A Teacher's Holiday Present

Dear Santa

All I want for Christmas is for you to provide proof that I am on the right track with this special group of students.  This school year I took a chance to do something different.  Research does not always provide a solution for all children because every child is different.  The one thing I can firmly believe is that "All Means All."  I am at the crossroads of making a decision to become an educational leader to bring about a revolution of learning the world has never seen or even though about being possible.  I believe it is possible because I have been here before (Annapolis Creed) more than once trying to do something no one else has done.

I am a visionary leader in a classroom of students who others had loss hope on and cast as unreachable.  I have found that I need an arsenal of instructional methods so that I can find the right one for each of them.   I have been teaching for 15 years and maybe I am unrealistic but I believe that students (all students) can learn mathematics if the teacher can just not give up.   We need to be more like Edison and try a 1,000 or more ways.   So now it is more than about mathematics.  Today we need educators who believe in change if it's not working for all students.  So, this school year I ran an experiment with teaching the old way with 3 classrooms and teaching the new way with 1 classroom.   

So this year after 15 years of teaching I have received the best Christmas Gift ever as a math teacher.  I have received proof of learning in mostly an unacceptable way of learning.   This personal experiment combines co-teaching that includes all students (Yes They Can!) using multiple instructional intervention methods, daily professional learning community collaboration, technology integration, innovative learning applications, daily close reading strategies, computer coding, and WRITING in mathematics.   

Thank you Santa for the following gift after reading this today before Christmas break.  This week,  I asked students to write a learning summary of what they learned this first semester.  Please note that this student had never experienced success in mathematics.  She currently has a grade of "B" in my classroom.  I am so proud of her!
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Not Corrected to Preserve the Moment

                                                                                   My Learning Summary 

This semester I have learn three important ways to do math. There are three different ways to solve functions. There linear functions ,exponential functions,and system of equation. These are solve three different ways.
A Linear functions can be added or subtracted.  It's always increasing or decreasing by that number. If they give you numbers and want you to figure out the missing number start by making a table of value. The next step is to see if the adding or subtracting it. Sometimes it might not be linear it can be geometric. Geometric is the opposite of linear that one can be multiplied or divided.

A exponential function is a function whose value is constant raised to the power of the argument.I can use a table to graph but it will not be in a straight line. The increase and decrease if subbstantinal.
A system of equation is  is a set or collection of equations that you deal with all together at once.  is a set or collection of equations that you deal with all together at once.You can use a table of value. I can use a equation given x so i can find y.

In conclusion there are three types of math that I learn this semester. They all have different ways to be solve.  This type of math has helped me solve problems like this.