Tonight, my students are working on math. I’m working on interleaving.
It makes sense as a strategy, I buy the research.
And, it’s sometimes hard to actually do. (For me and my students)
So, I’m teaching my students about it tonight, for the sake of accountability. (And, so that they are less inclined to grumble when I mix topics, because interleaving is hard)
The plan:
Warm up: We’re reading about interleaving as a strategy they can do (It’s an excerpt from this guide on retrievalpractice.org)
(edited to add: The general consensus on reading this one was “My head would hurt…“)
Activity: Converting with Celsius/Fahrenheit temperature formulas. We’ve been working on formulas and expressions, so this feels continuous….until the activity slips in some graphs.
Follow Up: Instead of more temperature formulas, their practice and homework options are more temperatures (Negative numbers on a thermometer, using charts to calculate windchills) Or, more graphs. Or some different formulas. Or a review from last week. Also, reminders that interleaving helps their brains.
(Independent practice always has options in my class. It’s my favorite way to differentiate.)
I like the lesson. I think it will be good for everyone’s brains/learning.
(Also, the previously-planned negative temperatures and wind chills feel a a little too appropriate for the first SUPER COLD night of the year)
But, truth: it’s one night.
And, things don’t really change in my practice until I find ways to systematize them. :\
I do spiral reviews so that’s a start.
And, I have a set of milk crates full of review materials, so the stuff is available. That helps.
And, I have plans, a first-steps goals (read: will you be my accountability buddy?) Once a unit, in each class, for the rest of this year, their homework options will include one random review topic from a previous unit.
But, I’m going to need a spreadsheet or something if I’m going to scale that (I love charts, they fix so many things).
But also, I could use some more ideas.
My more conscientious students said they couldn’t imagine leaving a worksheet half done to switch to something else, so they were going to need some mixed up worksheets if I wanted them to try this. (Oof, more materials to design.)
