the tilmonator...

Day 18 Prompt: What would be your superhero name and why?

The Tilmonator.

 

It sounds so powerful...almost like a high-functioning machine. Problem in...solution out!



It's true. I would love to be a master problem solver who eradicates all things that prevent our students from receiving the differentiation that they so richly deserve. I could get fired up as a superhero on a mission for learning.

 

But to be honest..."The Tilmonator" is actually a nickname my high school students gave me back in the day. Somehow they decided I ruled with an iron fist...not really...just a little early morning humor! My precalculus students once told me that they thought I was super scary until they spent a few weeks enrolled in my course...then they knew I was scary, but they liked me anyways. Gotta love kids...they shoot straight regardless of the casualties.

I am super short. I smile constantly. And I probably have the loudest laugh in the building. Yep. I'm the Tilmonator. Haha! So what are you known for in your building?!? Spill. We want to hear the scoop!

This post is part of the BlogHer #NaBloPoMo challenge.

Enjoy your long weekend...make it count!

being a difference maker...

Day 17 Prompt: How would you start saving the world if you woke up tomorrow with superhuman powers?


 

World peace! Isn't that always the answer?!?

Honestly? I have no idea what plan of action I would follow to save the world. Is the most efficient way to make an immediate difference through influencing those in authority positions who are ultimately responsbile for action? Perhaps. Is the most beneficial way to make a long-term difference through placing neglected children in loving, secure homes? Maybe.

 

But my deepest desire is to be a difference maker yesterday, today, and tomorrow...without superhuman powers. Just me choosing to make an impact. Being intentional. Speaking to former students in the crowded halls between classes, encouraging my current students to persevere when confronting obstacles, digging deep to build a community within our classroom that will carry my students through high school...small choices...that I believe have significant impact.

 

"The true test of a person's character is how they treat the people in life they don't need."

 

This post is part of the BlogHer #NaBloPoMo challenge.

Happy Friday Eve to YOU...make it count!

classroom enemy...

Day 16 Prompt: If you were a superhero, what would be your kryptonite, draining your energy?
 

What has the most potential to hinder progress in my classroom? Wasted time. I want every second to count...every moment to be productive...every inch of progress to promote learning! Whether that second is digging deep in the heart of math goodness, spinning in transition from one task to the next, or participating in a brain break to gain energy for upcoming focus and complexity...there is plenty of opportunity for wasted moments. We must not cave to the potential loss!

How often have you heard these words? "I don't have time for ______." Go ahead. Fill in the blank. No time for...teambuilding or classbuilding or hands-on activities or practice that requires movement or, or, OR...the list continues. The best prescription?!? I would argue engagement. A well planned lesson rooted in a community that longs for procedure and routine can remedy the classroom kryptonite of lost time.

This post is part of the BlogHer #NaBloPoMo challenge.

Have an amazing Wednesday...make it count!

extreme strength...

Day 15 Prompt: As a superhero, would you rather have extreme strength or extreme speed?

Currently I'm teaching exponential functions to my Algebra 1 students. Extreme strength would get me through the unit successfully. However, extreme speed would spin into the world of quadratics. Oh my! That sounds absolutely dreamy at the moment. That being said, I probably shouldn't respond to this prompt in light of my circumstances. Instead I'll push myself to the bigger picture...

Well...considering that I wholeheartedly believe that teaching is my superpower...then I am automatically a superhero! Therefore, by the transitive property, this superhero has been asked to choose strength or speed. So in that case...I choose strength. Slow and steady wins the race, right?!? Strength would provide the endurance for me to face each new day as fully equipped as the day before. And the planner in me definitely needs a healthy batch of endurance. I'm not sure if you've put two and two together or not, but teaching is a profession that requires extreme planning; yet said plan is modified in the presentation so much that it is barely recognizable by the end of the day. And that, my friend, requires an even more significant batch of patience!

...being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience. Colossians 1.11

 

This post is part of the BlogHer #NaBloPoMo challenge.

Hope your week is off to a great start...make it count!

my superpower...

