The students are continuing to work with ratios and similar proportions/ rates of change, except they are now doing difficult story problems that involve really thinking about and applying the concepts they've learned. It's interesting to see how some rise to the challenge, while others just randomly mix the numbers in the question to make something that looks like work, and then rely on the teacher or me to work out the hard problems for them. I also got to see SMI testing Wednesday, which has replaced the MAPS test for middle school. I talked to Koob and learned a bit about how the scores are measured for teachers and how it impacts the students; it's all really weird but interesting.
I enjoyed middle school because the topics were more interesting and the students were able to say more... off-the-wall things that were really entertaining. The first graders were so innocent that they were also funny, but I think middle school has a bit more entertainment value. I liked explaining higher level math, but I would say my least favorite thing was the fact that I was less in touch with the students. I didn't spend more than 48 minutes with either class because they had to move to their next course, and in general being a higher level teacher often doesn't allow for as personal of a connection with students. I think what I mostly learned was how the education plans work in middle school, and how the first couple years out of college are for a teacher, because Koob and I discussed that often. I could see myself as a middle school teacher someday, but I still think high school is preferable.
I enjoyed middle school because the topics were more interesting and the students were able to say more... off-the-wall things that were really entertaining. The first graders were so innocent that they were also funny, but I think middle school has a bit more entertainment value. I liked explaining higher level math, but I would say my least favorite thing was the fact that I was less in touch with the students. I didn't spend more than 48 minutes with either class because they had to move to their next course, and in general being a higher level teacher often doesn't allow for as personal of a connection with students. I think what I mostly learned was how the education plans work in middle school, and how the first couple years out of college are for a teacher, because Koob and I discussed that often. I could see myself as a middle school teacher someday, but I still think high school is preferable.