Field Trips, Electives, Math Competitions, PD, iLearn, and TED Ed

Wow, I can't believe that March is almost over!  Next week my kids will be taking their ELA state tests and then their math test the following week.  This week would normally be Spring Break, so it's kind of depressing that it's not, but it will be glorious when it happens in the end of April in a few weeks (even though I'll be scoring math state tests the whole break)!  Here is what's been happening in my math (& art) classroom these past few weeks...

Field Trips
Our field trips to the Math Museum with my 7th graders three weeks ago, and my 6th graders last week was OK.  I wish the museum had more (and wasn't so expensive), but I think the kids enjoyed it, and both days were nice enough to have lunch in the park across the street.  This past Monday, my advisory students and I volunteered at Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen for their service learning project, which was a great experience.  They were super organized, and I think my kids got a lot out of it.  I would definitely volunteer there again.  The last trip of the year I have planned is a whole middle school trip to the Festival of Cultures, in May, which I am looking forward to because it is always a good time.

Math Club & Harry Potter Electives
Tomorrow is the last day of the Math Club elective.  We will be celebrate becoming a gold-level club, and do one more STEM activity - the Marshmallow Challenge!  Afterwords, they will also take a survey to reflect on the elective and give me feedback on how I can improve for next year.  Already at least one of my 6th graders said they she wants to come back, which makes me feel good.  Overall I enjoyed the elective, but I wish it had been shorter.  We have met once a week, for a double period since September.  Some of the other elective teachers feel the same way, so next year, we might do 12-week elective cycles, to give other kids the chance to participate.  Starting April 7th, the next elective cycle kicks off, and the Harry Potter Elective will start.  The kids have been submitting their preferences the past two days, and there is definitely some buzz about it, which I am excited about.  Plus, the four 6th grade students who came to me with the idea for a Harry Potter club, have planned out rules, activities, and even wrote lesson plans for it (oh yeah, and they wrote essays about why they should be in Harry Potter club - which they didn't even have to do!).  It's hard to not be so excited when they are so into it, so I am looking forward to being Headmaster Anna ;)

MoMathlon & Olympiad for Girls
This coming Monday I am taking a group of 7th graders to the 2016 MoMathlon, which will be fun (they even opened it up to bringing more than one team without having to pay another registration fee, which is sweet).  The team is looking forward to it, and their parents are happy they we are participating too, and who knows, maybe we'll even be able to bring home a trophy?  On April 15th, myself and our ICT teacher are also brining a group of girls to the Math Olympiad for Girls, and the girls who are participating are super excited.  

Professional Development
I've been looking into a lot of different PDs lately, and am excited to have some (hopefully) good ones coming up.  Next weekend I'll be attending EdCamp Brooklyn, and I signed up for the UFT Teacher Leadership Conference in June.  Last week, I also shared with my colleagues info about the NY Teacher Leadership Summit, hosted by Teaching Matters, and hopefully we will be submitting an application next week.  It would be great to work with them again.  I also submitted my Hunter application for the Summer Institute.  My biggest goal, however, is to get into the Math for America Master Teacher Fellowship.  I am taking the Math Content Praxis in a few weeks, and I am not going to lie, I am a little worried about it.  If I can do well, then I am fairly confident I can get in, but man, is that test is scary, but I will keep studying and give it my best shot.  

Standards-Based Grading & iLearn ePortfolios
I shared out my independent inquiry on standards-based grading with my colleagues this past week, and I am looking forward to trying out some things with our current grading platform, Jupiter.  I also want to test out using iLearn for our math ePortfolios.  All our students already use it for social studies, and I am looking forward to exploring it's use for math.

TedEd
I just had to share out this excellent resource that I just started using with my students, TED Ed.  I've been using it with my 7th graders, and it is a great site for short video clips to get kids thinking, and they even have lessons you can customize.  I am telling you, next year I am just going to use TED Ed, Mathalicious,  nrich, and Illuminations with my 7th & 8th graders.

Field Trips, Formal Observations, STEM...

After Fridays, Wednesdays are probably my favorite day of the work week.  More than half the work week is over, and Mondays - Wednesdays are usually my most productive days, so Wednesdays are good.  Even though it's been hard to get out of bed the past few days (it's just so warm and cozy) work has been good.  Like last week, I am still amazed that we are almost half way done with the school year!  It is going by so fast!  And almost not a day goes by where I don't regret making the (scary) choice to try something new.  So here's what's been going on in the math (& art) middle school life the past week:

Field Trips

I scheduled my first whole-grade field trips of the year!  (My art trip in November was just one class).  My 6th graders and 7th graders are going to the Math Museum on two different days in March, which will hopefully break up the miserable school month of March a little bit.  I also scheduled our trip to the Festival of Cultures in May for the whole middle school.  Fun trips coming up!

Formal Observation/ Mathalicious

Tomorrow morning I will have my formal observation with my 7th graders.  We will be doing an inquiry investigation on linear equations using Domino's Pizza.  It hits some important 8th grade standards on equations and functions (yes, I am doing it with 7th graders!).  I am so happy with my Mathalicious subscription, I highly recommend it for any middle/high school math teacher!       

Math Club/ STEM: Building Straw Bridges

Tomorrow my Math Club will begin formally working on their Gold-level project for the National Math Club and they will also explore building straw bridges.  One of my 6th graders (who isn't even in Math Club) shared with me this game as a resource.  I am excited to see what they come up with!    

Ten Marks March Math Madness

A few years ago, my students used Ten Marks as an online resource.  It was especially engaging in March when they have a contest, March Math Madness.  I got an email from them about it this week, so I decided to check out an account.  I even had a student test it out, and I think I may use it again (at least for Math Madness) as a way to change things up.  Currently my kids use Khan Academy online, which is great, but it might be a nice change (and good motivation) to switch over for a bit.    

Interim Assessment #2

One of my classes took their second interim assessment this week.  The other two classes will take theirs in two weeks.  These are assessments that I make, using released state-test questions.  The next round will be in March and the final will be in May.  I am proud of myself for following though with this goal.  The data has been useful and I don't feel like I am over-testing them, especially since I create the tests, so I know they won't be a waste of time (like prior benchmarks given to us from the city have been).     

Parent Engagement

I finally sent out my first parent newsletter of the year this week!  I have been wanting to do it all year, but it just hasn't happened.  I like how it came out and I hope to send one out every Tuesday during our parent engagement time.  When my 6th graders start their geometry unit, Covering & Surrounding, we will also be inviting families in for the Coke Project (probably sometime next month), which should be fun.

Andy Warhol

In art this week, my students will be studying Andy Warhol work on this project.  

Working with Individual Students

I am so lucky to work at a school that is so flexible with their schedule.  Today I was able to skip lunch duty, still have my prep period, and use what would have been my prep to work with two individual students during their study hall period.  Nothing is better than being supported in working with kids one-on-one.  This is something I tried to bring to my old school, but wasn't able to make happen.  Right now this is on a week-by-week basis, but it is fantastic and I hope it continues!     

Advisory Service Project
My advisory is still working on their service project around homelessness.  I am so proud of them for taking on such a great cause.  They are really starting to own this service learning project.

G & T Extension Certification

I started looking into Gifted & Talented Extension Certification programs.  I am currently only have my secondary math certification.  The Summer Institute for Gifted Certification program at Hunter College looks promising.  My only fear is that it will be very elementary school focused (since G & T testing happens to little kids).  I know St. John's has a program too, which I believe is online (which would be nice) but I hear it's pricy.  Decisions, decisions.