Day 14 Prompt: If you were a superhero, what would be your hidden superpower?

 

I'm confused by this prompt. I'm pretty sure I already am a superhero. And my superpower is far from hidden! :)

I would love to purchase these adorable tumblers for every teacher at my school. They are available for purchase from the Lyla Bug Designs Etsy shop. The boys in the building may prefer the traditional red apple as opposed to the fashionable fuschia with lime green accents. Haha! :) And these tumblers can even be personalized.

 

Now...I realize you must think this is one giant advertisement. I actually don't know Colleen...the shop owner from Florida. This is just a Pinterest find I've been spying for a few months. But I feel certain Miss Colleen loves a teacher somewhere. The art of teaching is a daily challenge; therefore, teaching requires superpower...to smile instead of complaining...to reflect instead of assuming...to focus instead of going through the motions. Teaching is my passion, but I will be the first to tell you that it's a challenging job with little positive feedback. I'm okay with that...I have a superpower! But if you love a teacher somewhere, please send them a note letting them know all about their awesomeness.

This post is part of the BlogHer #NaBloPoMo challenge.

Happy Monday to YOU...make it count!

my favorites of 2012...

As I look forward to the adventures of 2013, I want to take a moment to reflect on some favorites from 2012 as determined by my followers. Several other middle school math teachers are posting favorites on their blogs today as well. Be sure to search the #mssunfun hashtag on Twitter!

Favorite Blog Posts:
This blog post hit the most views in 2012. It reminds me that teachers are looking for ideas. Whether they plan to steal shamelessly (which I definitely encourage!) or they plan to spin-off and create something similar but different, our creativity is often inspired by others.
Classroom Bulletin Board Ideas


And this blog post generated the most comments. I'm definitely not in the All-Star blogger category. So comments are few and far between on my sweet little home in blog land...but this summary post generated some replies.
Middle School Math Classroom Tour
It's always nice to know that others appreciate a decorated middle school classroom! :)

Favorite Activity:
My followers have selected these two activities as the most popular in 2012.

Math Centers: Order of Operations Activity Bundle


Inequalities Go Fish Game

I'm honored by my TpT followers and especially appreciate their feedback. I've grown as a teacher by reading about their use of my activities in their classrooms.

Favorite Lesson:
My favorite review lesson is the Find Someone Who cooperative learning structure from Kagan. You can read more details in this "My Students Move to Learn" blog post. Be sure to visit my freebies tab above to download a free 7th grade math measurement review document.


Favorite Professional Development:
I've attended hours upon hours of professional development sessions during 2012. My favorite source of PD is Twitter! I can "attend" educational chats from any location with my iPhone. And better yet...it's FREE! No travel. No registration. And no professional attire required. :) If I was forced to choose just one favorite chat, the #21stedchat facilitated by @Edu_Thompson and @dprindle would be at the top of my list. Join in every Sunday night at 8:00 EST US. This week's topic is "How to Change the Culture of Sharing." Hope to see you there!

This post is included in the Middle School Math Sunday Funday collaboration of posts from middle school math teachers!

Hope your weekend was beyond amazing!
Have a great week...make it count!

a successful week...

The first week back after Winter Break is always challenging.
First there's the alarm clock. And then the lesson plans. Oh...and the students...who want to be at school, but equally want to still be on break. (Much like their teacher!) All the while we as teachers try to revive the procedures and routines that have been followed since August...plus throw in some new twists to accommodate for all we've learned. There's something about a new semester...an empty grade sheet...and transfer students galore...a fresh start can be quite motivating for all involved parties. And then we realize by Wednesday that our calendar deemed a full week upon return instead of a three-day week...and the last two days required challenges to not let our students feel like it was the longest week ever lived. I think we accomplished these goals. But my Saturday has been consumed with recovery, lesson planning, and snow day dreaming!

What have you been up to today?!? I know several of my Twitter buddies attended EdCampLA. Hope they all have a great first day back wih students on Monday!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend...make it count!

motivation vs. mood...

