Lingo Bingo

Hi folks and welcome back to another exciting installment into the secret life of a high school teacher from a private school.

Sometimes I feel as if students just don't get it or don't want to understand. It feels as if they just gave up and simply don't care. For instance, I usually teach for about ten minutes of class time. The rest of the time, I'm doing examples on the board or answering questions. I tell the students that if they had trouble with last night's homework, they should come talk to me. I will of course give them a hand. Instead, what I see happening is that students turn in last night's homework with blank answers and then get started on tonight's homework. Then of course, they get stuck and feel frustrated again. So now after talking with another teacher, I go around the room individually instead of just answer questions on the board. I ask students one-to-one if they are stuck on anything. Sometimes they say no and other times yes. So that's been good and I think that has helped a bit. However I'm still frustrated at those students who know that they have left questions on their homework blank and when I ask them if they need help, they refuse. They say, "Nope I have no questions to ask." Then I walk away. Then they turn it in with questions unanswered. So now it's time for another change. When I notice that someone is lying or not telling me the whole truth about their homework, I will ask, "Okay, then let me see your paper." If I notice that something is wrong, then its time for some correction. What I can't have happening is students giving up.

I can see students giving up in their attitude and in their behavior. They don't pay attention in class. They don't listen. When I'm done explaining something, they will ask me to do it again because they weren't paying any attention in the first place. They have given up. I don't know what the problem might be. Maybe some issue at home, a friend problem, or any kind of issue (even laziness) could be the cause or source of the problem. I try to encourage the students with fun learning games such as the title of this entry "Lingo Bingo."

Since last time the students had a hard time with definitions and equations on the Physics quiz and test, I decided to play a Bingo game where they put the words down on a Bingo sheet and I will say the definition to them. They place a marker wherever the word matches the definition that I said. I "stole" it from a teacher in college who told the class that she found out that the best way that students learn definitions in from Bingo. It's a matching game of sorts similar to one found on the quizzes and tests. The students really enjoyed it today and I hope their quiz will reflect that.

Also this week, I had an "Ah-ha" moment with one of the students. We were in Pre-Calculus and were discussing some story problems for homework. Then all of a sudden this girl said, "Oh, I get it. I actually like these word problems because it makes it seem like math is useful." Well, duh!!! I was excited in my head that she said that and that she was able to see that math was more than just plugging in numbers and getting a solution. It helps you understand problems that you will encounter everyday. It gives you problem solving skills. She then went on to help the other students and help them understand it well. When the bell rang, she wanted me to finish the problem on the board so that she could have a better understanding of the homework. It was quite exciting and I'm writing this so that I will remember it even when times get tough. This kind of moment doesn't arrive everyday!

My principal, Mr. Doney, asked me today about how I was enjoying the job. It is a big career change after all. I said that I am enjoying it and learning a lot about my new career. It's every changing and very rewarding. At my engineering job, it was fun building the Simpsons ride themeing and other design elements, but it just felt like one project after the next. I wasn't really helping anyone and I doubt anybody's life is going to get better after building those things. I think I enjoyed going on the actual ride then designing it behind a computer all day. Without the human interaction, the job becomes boring. Sitting behind a desk all day for long hours staring blankly at a computer screen may be fine for some people, but was not what I wanted to do. So now I'm here and I'm into education. So far it's very dynamic and I'm learning quite a bit. Okay, not as much as my students, but I'm still learning nonetheless.

Until next time...