This past week was a normal week--no delays, no snow days, no assemblies, no testing, just instruction. I had an absolute blast with my students. My DCCAS (the name of the test they all take in April to determine how our school/students are doing) prep class is all about going "blue." Going "blue" means the student scored advanced on the test--our ultimate goal. Many of my students scored "red" on the test, meaning they were "below basic" in their understanding of tenth grade mathematics. So, it may seem to some that scoring advanced in just two months is totally out of the question. I'd like to think I have them thinking differently. During class we slam our desks and shout "let's go!" and we always help those slipping behind, and we all participate throughout the whole class, and we all shout "YES!" when we get problems right--the class is one big cheerleading convention, where everyone is taking on the role as cheerleader.
On Friday we took our first assessment to see how the class did on the three tested math standards we focused on the first two weeks of the class. I have four groups, or classes, of students and each class averaged around 73 percent on the test. To score advanced, they would need to hit about 90 percent. So, we are not there yet, but we are moving forward. We have 2 months to practice, practice, practice. I know they can do it.
In other news: no broken bones or concussions on the slopes with my snowboarding club!
Watch out for little kids on the slopes. Sometimes they get in the way and the only thing you can do is fall down. Warning: do not put your hands down to catch yourself--it will only lead to bigger problems. Have fun!
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