Day 11 Prompt: How do you find the energy to write when you're not in the mood?

 

Blogging about the experiences in my middle school math classroom is a tool of reflection for me. Reflection allows me to remember things I may otherwise forget over time. And it also offers me an opportunity to share insight that may save another teacher precious time and energy. Or perhaps it will spark a new idea or alternative solution...for me or my readers. Reflection is my motivation. And this motivation far outweighs the occasional mood of not wanting to write. I actually enjoy writing; it's the time investment that causes hesitation.

Although I do realize not everyone loves writing, I find the reflection required for responding to prompts opens doors to learning. My middle school math students are required to journal on a regular basis. As a 1:1 laptop classroom, we use Penzu for online journaling. Here are sample prompts from my algebra classes:

 

• Compare and contrast solving equations and solving inequalities. Discuss at least three similarities and three differences.
• Discuss the characteristics and behaviors of an absolute value function. Provide an example(s) to support your discussion.
• Describe the environment in which you complete algebra homework. What do you like about the setting? Why? What would you most prefer to change? Why?

 

I encourage my students to start writing and keep writing until the set time expires. Even though it may not be the exact response they want to provide at the moment, they can always return to the prompt and their response the next day to edit. Goodness knows I rarely publish the original draft of any blog post!

Do students journal in your classroom? If so, is it open writing or prompt-response writing? Do your students maintain a blog for your course? If so, what parameters have you set to prompt learning?

This post is part of the BlogHer #NaBloPoMo challenge.

Have a fabulous weekend...make it count!

my many quirks...

Day 10 Prompt: What blogging classroom task takes up a lot of your energy?

 

The district where I teach has participated in the Professional Learning Communities institute by Rick DuFour and his Solution Tree colleagues. So we administer common assessments to our students enrolled in the same courses with different teachers. And then the team of teachers collect data and analyze the assessment results to determine the next best course of action within our classrooms.

 

I believe PLCs inspire communication and collaboration. And collaboration inspires creativity and rigor. And all of these actions are extremely beneficial to our students and their learning process. Every aspect of functioning as a highly effective team requires time and energy from all parties involved.

 

Currently, writing and tweaking the Algebra 1 common assessments is requiring quite a bit of my time and energy. Ongoing time and energy. Haha! And I'm actually much more of a creating lessons kind of girly...that's the fun stuff! ;) However, I spend lots of time ensuring that our new assessments are aligned to the standards. And that the questions from form to form are parallel. Now...I truly love working math problems (add another quirk to the list!), but given the choice of working assessment problems or creating a new game I would choose the game hands down.

But one of my many quirks is that I absolutely must begin with the end in mind. I simply must analyze where my students are headed so as to choose the appropriate options for their learning paths. Alas, my big picture quirk requires that a finished assessment be at my disposal before I start a unit. Otherwise, your guess is as good as mine on our final destination.

Oh goodness! Please tell me that I'm not alone. Surely someone else possesses crazy quirks that conflict with their energy-draining tasks! Spill. I'll be stalking the comment section for support. :)

This post is part of the BlogHer #NaBloPoMo challenge.

Happy Friday Eve to YOU...make it count!

change requires energy...

Day 9 Prompt: Talk about a time when you used up an extraordinary amount of energy and were exhausted.

 

Well. Let's see. Assuming the childbirth option stretches beyond the definition of extraordinary, I'm going to reflect on classroom teaching initiatives that come to mind.

• moving to a new school/team/course/etc.
• adjusting lessons to a new curriculum
• creating and tweaking assessments that align to the new standards
• implementing the use of 1:1 laptops in daily lessons
• learning a new online grading program
• setting up a new teacher website via a new software package
• adapting to a change in administration

 

I truly believe that any single item on the list above wouldn't bring me to a point of exhaustion. Perhaps even a combination of two items may not cripple me. However, the occurence of all seven items within the same school year has definitely made an impact. Has the energy required been extraordinary? Yes! Am I exhausted? Highly likely. I'm still scared to admit exhaustion because I fear my body will then yield to the consideration as fact. And that response could send me to a place where I become unable to meet the needs of my students. But since I'm committed to the change positively impacting my students, I persevere.

