7th grade at the earliest.

[LotusHead]

My first time being fully employed in 8 years.

[TheWhiteDragon]

Like!

[Metman]

Congrats and good luck. I too am an educator, however I teach English at the high school level. You probably know this, but teaching is less about curriculum than it is the management of people. My advice would be to collaborate with other teachers in your department and make sure you communicate with others on strategies for motivating and managing behavior. I'm excited for you. Have fun! If you would ever like to chat teaching or Magic, PM me.

[LotusHead]

How my kids get positive reinforcement. worked in my troublesome period so far!

[LotusHead]

The cut up magic cards have been a HUGE success. Kids can't WAIT to get called on, then they get to come up and get another "ticket". There are like 10,000 different pictures. I contacted local comic book store to buy unwanted crap commons from the 98-2002 era that I didn't buy cards much.

I'm copy/pasting this from my FB page, cuz I've known you all at TMD a lot longer than FB.  But I only "friend" very few TMD players (only those I have actual contact with), but this site (and SSG's General Disscusion forum) have been one of my few outlets to say stuff.  Obviously no Political Stuff on TMD, but you know, conversations with internet folk.  When talking about things with people you are acquainted with (say FNM drafters that you don't know outside of FNM draft, but you both take smoke breaks), you never know how their experiences and input will help you out. TMD helped me out when I was shopping for my first SmartPhone last year.

Anyways, love you all:

Next installment of my re-kindled Teaching Career:

I finally have enough time and space to think a little bit about tomorrow's lesson on PEMDAS. I have no printer in my classroom and no printer at home, so things are kinda stressfull, but I'm working on the classroom management thing FIRST AND FOREMOST. Currently my plan has kinds BEGGING to be called next, cuz I give them cut up Magic Cards with just the art and the back (that says Magic). I don't know what they are worth yet, but I have my 4th period TA's cutting up stackfulls constantly, and I buy the "tickets" back from students as they record them in one class. Anyways, I finally have OpenOffice so can type up stuff. Here is intro to tomorrow's lesson:

Order of Operations and learning “new” material in Math 8

"There are a lot of things that you are going to learn in Math 8 this year, with me, Mr. Neilson. And although I am currently using this “Algebra Readiness” book, for the time being, you will be taught something new, even if you don't see why it's new.

For example, if you are pretty sure that you know how to add, subtract, multiply and divide numbers, then that's great. Especially if you can do it with very few booboos (silly errors).

But the word “Numbers” mean a lot of different things. What kind of “Number” are you talking about?

47 + 3, 47-3, 47x3, 47 divided by 3 might be things you can do.

But what about 4.7x3? 4.7 – 1/3? -3 + 4.7?

There are many facets of arithmetic that get doled out to you piecemeal and we try to show you that all the rules of math always stay the same, even if individual parts of it get more complex.

-3 + 9x4 - (4x5-4x4.3) +20(8-3/5)

What do you remember about the rules to evaluate this sort of numerical expression?"

I am totally committed to getting classroom management down FIRST (this is day 7's lesson, 1.3 in the book), but I finally get to direct the teaching from MY perspective and do stuff MY way (as opposed to just follow the book). Man, I am learning so many things each day since Monday (three whole days ago). I am glad I have a super supportive staff/Principal to guide me. Also, they gave me an iPad to do teacher stuff with.

[aahz]

Congrats Jeff! You, sir, are a braver man than I to take on a classroom like that. Good for you! It's not an accident that I teach college, i.e. "adults", instead (since I possess insufficient patience and optimism). Having known numerous middle-school teachers (and what teaching middle school implies), I must say that you really do seem like one of the few people with just the right mix of knowledge, spunk, idealism, dedication, and infectious positivism to actually teach kids important stuff. I hope it's going well. You're going to be great!

[LotusHead]

So far, my kids all love me.

But there are a few issues.  I don't have a printer hooked up in my classroom. There is a printer. It's sitting on a shelf. I am a guy, and I know how to hook up printers, but all the ports and such are filled (as far as I can tell). I put in a work order to get it installed, but there is no dedicated IT guy, so I have to wait for my "order" to get filled.

I'm make due.  Trying to make classroom management my focus.

My first period class are a bunch of angels, but they get shorted out on a full lesson/whatever cuz it's first period, and things come up.
Second and third period are angels who reap the benefits of whatever I learned in first period (although 3rd period need firm "Mr Neilson enforces the rules in an unbiased way" kinda thing.

4th period are also a bunch of angels, except about 8 of them think that when I have a pause in talking, that means then can shout out questions, etc.  I probably would have answered their questions if I had 3 minutes (maybe 5 minutes) to get out what I want to say.   So here's the new (for the next few weeks) plan:

They all get an awesome Magic Card sleeved up (with their name written on the sleeve), and if they get on my shitlist (warning, 2nd friendly warning, 1 minute after class, then 5 minute lunch detention): The plan is, if they get to the warning stage, I replace their card with 3 other cards (tokens, crap cards, custom cards, I dunno) that let them know where they are in the discipline stage. As they continue to do whatever is disruptive, I take out the next card.  If they run out of cards, I send them out, and call parental units.

