Teaching Junior Highers

Sunday, January 10, 2010

I really enjoy teaching high schoolers math and helping them understand their work. Much of my time is now spent teaching and reviewing algebra and geometry. I help with homework or teaching new skills. Math brings a lot of frustration to students, and I find few parents who are able to help their son or daughter in math. They were also frustrated in school with math.

I'm used to this, especially after teaching math since 1975.

I do get to do higher math at times, helping my son or his friends in their pre-cal class.

But teaching students with learning disiblities gives me, as a teacher, a lot of variety. I may be helping in any subject, even ones I am not strong in. Ones that are full of facts I never use.

So, first we try to take apart the question: what is it asking and how many parts to the answer. Then we identify key words so we can locate the information (either from class notes, the text book, or Google).

I enjoy this part of special ed teaching tremendously. It is like an adventure. And we both learn, or at least I am reminded of the facts I have forgotten.

Probably the part I do not enjoy is editing essays and projects, as you can tell from my blog. I'm a pretty good speller, but didn't quite get the hang of commas. And comma rules change from time to time. Another rule change: only one space after a period. I usually use two.

But I seem to edit way too many papers. That's ok. I can look into a student's thinking as I edit.

Teaching the jr highers has opened up a new way of looking at teaching. They are much more playful and dependent upon the teacher for a good time. I don't need my chair or computer during class. I have no opportunity to sit and take a slow breath.

My mind needs to work in overdrive. I need to change the activity every ten minutes or so.

I need caffeine. Chocolate doesn't even work--the sugar saps your energy after 30 minutes.

Caffeine is the best.

I have grown to love the jr high age. I thought this would never happen.

Dum dum suckers work well as a reward at the end of class or for correct answers when they are getting sluggish. I just tell them not to take offense.


The Bible says a student will be like his teacher after being fully trained: Luke 6:40

A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.

I hope I am training students not only in math, but in critical thinking. I want them to become independent thinkers. I want them to have conviction that they are right in their conclusions. And I want them to learn how to know if their conclusions are right.

I want to have character that students may mimic. I want them to know what good character is. I want them to know how to love one another. And I want them to know there is a God who loves them as precious children. I want them to find God and follow Him eventually.

It is incredible that if I fully train students, they will be like me. I want to pursue the Holy One and become more like Him so it is not only math they see in me.