 

 

To my fellow educators who may find themselves in a stressful circumstance or environment...do the next thing! That's all you can do...probably all you have the energy to do...simply take one thing at a time and then move on to the next thing. Kudos to you for choosing your best for the students within your circle of influence each and every day. Be a difference maker!

 

To current or future administrators who may find themselves initiating change...be intentional. Prioritize the changes that need to occur and implement the few that give you the most bang for your buck. Step back to view through clear lenses...envision the changes from beginning to end including the details in between. Provide support to your staff during implementation and maintenance. Keep a healthy balance of juggling current change while continuing to implement more change from your itemized list.

 

Is there something that uses more of your energy than change? Regardless of what consumes your energy, how do you respond to exhaustion? What actions do you take to be proactive when you realize exhaustion is a potential result? Leave a comment below to share your thoughts and suggestions.

 

This post is part of the BlogHer #NaBloPoMo challenge.

Have a great Wednesday...make it count!

sleep is overrated...



Day 8 Prompt: If you could be given the option to never sleep and also never be tired, would you take it if it meant you'd also never dream again?

 

Decisions. Decisions. An option to relinquish sleep or the ability to dream. Really?!? I'm a huge fan of sleep...especially a Sunday afternoon nap. But not at the expense of being able to dream! No contest. I gain energy from being creative. So being able to dream about lessons and create fun practice activities for my students is critical...definitely more so than sleep.

 

Here's an algebra activity that my students completed in class yesterday:

 

We used these cards to quiz each other as review before taking a concept check on exponent rules. The goal is to pair up with classmates to simplify the expressions and then move on to another classmate. We try to repeat as many times as possible in four minutes. I love creating games for my students. And even if I had all day every day to create games, I wouldn't have a single idea without the ability to dream. Sleep is overrated! Although...I may change my mind as the first week back from vacation seems to be moving at a snail's pace. :)

 

So what would you choose...no need to sleep or no ability to dream? Please share in the comment section below. I would love to know the reasoning behind your selection!

This post is part of the BlogHer #NaBloPoMo challenge.

Happy Tuesday to YOU...make it count!

music in the classroom...

Day 7 Prompt: What is your favorite song that gives you energy?

 

I have attended countless professional development sessions over the last 20 years. Most of the facilitators didn't use music during the sessions. I've investigated the benefits of music in the classroom. Some of the key components that arise time and time again include...

• create a positive environment
• energize the learning activities
• help to increase focus
• add an element of FUN!

 

But it wasn't until I attended a Kagan training where the facilitators were consistent and intentional with the use of music that I realized the research was accurate, and I couldn't make excuses any longer!

 

 



I play instrumental background music while my students complete independent work. My favorite set, Music for the Mind by Gary Lamb, was a purchase from my first Kagan workshop. And I also play upbeat music while my students work on tasks that need to be completed quickly such as transitioning, cutting and pasting, or notetaking. Sometimes I select songs from the 60s and 70s and other times I use something appropriate from our current decade...with or without lyrics. My students say you don't realize how much the music helps until it's not playing!

Do you integrate music in your classroom? Do your students listen to music while they complete tasks with technology? Do your administrators play music during professional development? Please do share...it's always interesting to peek into schools around the globe.

This post is part of the BlogHer #NaBloPoMo challenge.

Hope you have a great week...make it count!

second semester resumes...

Tomorrow is the first day of second semester! Part of me can't believe Winter Break has officially come to an end, and the other part of me is shocked to be staring at only one remaining semester. Of course, the Tilmon girls are always hoping for snow. Any day works...but my sweet girlies would really prefer tomorrow. Haha!

So in honor of their snow wishes, I created an equation game and added some snowmen for fun.

Something tells me that my girlies aren't the only students dreaming of snow for tomorrow. :)

Do you have snow days where you live? Or hurricane days? Or heat days? Is there any sort of weather that unexpectedly causes school to be cancelled? I need proof to show my girls that not everyone gets to enjoy random snow days like us!

