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My top 8 list for 2017-2018…
At the start of each year I try to set some goals (and reflect on things that worked well the previous years). I thought I’d share them here.
 Math class seating chart
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Code your seating chart.
My laminated seating chart has all kind of information about each student – especially learning needs. See this article for more about this.
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Try something new.
This year I’m going to do a lot more with our new edulastic.com web service. It’s going to allow us to quickly create small assessments (such as a 3 question exit ticket) to get better and instant feedback as to where the class is. Try using desmos for graphing or perhaps socrative for getting quick feedback. Don’t simply do the same thing as last year – it’s an easy rut to fall into. Continue reading
 Math class seating chart with markups about each student. One of the first tips I give new teachers I mentor is to create a seating chart for all of your classes. The next tip is to get new ink for your printer because you’ll be printing new versions often! On day 1 of classes, my students walk in and the seating chart is on the Smartboard with their names on a desk. Here is what I use my seating chart for:
- To learn student names quickly.
- To know at a glance who has a low average (so I can call on them or visit their desks more often).
- To be able to identify relevant special learning accommodations such as who struggles with attention disorders or who needs written instruction over verbal.
Here is a (fictitious) sample of one of my seating charts. I slip it into a plastic protective cover and carry it around with me during class. Note I do not actually write the key I included here (it is in my head). Here is how organize my codes: Continue reading
 Desmos graph pasted into Smart Notebook. No way my handwriting is that neat! If you use a smart board and you graph/discuss functions as much as I do, I think you’ll love this tip. Even some of the veteran teachers in my dept. loved this and didn’t know how easy it was.
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 Matter and anti-matter cancels out (violently I might add). The airlines can cancel your flight. You can’t cancel out in Math (instead you “reduce” or “divide”). If you do try to cancel out, bad things can happen. Let me explain.
Our Department abolished the phrase “Cancels out” a long time ago, and now we use phrases such as “reduces to 1“, “divides to 1 over 1“, etc. which demonstrates the math operation not some magic. We also always replace numbers and variables that reduce with a number even if it’s one (see below right).
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I actually start my students on Day 1 teaching them the fundamentals of both derivatives and integration. 
It’s exciting and it shows them (via my Mad Farmer worksheet) that they already know a lot about Calculus and that it’s relevant to real life (they’ll argue with me that a mad farmer on a tractor doesn’t seem relevant but you get my point). I feel if you jump right into Limits (or worse, a boring PreCalculus review), it just sets a tone of boredom (and sometimes despair). To be fair, I actually assign it as homework and then discuss all of Day 2. I even include an actual free response problem that they can do after they finish part 1 of this worksheet! Continue reading
I started teaching AP Calculus (AB) for the first time about 10 years ago. My students didn’t do so well my first 2 years (the class average grade was below 3). The third year I taught the class I started seeing much better grades. Now our AP scores average is above 4.0. Here are 3 things that I did differently that I think made all the difference:
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Welcome! My name is Scott Campbell and I am a High School Math teacher. Welcome to my math blog. Find out moreIt’s all Free! Please copy and use anything you find on this blog with your classes.
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