Over time, I thought I would start to hear growns instead of cheers.
But here we are, 44 days into the school year,
And students seem just as excited to go to the vertical white boards
As they did that first day...
When we weren't even working with content.
Those 3-5 days of setting up the scene
With non-curricular tasks has totally paid off.
Today my students spent 40+ minutes working on solving inequalities.
They were given a handout of 32 problems,
Including one-step, two-step, multi-step and writing algebraic representations,
And ranging in complexity from basic to advanced to choose from.
I told them I didn't care how many they solved in each section.
I just wanted them to give their brain a workout.
Just like in strength and conditioning,
If only the easy problems are completed,
Their brain muscle won't grow and get stronger.
Many tried the fraction problems.
One class started with the grand-daddy of them all,
Anxious to prove to themselves they could solve it.
Most made a mistake.
They accepted this gracefully and persevered through it to eventually solve it correctly.
40 minutes.
Standing.
Collaborating.
Showing work.
Solving.
Perseverance.
Work ethic.
Mistakes.
Grit.
I cannot think of a better way to teach,
Then to just be there for my students who are asking the questions,
Who are inquiring how to do something.
Not because they just want to get it done.
Out of the way.
But because they really want to know.
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