We are learning.

Structural organization was reinvented in my classroom this semester. Timing was my nemesis and thwarting my attempts at fitting in multiple activities during my 100-minute block. I switched the new instruction portion of the day to the final 50 minutes and now use the first 50 minutes of class for all sorts of cool stuff. We have community meetings on Mondays, extended review problems on Tuesdays and Thursdays called the GOT BRAINS, and Wednesdays and Fridays are dedicated for other activities. These other activities are slowly but strategically becoming focused upon building fact skills and playing math games that require no collected work. Currently I can remediate during the Got Brains and will soon be remediating on Wednesdays and Fridays as well. The classroom is becoming a complex beast of academic productivity.

This week marked the first true committed foray into remediation. I have mentioned a lack of remediation due to class averages residing above targets thus minimizing the urgency to correct skill deficits. Spoken like a man coming from the business world, I was meeting my numbers. Clearly, meeting numbers is not the goal of education but to provide a sound educational opportunity for all students. Unfortunately the absence of remediation has been stifling our Big Goal.

Since student investment is directly correlated to motivation, hard work, and ultimately success, passion for the Big Goal is a necessity. This week during the Got Brains I worked in small groups with three sets of four students. I retested eight students of which 5 passed. Not bad for the first run. Of the five passing students four received bronze medals, the first marker for Big Goal attainment. The kids were pumped; they put their stamps on the tracking sheet, gave each other high fives, and smiled as they walked on to their next class. We clapped and cheered out for our fellow classmates. Congratulations to these hardworking students.

Beyond an increase in positive classroom dynamics my principal actually gave me a decent review from an observation and provided positive encouraging commentary on my use of manipulatives. I could not believe it. We have also received approval for art club, which is sweet. Our introductory meeting should be in two weeks. We are scheduled to make sculpture.