Teacher Support
All teachers have students who miss class time. There are a variety of reasons; illness, appointments, sleeping in, extra-curricular activities, the line-up for coffee at Tim Horton’s was so long, etc. How can we best support students who miss the benefits of our instructional lesson?
We could say, “Here are the notes (or, get the notes from someone else), read the text on pages 112-115, do some practice questions and see me if you have any concerns”. Or, since more and more teachers have video lessons recorded, a student could be directed to the video to catch-up. But what if you have no video recorded?
If the topic, such as solving a quadratic equation by graphing, is in The Grand Math Connection free library, just give him/her the link:
https://mathpqjq.com/solving-a-quadratic-equation-by-graphing/
The instructions are:
- Watch the video.
- Do the practice questions that follow.
- Self correct using the detailed solutions provided.
- Show me your work. Ask any questions.
Unfortunately, sometimes a student may fail an exam. How can we best support them for their lack of understanding, and likely a dip in their confidence? He or she may ask if a re-write is possible. Many teachers are open to a re-write, but usually a student needs to demonstrate a willingness to improve (i.e. put in some time) and provide some evidence of their progress.
If the unit, such as Solving a System of Linear Equations, is in The Grand Math Connection free library, just give him/her the following 4 links:
https://mathpqjq.com/exploring-systems-of-linear-equations/
https://mathpqjq.com/solving-a-linear-system-by-graphing/
https://mathpqjq.com/solving-a-linear-system-by-substitution/
https://mathpqjq.com/solving-a-linear-system-by-elimination/
The instructions are:
- Watch the videos.
- Do the practice questions that follow each video.
- Self correct using the detailed solutions provided.
- Show me your work. Ask any questions.
- Re-write the exam and pass!
The basic support plan for students suggested here could also be applied for a student who misses significant class time due to illness. Or, it may also help a student who was in class, listened to your instruction, but says, “I don’t understand”. Have you ever had a student say that? It’s not to say that there was anything wrong with your lesson. I know that when I was a full time teacher in the classroom, my approach and way of explaining a concept would not necessarily resonate with every student. Sometimes a different perspective can be beneficial. We are all educators who are trying to help all students become successful learners. It is not hard to believe that it takes a village to educate a student.
Another potential use for these materials is to help in the preparation for substitute teacher lesson plans. When you are away, there is no guarantee that your replacement has the knowledge and expertise in delivering the lesson. Most students have their own electronic device, and a set of personal headphones. If the Wi-Fi in your school is good, students could be directed toward a particular video lesson, for example, The Cosine Law, https://mathpqjq.com/the-cosine-law/ and be given instructions to watch the video and complete the accompanying set of practice questions. Detailed solutions are available. Each student watching the video at their own pace has the advantage of being able to stop and start, go back, or watch it a second time. This could be a great benefit for a student who takes a little longer to process information.
The plate that teachers carry into their classrooms everyday is typically over-flowing. There is an abundance of responsibility. I am hoping that my suggestions here can support teachers in some small way. These resources are meant to reduce the time that teachers may have to devote to students who miss class, assisting those who are preparing to re-write an exam, or giving teachers another option to use when preparing substitute teaching lesson plans.
