Pi Takes The Cake- A Math Teacher's Journey

Changes

It's been a long time since I have written a post. Since my last post, I have switched from teaching seventh grade mathematics to Algebra 1 at the high school. Our standards and our state assessments changed last year. WOW! What a year!

Weekly Lesson Plans

A person's point of view could determine the importance of writing weekly lesson plans (LPs). For some teachers, it is the moment of dreed of facing a dead line and doing the same task each week. A spark of excitement may surge through some teachers as they write and create their master piece lesson plans.
When I was a new teacher, I handwrote my LPs in the traditional lesson planning book that my school district provided. At the end of the year, I had to turn in my lesson plan book to my principal. I soon began to wonder if I was writing the same thing year after year. I didn't have a record in which I could reflect and adjust my teaching for the current year. I decided that it would be much quicker if I could create a template that I could type my LPs. I would print them off and attach them into my lesson plan book. I still had to submit my lesson plan book to my principal at the end of the year.

I continued to use this template for a couple of years. As I began to look at my old LPs, I am amazed at the lack of details that I provided! Of course, I felt like that I was on top of my game back then! I noticed that I had problems with absent students knowing what assignments that they missed if they were absent. I ended up handwriting every thing down for these students.

I wanted my students AND parents to be informed of what I had planned for the upcoming week. If a student was sick, then he or she would still be aware of what was occurring of my classroom. A parent could always access them from my blog that I had connected to the school's website.

* Please note that I deleted the contact information because I moved and switched jobs since 2013.

Online Monthly Calendars

I began to wonder if I could plan farther ahead than just a week in advance. I had mastered the art of creating and posting weekly lesson plans. I didn't know exactly where to start. I started asking myself these types of questions:

What if a snow day occurs? How can I relay the information to my students and parents?
Could I make changes easily on my master calendars?
Could this calendar be shared with a link?

I decided to give Google Calendars a try. I was able to embed the link into my email signature. If a parent contacted me via email, then he or she would have access to this information. Students and parents were also able to import the calendar into their Google calendar.

Paper Monthly Calendars

I had grown to love Google calendar but I accepted a job close to home. With that change, I realized that my NEW classroom was not equipped with 30 student laptops or a Smartboard that I had at my former school district. I had to make adjustments by providing a paper copy of monthly calendars.

* This was my first attempt at making a paper copy of a monthly calendar.

I searched for online Word templates and I found that WinCalendar was my favorite one. I found that their templates was very user friendly. Since this first calendar, I have edited the template to delete weekends and week long breaks. I have also added sections for bell work, class work, homework, exit tickets, and even a space that the students can record any changes in our calendar. This is especially handy for snow days or school cancellations.

* Students enrolled in a regular Algebra 1 meets every day while students enrolled in Honors Algebra 1 is on an A and B-Day schedule.

I been able to incorporate a technology in sending my monthly calendar through REMIND. Over the years, I have had more students and parents to sign up and use this app. I do provide a printed copy of the monthly calendar to every student at the beginning of the month as well as archiving weekly lesson plans on Evernote. Free accounts are available for Remind and Evernote. Evernote does limit features on their free account. I actually pay for my plan.

The weekly assignment picture featured below is what I sent to my students on Remind. I also uploaded it my Evernote account. I actually had to make changes to my LPs that were written on my March 2017 calendar because my school was closed on unexpectedly on March 16 and 17. Any adjustments that I make are noted on the weekly assignments attachment that I send on Remind.

Tips For Transitioning From Weekly To Monthly

Take small steps when changing your method of making LPs.

If planning for a month is too overwhelming for you, then try planning for two weeks at time.

Choose a format.

You need to research for a template that you will be comfortable working with during your transition from weekly to monthly LPs.
App or Online Templates

Paper Templates

Choose your materials.

You need to round up all possible materials that you think that you may use for planning for the month. It is ok if you do not have every single activity or worksheet on hand while you begin the process of planning. You may write a general statement such as, "Worksheet or problems projected on Smartboard."
You can always send any changes through a class notification that you may need to make for the up coming day or week.

Explain your "Plan B".

You will need to provide information on what your students, parents, or administrators could expect if unforeseen circumstances arise.
On my calendar, I have the following statement: "Lesson plans may change due to continuing on going assessment in the classroom in which the Dr. Pratt uses her professional judgment to re-teach a lesson using different strategies. Lesson plans may also change due to assemblies, early dismissal for inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Assignments listed on that day are assigned. Homework is due at the next scheduled class."

Provide additional information.

You need to get to know your audience (students, parents, administrators, etc.). You need to decide if to provide any extra information that would communicate your expectations.
On my calendar, I have the following statement: "Students MAY NOT USE a homework pass for any assignment given when a substitute teacher is present. Students who are assigned to in school suspension, alternative school, or out of school suspension MAY NOT USE a homework pass on any given homework assignment until he or she returns to class.(Remember, it is at Dr. Pratt’s discretion on whether she will allow you to use the pass on any given assignment.)Accommodations or Modifications: Dr. Pratt will modify or accommodate for students receiving services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or American Disabilities Act according to their IEP or 504 plan.

Transfer your LPs in to other formats.

I able to cut and paste the information from my monthly calendar to the weekly assignment template that I send to my students and parents through Remind.
I also create a template that I send to the teachers that are in charge of mys tudents that have been assigned to in school suspension (ISS), out of school suspension (OSS), or alternative learning center (ALC).

Summary

Planning a month a head makes my life so much easier. I found that I don't have to dreed the end of the week when they must be turned in to my principals. It also allows me to see which standards have been taught and which ones still need to be taught. Since I started my monthly LPs in January 2016, I was able to access the file on my laptop to see where my students were last year. I saw the value in able to see what I did for the whole second semester in 2016 when I began planning for the second semester for this year.