MAP . . . it's all you hear about!

So I thought I had plenty of time to practice MAP after spring break and suddenly MAP is here. This week is review for me and next week they are starting with Comm. Arts so I can still review in math and then its on for me in 2 weeks from now. I feel unprepared while hoping they will magically do well. Next year I will be much better at pacing and planning---no hoping---I WILL! Right now MAP is all we hear about since 6th and 8th grade started this week (each grade picked their own schedule and testing weeks). It is constantly reminding students to get enough sleep, eat breakfast, bring a pencil, an extra book to read and a calculator if they have one . . . oh and be quiet in the halls and remember teachers: there are no bells:) What fun: my first experience as a real teacher proctoring the MAP tests in a school where there are NO DOORS so keep the kids SILENT for 90 minutes at a time. Other than MAP I am wishing I had more technology available and thinking about what I can do next year to improve with this. I am hoping to write an eMINTS grant or another grant to get at least SOME--or ANY technology that I can use.

4th quarter is here already!

As I re-taped new rosters into my gradebook and cleared out Power School, I couldn't help but to think back and look back to first quarter before school had even started. We are now beginning to discuss new procedures for next year's 7th graders, and I cannot believe how time has flown by and there's only 8 weeks of school left for me! I cannot believe that my first year of teaching is almost over. I have learned so much this year and I am definitely looking forward to making many changes for next year now that I have an idea of what to expect from the students in general. This past week we had 2 'mock MAP' days where students followed the actual MAP testing schedule and we gave them practice MAP tests. Some students did great while others were . . . not so great. I now know what I have the next month to focus on. I had the advantage of having 2 math curriculum planning days last week. The whole MS math dept got together and went through all GLE's and noted where they were covered in our math curriculum. Then we went through and listed all of the 'holes' and went back through again to decide how we would supplement or close the gap between those 'goals'. This was a great experience for me since it gave me a better idea of what the 6th and 8th grade classes are covering. It was perfect timing since this was really the first point that I have a real good idea of what we're covering this year. I am really excited to start a year where I feel like I actually know what's going on! Right now the kids are so excited for spring break next week. When they come back we will spend much of the time preparing for the MAP test in April.

spring is around the corner . . .

On Friday our students were gone for the writer's conference at MU or the music day in Fayette. Therefore, I averaged about 7 students per class. We all enjoyed the day and it was a relaxing end to the week. It was impossible to do a lesson so we enjoyed math puzzles and brain teasers. I was amazed by how much the students got into these puzzles! I printed a ton of stuff off of various math websites since we could not get into the lab. Right now we are finishing up a unit and then preparing for MAP until MAP gets here. We are having 2 practice MAP days this week which will get us started with our MAP review. I am scared and at the same time anxious to see how my students will perform. I have already been talking to the other math teachers, and we have many new ideas for next year. THis was kind of our 'practice' year since the curriculum was new for both of us. Now we know what to expect and we can do more planning together. The kids are getting so restless because they can sense spring--and me too for that matter. We have had many more issues among students and more fights. We have spring break in 2 weeks so hopefully that will calm them down . . . yes, I know--wishful thinking;)