Pi R Scared

  As we approach mid-April, the state testing begins for many students and teachers. While this can be a stressful time, many teachers find fun ways to review.  What games or activities do you use in your classroom to prepare and keep review engaging?

    Students return from Spring Break full of energy and excitement, knowing the end of the school year is near. Teachers often spend this time reviewing classroom expectations and reestablishing routines, especially since state testing usually begins within a few weeks. While there’s a push to return to normal, the atmosphere is different, and students often need a way to release that extra energy. A creative teacher I worked with a few years ago had a great idea for this transition period. She used plastic eggs to make the return more engaging. She cut up a worksheet and placed one question inside each egg, then hid them outside. Students went outside with a clipboard and some paper, searching for the eggs. When they found one, they opened it, wrote down the problem number and question, solved it, and then returned the egg to its hiding spot. This continued until each student had solved 10 questions. It was a great way to get students moving while still compl...

       As many schools approach Spring Break or have started Spring Break the level of excitement and energy is building. Spring Break normally marks the start or close to the start of the 4th and final quarter of the school year. Our school hasn't gotten to Spring Break yet so here are some activities or ideas I'm using for this time.  Quizizz Lesson - You can build your notes into a quizizz and after 2 slides of notes, I do some questions they can earn points on.  Increasing student responses - By this I mean, during the lesson itself I am checking with students more frequently through thumbs up/down/middle responses.   Brain Breaks - The students are need more frequent brain breaks.  How does any of this help with focus or material retention?  The students want to win the Quizizz so questions come up more frequently. The students are more likely to write down key information, when I remind them they are going to practice what I said f...

       My students are currently learning about how to make a boxplot or box and whisker plot with and without technology. Desmos is the calculator they are allowed to use and it is fairly user friendly when it comes to making boxplots. Here's a quick video on how to make them. 

  Teaching is a rewarding yet demanding profession, often requiring educators to balance lesson planning, grading, and classroom management while also maintaining their personal well-being. One of the most effective ways teachers can protect their time and energy is by setting clear boundaries between work and personal life. Without boundaries, it’s easy to fall into the trap of working late hours, responding to emails at all times, and feeling constantly on call. Establishing firm but fair limits helps prevent burnout and ensures that teachers can bring their best selves to the classroom. One key boundary teachers can implement is setting "out of office" responses for emails outside of work hours. By clearly communicating when they are available to respond, teachers can manage expectations with students, parents, and colleagues. For example, an automatic response stating, "I will respond to emails during school hours or within 24-48 hours on weekdays," sets a profe...

  The debate over whether students should have homework on the weekends is a long-standing one, with strong arguments on both sides. Supporters of weekend homework argue that it reinforces learning, provides additional practice, and helps students stay engaged with material outside of school hours. They believe that weekends offer a great opportunity for students to complete larger projects, review challenging concepts, and develop strong study habits that will benefit them in high school, college, and beyond. On the other hand, opponents of weekend homework argue that students need time to relax, recharge, and engage in extracurricular activities or family time. Middle school students, in particular, are at an age where social development, hobbies, and unstructured play are just as important as academics. Studies suggest that excessive homework can lead to stress, burnout, and a lack of motivation, potentially diminishing the benefits of additional practice. Many educators and par...