Something

I haven't lately been given to eloquent blog postings, and this one will be no different. I promise, though, one of these days, I'll sit down and write something that might approach a thoughtful, or at least coherent, piece of prose. Until then, settle for snippets.

I think that my kids might have actually learned something. I've had them for 98 minutes a day, every day, since August seventh. I don't feel like doing the calculations, but even with the 5 or six days that I have been 'sick', the number of minutes I've spent "teaching" these kids is extreme. But finally, I am starting to see small glimpses of accomplishment. I just wanted to blog about it now before it disappears tomorrow.

Other things of note:
1. Kids have been staying after school, which is good. More need to stay after school, or some seniors will not graduate. How they get to this point and know nothing is beyond me.

2. I'm planning on implementing a long-term competive group sort of scenario in my algebra II class. Sit them in groups, give them points for everything, including attendence, quiz and test grades, homework, participation, and discipline. Anyone have any suggestions on this? Tried it before? Failed miserably? Had some success?

3. There was a third... Nope, completely forgot. State test is coming up quick. To be honest, I would be really happy if I got 80% to pass.

4. Oh, I remembered what was supposed to be #3. I have a student in Algebra II who can't solve 3x - 2 = 4. Even after we spent an hour going over this sort of thing after school. He never passed the algebra I state test. And he doesn't have a chance of passing my class. How can I grade him on the same scale that I grade everyone else, when his skill set is obviously so much less well suited to algebra than that of everyone else in the class? When I give a test on systems of equations and compositon of functions, and he just writes things that don't make any sense? This kid needs an IEP, but because expectations are so low for everyone else, he has managed to somehow pass everything up to algebra II, without knowing anything. What do I do with this kid?