Annie Forest

-Do problems (1-10) -Do problems (1-19) odds only -Practice flashcards -Do IXL problems for ____ standard -Watch me do this example, now you do an example, now do your homework If your assignments in math are similar to the list above, it may be time to introduce non-routine problems to your students!  Why non-routine problems?  Application They help students make sense of how to apply mathematics, not simply follow a bunch of prescribed steps. You might have had the experience where you have students working on a new concept, and they seem to get it (yay!) but then you give them a problem where they have to apply the concept and they don't know where to begin! We need to give kids a chance to see that math is used to solve problems and those problems don't always look the same. Enjoyment Doing 100 of the same type of problem over and over is pretty boring! Math can be exciting and fun, but we have to show that to students. It's not exciting ...

Have you heard of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) ? It's quite a mouthful! And it's quite an honor. According to the website : "The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST)  are the nation's highest honors for teachers of mathematics and science (including computer science). Awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of mathematics and science education." I was very honored to be nominated by an awesome West Cook Math Initiative (WCMI) math coach, Sendhil Revuluri (@revuluri). It's true that it is an honor just to be nominated (but of course, really awesome if I win!) So, I'm in the process of working on my application. It's due May 1st... so what am I doing on this fine afternoon of April 18th? Writing a blog post about the application I should be working on, of course! :) The ...

Are you on Twitter ? I finally jumped on board this year and all I can say is, "Whoa!" I have learned SO MUCH from other teachers that I follow. Also, I'm not at the NCTM Conference this year (boo), but I feel like I am because I'm following all the #NCTMBoston tweets! If you are thinking about starting a Twitter account , here are a few suggestions: 1. Profile Fill out your profile with a little information about who you are, what you teach, and what you are interested in. You can also include a link to your blog or website. It helps when people want to follow you, they will look at your profile to see what you are about! 2. Think about your Twitter handle Mine is, @mrsforest, and that isn't that exciting. But, if you are going to use this account for professional purposes, you might want to stick with something professional sounding. 3. Follow your colleagues Search for teachers you know and follow them! 4. Follow people that aren't your col...

I went a little crazy with banners and garland in my classroom this year. I think it looks cute and is a cheap way of decorating. I wanted to share some pictures and some tips on how to make them yourself! First, the banners with words. I wanted banners with my class motto for this year, "Safe, Calm, Productive." It was an important message coming back from maternity leave and trying to convey to my new students what I expected from them. Finally (now in April) we are all on the same page and I really feel like we are living that motto each day. yay!  If you want to make your own banner with words, here is the blog that I found the free printable letters . A few tips about making the banners with words: I printed the letters on regular white paper and then mounted them on colored card stock. I didn't laminate them because I didn't want them to look shiny or have a glare. Also, remember that when it is upside down, the letters are going to go from r...

Sometimes you just need to be a little silly in the classroom. Having fun helps to build relationships with the students. April Fools Day is a favorite in middle school. Students are just at the right age that they like little pranks and silliness. This year, I did two jokes that went over pretty well. The students had fun with it and so did I. Before you do any jokes with students, it is important to make sure that your jokes are appropriate and kind (not sarcastic, mean, or inappropriate). I came across this article that offered this advice: Do Use humor to enhance classroom joy Use humor to develop a sense of community Use content-related humor Use age-appropriate humor "Sandwich" humor between instruction and repetition. Avoid Sarcasm Cruel or inappropriate humor Forced humor Off-topic humor Too much humor. With that being said, here are my April Fools pranks today... In Excel (homeroom), I wrote my students "detentions" that were ...

Sometimes it is so emotionally rewarding to be a teacher! Sometimes you smile at a student and they smile back. Sometimes you say "hi," and they say "hi!" back. Sometimes you tell a joke and the students laugh. Sometimes you offer advice and the students listen. Sometimes you show compassion and a student appreciates it. Sometimes you give extra help and the student says "thanks!" Sometimes you plan a special lesson and the students say, "that was fun!" Sometimes a former student visits and says "wow, you were a great teacher!" Sometimes you see a student doesn't have an eraser left on his pencil during the quiz and you give him one, and he smiles and looks relieved that you noticed him.* ________ but...  ________ Sometimes it is so emotionally taxing to be a teacher! Sometimes you smile at a students and they roll their eyes. Sometimes you say "hi" and they say nothing. Sometimes you tell a jok...

Nothing was worse than when I first started teaching and would finish a lesson, only to look at the clock and realize I had over 10 minutes left to "entertain" the class in front of me... scary! These days, after teaching for 11 years, I've gotten pretty good at time management. I know how long each activity should take, I make slight adjustments as the class period goes on, and I aim for the students to be busy and engaged up until the last minute. But there are those rare days when I think clean-up/organizing is going to take a little longer than it actually does and I have 3 or 4 minutes left at the end of class. Now, to a non-teacher, 3 or 4 minutes sounds like it is a short amount of time. But to anyone that has ever been in charge of 28 middle schoolers in a classroom knows, 4 minutes is a l-o-n-g time to have nothing planned. So, here are a few ideas of what to do if you ever find yourself with ~4 minutes at the end of class: 1. Summary Mash-up I ask stu...