What I’m not doing this year

I think a lot about the things I want to add to my classes, the new goals I’m setting, the ways we’re all going to grow.

But, this summer, mapping out my classes (and gritting my teeth at the mismatch between goals and time available) I’ve been having to think about the things I’m dropping.

 

Some of them are easier.

The things that are just not pulling their weight.

The app that didn’t quite work the way I wanted it to (now accepting applications in the comments for new vocab apps)

A few flashy activities, that looked so good (and sometime made me look so good for doing them) but never actually closed the loop for student learning.

 

Some are harder.

The sequence of 3 lessons that I’m going to try to somehow fit into two classes.

And, especially, the content that I’m letting go of altogether (I have more flexibility than most to make that call)

 

The one that feels biggest is fractions. I’ve held on to a review in my middle level class, because when I talk to students that’s often where it (read: math) first went off the rails and I want them to know they can learn it this time.

For the teaching goals that were about passing the test and moving on to the next steps in their lives, it was not particularly relevant. But for the teaching goals that were about recovering and regrowing from their previous negative experiences, it was relevant.

 

But, I looked at the test, and I looked at my class calendar, and I looked at the test, and there is no way to fit in near as much math as they need.

And, so, choices.

And no fractions.  More algebra.

(Also, much shaking of metaphoric fists at the people who make these tests.)