This post is part of the BlogHer #NaBloPoMo challenge.

Enjoy the final moments of your weekend...make it count!

the turquoise shoes...

Our Saturday has been filled with cooking, shopping, and a wedding! My girls only remember one babysitter in their life. Maybe because she's worked for us for 9 years. Or maybe because she's amazing. But probably all of the above! Our sweet Kelsey got married tonight. My youngest was sad because she doesn't want to share Kelsey with the groom. Haha! Now don't get me wrong...we love that boy...but the girl has captivated our hearts for ages. :) The wedding was perfect! And my favorite part was the end. Kelsey and Daniel were walking down the stairs and as Kelsey lifted her gorgeous dress you could spy turquoise heels peeking under her hem. What a fun surprise! So very Kelsey, and it brought a smile to my face.

I'm curious. When you're teaching, do you let the real you shine? Under all of the paperwork, lesson plans, activities, and such...do your students know you? Would they be surprised by your turquoise shoes? Or would they smile because they know it's totally YOU! Let me encourage you to build relationships with your students. Captivate their hearts. Be intentional about bringing smiles to their faces.

This post is part of the BlogHer #NaBloPoMo challenge.

Happy Saturday to YOU...make it count!

my secret to productivity...

This post is part of the BlogHer #NaBloPoMo challenge.

Day 4 Prompt: At what time of day do you feel the most energetic and productive?

Hmmm...considering I'm writing this post at 12:41 am...I would have to be truthful and say I'm a night owl. Haha! But I am too old to pull late nights very often and still be productive day after day. So based on the conditions of my teaching job, I prefer to teach early in the morning and prep at the end of the school day.

But we're not here to talk about me! Let's ponder how to streamline the crazy amounts of energy my middle school algebra students maintain. And how do we set the stage so they can be productive from bell to bell?

I have a one word solution: CHUNKING!

Our lessons may feel very choppy to a random guest, but chunking our routines into 12-15 minute tasks allows my students to stay focused and maintain productivity. This means we participate in five or six activites each day. Here's our typical routine...

Although we follow the same basic routine each day, each piece varies from lesson to lesson. The the variety maintains energy and the routine yields productivity.

What does a typical day in your classroom look like to an outsider? Do you use some form of chunking? And what's your secret to increasing productivity? Inquiring minds want to know...please do share!

Happy Friday to YOU!
Enjoy your weekend...make it count!

positive and negative charge...

This post is part of the BlogHer #NaBloPoMo challenge.

Day 3 Prompt: What is your favorite way to recharge when you feel drained of energy?

My goal this month as I respond to the BlogHer prompts for this challenge is to connect each question to my middle school math classroom. It happens. Everyone has a day when they just don't feel up to par. So for today I want to share my Top 3 tricks for surviving a day of teaching algebra when I feel drained. Goodness knows an energy lapse isn't necessarily convenient...it doesn't always occur on a weekend or an extended break. What's a teacher to do?!?

Trick #1
Dress for an interview.
I automatically feel like I can fake energy if I'm dressed up. Don't call me crazy until you try it! :)

Trick #2
Meet your students at the door.
Their smiles are contagious! I don't know about your students, but my seventh and eighth graders have an abundance of energy...certainly plenty to share with me. :)

Trick #3
Insert an activity...Madagascar style.
I like to move it move it! When my students are up and moving around the classroom for an activity the energy level rises for everyone...including me. And if I find myself dragging on a day that doesn't have an activity with movement, I pull from a previous lesson and repeat an activity as review at the beginning or end of class.

The teacher is the biggest influence on the classroom environment. We can send a positive charge or a negative charge throughout the classroom...every single day. Good, bad, or ugly. Do the math. What kind of balance do you desire by the end of the block?

So how do you recharge your classroom? Please do share! I would love nothing more than to add your methods to my bag of tricks for those days I feel less than energetic.

Have a fabulous Thursday...make it count!