September Reflections

Successes:

• I was able to set up the gradebook correctly. Categories for each unit have been set up. I like this method so that teachers and students can see exactly which standard an assignment or activity goes with. 
• Geometry - finished first unit on Points, Lines, and Planes. Students did very well on the vocab section. I need to re-evaluate the 3.0 objectives and how they are presented/taught so that the students are more successful at that level. 
• Algebra 2 - finished second unit on Linear & Absolute Value Inequalities. We were able to study for the summative using whiteboards. The boards I have are clear sleeves, so the front is a white sheet of paper and the back is a coordinate plane. I was able to give equations/inequalities to solve as well as graph two variables on the coordinate plane. The students really enjoyed this. 
• I survived Homecoming week (somehow). 

Concerns & Possible Solutions:

• Points, Lines, and Planes - Next time I teach the unit, I need to focus on the difference between segment/angle addition and segment/angle bisectors. The students had a hard time differentiating between the two on the summative. 
• The start of the Logical Reasoning unit needs to be redesigned. We started with patterns, which should be a good introduction, but the students later struggled with this. I struggle with teaching "old" information because I feel like the students should already know the material and often times they don't remember. 
• Algebra 2 - The second unit builds directly from the first, this would have been a great unit to flip the classroom with. I was in the middle of volleyball and Homecoming planning, so it didn't get done. I need to do these videos and design leveled practice either later this year or over the summer so that next year this unit can be done in a flipped classroom setting. 

Questions:

• Is sending emails home to parents effective? I've been sending update emails and usually don't get any responses. 
• How can I hold students accountable for homework? I need to still go over it to make sure the students that do the homework can check the answers they got.