Everyday my students enter the room and work on 5 Math Review problems to continually practice for upcoming tests. I've had problems getting them to organize their work and save it for future use. I started making sure they work by making it a part of their classwork grade and that part worked. However, I would find their papers on the floor, counters, and tables regularly. I just knew they weren't taking my advice on how useful these would be.
A collegue offered some suggestions and I've taken it a little further with this plan. Now when they enter the room they make their "Think Pad" by folding paper to create three columns. One to show their work, one for the solution we come up with as a class, and one for the multiple choice answer. The rows are folded based upon how many problems you have and the front and back can be used. These are easily graded daily by walking around and making sure each block has the appropriate information inside.
In order to encourge the organization of them we've developed the Think Pad Notebook. Inside they are to keep the weekly worksheet that contains all the problems for the week and behind that sheet they are to keep their "Think Pads". These notebooks are to remain in the room for now and they will be graded each nine weeks for completeness. I've made this worth the same as a Test Grade so they realize the importance of it.
I'll keep you posted with the results!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
We use this process as well. A new teacher in our system brought it from Virginia Beach. I included another aspect to the think pad that makes checking easy and gets the kids used to documenting the answers on a finished document/or computer screen. I have them draw a line down the side where the margin of the notebook paper is and number it for however many problems there are. Then they document the final answer in the column. Easy to check.
ReplyDeleteI like this idea. One thing, do you have the students write out the questions or just work them out? What we tried this year is, we give each student a slip of paper as they enter in the classroom that has the 5 questions written on them. They then have to glue or tape them onto an assigned notebook page. They are to show their work next to the slip. All I have to do to check their work is to walk by them and see if they have done anything next to the amth review slip-it's work ing pretty good so far, the biggest drawback is the amount of paper needed.
ReplyDelete