One of the ways that my students feel behind is with compasses. All compasses are different, and all compasses require practice to understand how they work. For my students, I encourage them to purchase their own compass at the beginning of the year, as they are a huge part of the eighth and ninth-grade curriculum, but I cannot afford to lend all of my students a compass every school year. I have my own class set, but if their homework requires a compass, how are they supposed to practice their skills at home? The answer is they don’t, and then they start to fall behind. Therefore, the vicious cycle of fear and mathematics starts again.
Another way I would want to implement a better environment in my class is by having small, positive reinforcers in my room. Many studies have shown that peppermint improves focus in intellectual settings. I would love to have mints in my room so students can have them on days where it is a big topic or on test days to help with their memory and limit distractions.
About my class
One of the ways that my students feel behind is with compasses. All compasses are different, and all compasses require practice to understand how they work. For my students, I encourage them to purchase their own compass at the beginning of the year, as they are a huge part of the eighth and ninth-grade curriculum, but I cannot afford to lend all of my students a compass every school year. I have my own class set, but if their homework requires a compass, how are they supposed to practice their skills at home? The answer is they don’t, and then they start to fall behind. Therefore, the vicious cycle of fear and mathematics starts again.
Another way I would want to implement a better environment in my class is by having small, positive reinforcers in my room. Many studies have shown that peppermint improves focus in intellectual settings. I would love to have mints in my room so students can have them on days where it is a big topic or on test days to help with their memory and limit distractions.