Wow it's been a while...

It was a BIG week in the life of a 7th grade math teacher, but I happy to report that both me and the kids made it : ) We started our first interdisciplinary unit on Monday as a 7th grade team on NYC. We had this great trivia game planned, and all the subject teachers stopped their own content and taught about New York related themes for the following three days. Unfortunately, all of the changes meant that kids were NUTTY and after the craziness of Monday and Tuesday, I really did not think that I was going to be able to make it until the end of the year.

However, something improved- the kids got used to the schedule, the weather improved, or the progress reports that were distributed that scared a couple of students into working harder… not sure- and after Wednesday I know longer wanted to kill myself or a child. The two girls in my class that I have particularly struggled with were even excellent- one even ended up hugging me, and I didn’t cringe : )

As always, some teacher mistakes were made, I decided to finish a take home final and come into school on Thursday exhausted and not well-planned, this OBVIOUSLY turned out poorly, but Friday was a good day, and I and the kids are excited about the NYC tourist itinerary they are doing in math.

This weekend was the 303 retreat, and I am happy to report that a number of major issues were addressed. We are rewriting the math curriculum to make it more problem solving based and to emphasize the basic math skills. I think it is really going to meet the needs of our kids. Also, we discussed writing a sex ed curriculum over the summer, and I believe my mom is going to help. This is something I am SUPER invested in, and is a definite need of our kids who are struggling with making choices that are way past their years.

So, we’ll see what Monday holds for tomorrow, but I am glad to be at a school that is filled with good people and so focused on the needs of our students.

Ps: Happy Mother’s Day to all the awesome moms out there who have put up with us as 7th graders : )