Taking on Too Much

As usual, I have overwhelmed myself. Theater is my second passion. It is the only thing I love as much as teaching. I grew up on stage and when I went to college I transitioned back stage to stage managing. I got involved with the theater here last October and did every show since. This past weekend, my most recent show "The 39 Steps" went up. The show only had a cast of 4. How hard could it have been? THE HARDEST SHOW I HAVE EVER DONE! I was staying at school until 6:30 then going to rehearsal until 10 or 11 every night since the beginning of the year. I. Am. Worn. Out. On top of that, I'm organizing our field trip in April (over night to DC), heading a committee, and trying to be the best teacher I can be. Now I'm just trying to get caught up.

Over the last few weeks we have...

• Taken our first mastery test
• Started SMG
• Finished Real Numbers
• Started Exponents/Scientific Notation

Thoughts on SBG...

Personally, I love it. I love that the kids are in control of their grade and I can see where they need more work. Unfortunately, my students are not retesting!!! What in the world!? I can't understand it. I really can't. I'm not giving in though. Progress reports went home today. I sent letters home two weeks ago to kids who haven't retested. Maybe that will get the point across...

Thoughts on SMG...

I LOVE IT! Sign up for the spring competition. My kids are so engaged. They are coming in every day asking if it is an SMG day. Some of them are being safe and only investing in one company (usually Apple) and only a few shares (20-30). Others have invested EVERYTHING and have invested in Michael Kohrs, Nike, Kraft, Johnson & Johnson, Under Armour, etc. I love hearing them come up with different companies to invest in. The conversations about why they should or should not invest while they are interpreting graphs is awesome. I'm so impressed. I have 5 teams in the top 10 in the region right now. So proud.

I, on the other hand, am in 185/194 in the adult division. I clearly need to start looking at their portfolios and investing in what they are. #fail

Real Numbers

Real Numbers are hit or miss. This year we couldn't get the whole rational/irrational concept, but they can estimate irrational numbers and change repeating decimals to fractions like it's their job. WHAT!?

Exponents/Scientific Notation

As usual, they know the rules, but get tripped up because they still don't know integer rules. Sigh. 

I have added multiple foldables and activities to my TPT store. INB Pictures coming soon.

• Foldables for the rest of this notebook and the upcoming unit
• Getting organized
• Getting back on track
• Sharpening my saw!

WOW: Workin On it Wednesday

Today I am linking up with Middle School Math Moments for Workin' On it Wednesday.

Workdays start next week. I spent today and yesterday in workshops about Standards Based Grading and the Stock Market Game. I have most everything I need ready to go for school, but here is what I am working on:

• My top priority right now is my ISN. I'm revamping some foldables and overall redoing how I am approaching things. Check out a sneak peak below.

• 7 Habits Curriculum: We have a 50 minute "Patriot Period" (flex period basically) each day and for the first quarter, we will dedicate 25min of this period to re-teaching the 7 Habits. I've been working on getting the 8th grade curriculum together.

• SBG update: The session I went to today was super helpful and I think I will have a much easier time this year. I'm updating my trackers to read "mastery" "developing mastery" and "no mastery" rather than a 1-4 scale. More on this later.