Overall, the new quarter is going well. It is going very quickly.
I feel like I have got my stride. I spend less time figuring out what I need to do.
My motto has been, babysteps, practice, babysteps, practice. I don’t let myself show them an equation, or teach them anything, unless they get to use it that class period, in some way. And I try to make sure that they need to use it later on in the quarter, in a lab or something.
I have been lecturing more. I am learning that it is possible to be student centered while I lecture. My students are finding things much easier. The past week or two have been lower order basics however, facts, and a lot of procedures. I have a two part lab planned for this week and I want to make them use these skills. They have found the skills so easy, that I will be quite sure that the problem is a lack of skill at higher order application, evaluation, and metacognition if they are struggling. It will be hard for them to know what to do where.
They also really struggle with the fact that they have to remember, and use, everything we have already done. They may not forget about molarity. They may not forget about dissolution. If they do, they will not be able to solve the problems. Their instinct is to only use what they have learned in the last week. I try really hard to fight that by having problems that specifically force them to use formulas and solve problems from a month ago. I also hope that those people who didn’t get it the first time around will have more success the second time around. This will help them on the final.
The big project thing isn’t panning out quite yet. I know what I want them to do for the final, but I really, really, need to put it all together NOW so I can give it to them and they know where we are going.
