Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Frustration!!!! arrrrghghgh....
I'm so frustrated with this learning gap!!! I can't figure out what they aren't understanding and whether or not they don't get things right because they aren't understanding or not studying. I don't think they know how to study. They don't understand simple algebra when they should have learned that in 7th or 8th grade. How am I supposed to know where to take them back to in order to break things down for them? Some are even having trouble following directions. I graded two tests today and in Chemistry, 9 failed and I only got two 77%'s. In Physics 7 failed, and two passed with an 83 and a 61. They seem to understand things on review day and don't have any questions at all. I have to prod for questions and re explain everything from the chapter and then I get these results. Am I failing them or do they simply not care? Do they know how to learn? I don't know how to help them. I think I'll just start the chapter over and do more examples but I feel like what I'm saying must be going in one ear and out the other...
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Katherine,
ReplyDeleteI didn't have to take algebra until I was in 10th
grade at SPASH. This accelerated stuff now a days
in the states is insane. The kids are being expected to take calculus so early, and when I
went to school, calculus was only for the really
smart people. Your kids are normal. I'm not sure
what you can do exept maybe make it easier and try to reach them in a more personal way. Not just
school school school. Maybe tie in some of their
lessons with activities at home? Show them know more
how You care. Maybe pray more with them. love,
Joyce K. Miller
Katherine,
ReplyDeleteSounds a little like my 15 year old son, Alex, although he is in 10th grade now. I don't think it is unusual for some or maybe most kids that age not to have focus. They start to lose it after elementary school, around the onset of puberty. I don't have any quick answers, but when I attended some of my son's classes as an observer I noticed that the teachers often had to spend a lot of time focusing the kids, and the teachers often didn't get much done the whole class. It didn't seem to bother the teachers much, but you do have to deal with outright disresepct and disruption.
By the way, what ever happened to that German girl? Did they let her come back?
Brian
Maybe you should pick a student each week to help or even do the review for you. Picking one of their "peers" might see that "one for all and all for one" analogy. Ask if they have a study group? If they don't then pick study buddies for them, and have them review the day before the test.
ReplyDeleteThese are smart kids it seems, maybe just lazy when it comes to school like most kids are.
Just a thought....
When I was in eighth grade I got caught sending a note to my friend. The note said how bored I was. Next class my teacher had me come up and write stuff on the chalkboard to help as part of that days lesson. This was when I had my cast on my left foot from my ski accident. I remember I had very little focus back then for most of my classes (although I've always loved math/algebra). In fact, of the few things I remember from Jr.High, that particular incident is one of them. Not what he actually taught me. Oh, the class was history or social studies. Like Brian said, kids that age have many things on their mind, other than class. Katherine, I would just try and keep that in mind when you are teaching. You are not going to get all these kids to understand a lot of stuff, it's just "the nature of the beast"!
ReplyDeleteToodles.....
Judith Rose..... :)