’cause i’m happy

A few good things from today:

1. A student commenting to me that she “wanted to stay in math class because doing the problems was fun.”
2. A student catching on to the concept of finding probability of two dependent events more quickly than everyone else, but instead of goofing off as soon as he was done with the classwork, went around to help his friends. He even kept on helping in Resource Room (in which I invite kids to come work with me because I have a free period). He used actual dice and quarters from the classroom to help another student understand.
3. Having focus and engagement *and* student success with the problems.. Some students will tear into an extremely challenging problem like a lion tearing apart a dead gazelle. I’ve often aimed high with some lessons, anticipating what my challengers will like, but then a few students will feel intimidated and check out. Those students like to get their feet wet with a few simpler problems, and then can move up in levels of challenge after building confidence from getting a bunch right.

Today was not about a newfangled, creative lesson idea or educational technology. It didn’t need to be; the worksheet + whiteboard + walking around sometimes is enough if the atmosphere is right.