So far, kids can't wait to get called on because they get their card displayed, get to participate, then get to get another "ticket" (ie, cut up magic card with only artbox and magic back).  But I gotta keep some kids mouths shut so I can say what I gotta say.

I'm having a lot of fun doing this, but there are still things that aren't "ready" yet. Like having my classes (w/students) set up online, with assignments so I can grade and return their stuff.  Hopefully that will get settled by Friday after work.  On saturday, sealed GP Oakland! Whoot!

[LotusHead]

A followup:  Previous post was 2am, Friday was yet to be a thing.

By the end of the day, at least 3 different teachers approached me and offered their help in any way possible.  One wanted to help me get my online grading thing set up (I have 5 periods, each of which has 150 kids, so I have to drop 120 kids from each class. Someone somewhere set it up wrong, but at least I can fix it with (hmmm....) 120x5x3 clicks, with corresponding glances at rosters, etc, so x5 after that).
Another came in, diagnosed my printer situation (catastrophic failure, so needs a new printer to replace the 8 year old one), and made sure I could print up stuff on my computer (but prints up in his room: just call first to make sure there's no special/colored paper loaded)

Another was a 1st year teacher the year before, and was just checking in.

I feel very supported here, even if I am still kinda overwhelmed.  But a private tutoring student of mine suggested some cheap and/or free apps for my iPad that will make my life easier.

I got this.

Also, payday in 5 days.

[Paul]

I just noticed this thread.  Please accept my belated congratulations!

Of course, we need to remember there are 3 kinds of mathematicians: those who can Edit: add count and those who can’t.  

[LotusHead]

This is how I "Volunteer" people, and a bit of what I give in return.

They will eventually be able to redeem their "Magic Tickets" to use restroom, get a thingy of Bottled Water, or to upgrade their card to a better card (foil? Standard Playable?, Who knows?  I know I have like 10000 cards that are worth zero, and now they get kids excited to be called on!

[V]

This is how I "Volunteer" people, and a bit of what I give in return.

They will eventually be able to redeem their "Magic Tickets" to use restroom, get a thingy of Bottled Water, or to upgrade their card to a better card (foil? Standard Playable?, Who knows?  I know I have like 10000 cards that are worth zero, and now they get kids excited to be called on!

Excellent!  I wish I had instructors like you.

-3 + 9x4 - (4x5-4x4.3) +20(8-3/5)

What do you remember about the rules to evaluate this sort of numerical expression?"

As a point of curiosity, there a number ways to approach this problem; do we consider certain approaches to be wrong even though these other methods work?  That is, should we stick to PEMDAS or would distribution be acceptable?

[LotusHead]

-3 + 9x4 - (4x5-4x4.3) +20(8-3/5)
What do you remember about the rules to evaluate this sort of numerical expression?"

As a point of curiosity, there a number ways to approach this problem; do we consider certain approaches to be wrong even though these other methods work?  That is, should we stick to PEMDAS or would distribution be acceptable?

-3 + 9x4 - (4x5-4x4.3) +20(8-3/5)
Using the Distributive Property on the last bit is fine.

I encourage them to separate them into separate zones and simplify separately.
-3            +     9x4            -     (4x5-4x4.3)             +    20(8-3/5)

[V]

-3 + 9x4 - (4x5-4x4.3) +20(8-3/5)
What do you remember about the rules to evaluate this sort of numerical expression?"

As a point of curiosity, there a number ways to approach this problem; do we consider certain approaches to be wrong even though these other methods work?  That is, should we stick to PEMDAS or would distribution be acceptable?

-3 + 9x4 - (4x5-4x4.3) +20(8-3/5)
Using the Distributive Property on the last bit is fine.

I encourage them to separate them into separate zones and simplify separately.
-3            +     9x4            -     (4x5-4x4.3)             +    20(8-3/5)

Cool...of course, PEMDAS does have the advantage of having a song to remember it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xsyXu9J8CA

[LotusHead]

My other job (Sylvan Learning Center, after school tutor type thing) finally hired another math teacher. Hopefully within 2 weeks, I can have an extra hour a day to do Mr Neilson Stuff at school, instead of having to rush from one job to another.

[LotusHead]

3.5 weeks in, still no printer in my room. But I got paid, so I have a printer at home.

Also, Thursday night I finally found out was actually supposed to be taught (Math 8 CCSS). So I guess we do Statistics and Probability starting Monday.

[Paul]

3.5 weeks in, still no printer in my room. But I got paid, so I have a printer at home.

Also, Thursday night I finally found out was actually supposed to be taught (Math 8 CCSS). So I guess we do Statistics and Probability starting Monday.

Don't forget about toner/ink -- some printers are initially inexpensive but their toner/ink will drive you into the poor house.

How deep will you be going into Statistics and Probablity?