Here is the first blog post of the year for those that would like to follow the activities and lesson plans for Mr. Marshall's Algebra and Algebra Lab classes. Often the work in both classes will be similar, but the big difference between the two is the lab provides more than just math. Provided in the lab are many of the skills that are needed and often lacking for students to have a very successful and fullfilling experience here at Clintondale High School.
This week we finished up the movie about Ben Carson, called Gifted Hands. You might ask what this movie has to do with math and I strongly encourage you to get the DVD and watch it. Ben Carson came from our area. He grew up in Detroit and had a very difficult life. He couldn't do his multiplication flash cards in middle school and his reading skills were very poor. Today he is the world's greatest Neurosurgeon. The students had to take notes on the film and will write a paper. Also they can get extra credit if they watch it with their family. Without motivation, many students struggle with math as it requires a great deal of concentration and repetition. "Gifted Hands" is a great motivator.
All of my students can get 50 points extra credit if they make flash cards and bring them in and show me. They then can get a point a day if they review at home and bring a signed note from a parent or guardian.
All students got 50 points for having their supplies. Many still need to buy a three ring binder, 5 pencils, an eraser, a ruler, 150 sheets of lined paper (no spiral notebooks allowed as they are "messy" and leave a negative image), and a pouch that has three holes to hold their pencils and eraser.
If a student has a low progress report grade it can be raised in a hurry with just taking care of the above assignments.
This week we are working on all of chapter one in their Algebra textbook. Worksheets in the form of study guides and practice sheets for sections one through eight have been handed out. A practice test will be given on Thursday and a real test on Friday.
I stay after school every single day for usually an hour to help students that want tutoring. This needs to be taken advantage of. It is free and is the best way for some students to get the one on one time that they need.
Please feel free to contact me at any time. I will be happy to give you my home phone number if you first call me at school at 586-791-6300 ext. 2200. I really do love your student and pray for each one by name daily. I want each of my students to believe in the wonderful things that can happen in their lives and I want to help them "DREAM BIG".
I look forward to posting weekly from now on and I hope to hear from many parents throughout this year. My wife also teaches here and we are thinking about having get togethers at our home. Let me know if you have an interest in that as well.
Thanks for entrusting your son or daughter to me. I count it a privilege to be in the classroom with them, even though they don't quite understand that yet. Ha! Ha!
Also I usually tell my students to proof read all they write and then to have someone else read it as well. I am breaking that rule when I hit "Post" as I don't have time to have Mrs. Marshall,(English teacher!!) at my side right now to read and fix my mistakes. But then the message there may be that we are all a "work in progress".
