Connecting With Your Students

by Rivette Pena MA

As a math teacher, who had young children at home, I tried to stay abreast of popular shows,movies, music etc. Anything I could use to relate to my students. It helped that I was a kid at heart. I loved the modern pop music. My kids like all other kids jumped on to every fad.

passed, some of those became irrellevant to my current students. So I stuck with timeless themes, Iconic Movies-Lion King, Frozen, Cinderella, Super Heroes.

Those were well received and didn’t have to be updated as much. The kids appreciated the themes. Oh and I was as cheesy as humanly possible. Cringy even. I put in songs that were corny and made the kids groan but would also worm their way into their little brains. I would smile when I would hear them humming these songs.

How did this help?

Firstly, it helped me get closer to my kids. We spent many hours watching tv, playing games, listening to each others music. Those are moments I will always cherish.

It helped me to incorporate things into my lessons that were relevant to the students. I could create activities with themes that would pique their interest. At the highlight of my themed activities, I would center my powerpoint review games around popular television shows like Glee, Dancing with the Stars, Real Houswives ...My questions would have names of famous pop artists, rap artists, country artists or reality stars. But as the years

How can I do this without taking hours creating new presentations?

Take a worksheet that you are already going to use. Rewrite the problem using names from the top 10 rap artists of the year, or whatever category. There are top “whatever” list for anything you can think of. I’ve looked up clean silly names, top 10 superheroes, top 10 country artists, pop artists, rap artists, movie actors etc

Example:

Original question. Ms. Davis earns $25 an hour tutoring. She owes Mr. Smitth $200. How many hours must she tutor in order to make at least as much to pay off Mr. Smith?

New question:

Opt A : Miss Informed earns $25 an hour tutoring. She owes Mr Rhee $200. How many hours must she tutor in order to make at least as much to pay off Mr Rhee.?

Opt B : Wonder Woman earns $25 an hour tutoring new super heroes. She owes Iron Man $200. How many hours must she tutor in order to make at least as much to pay off Iron Man.?

The possiblitties are endless. Get as silly as you like the kids will giggle and tell you how cheesy it is but it wil get them reading and talking which is crucial to engagement.

Escape Rooms/Lock Boxes

This has been a very hot activity for years now. It may seem overwhelming. But I found easy ways to turn regular worksheets into simple yet engaging activities.

For instance, take a a 10 to 12 question worksheet. If it is already mulitiple choice then you are golden. If not you can create your own multiple choice answers. If the answers are exact, then that will work to.

Separate the worksheet into 3 groups/tiers/ rooms/tasks.

Example

(10 questions)

Group 1 has 4 questions

Group 2 has 3 questions

Group 3 has 3 questions

(12 questions)

Group 1 has 4 questions

Group 2 has 4 questions

Group 3 has 4 questions

If the answers for Group 1 are 1. A, 2. B, 3. C and 4. D, then your code to exit that level is ABCD. You can change the letters on the answer choices to make a word if you like, MATH, LOVE, etc.

If you use numbers, the code could be their sum. I like that the best. Answers 1. 5, 2. 1.4, 3. 8, 4, 10 Code 24.4

Now all you have to do is figure out how you want them to test their code. I use google forms. You can use power point, lock boxes, checking with the teacher, opening an enveloope, etc. Get creative.

Your students will thank you. (Unless their middle schoolers then just know that they didn’t hate it. LOL) You will enjoy it alot more. You can always write to me with any questions rivpena121@gmail. com with any questions or comments.

Example of a google form on page 34

Visit my store on TPT A Math Mindset

7.

4. Mark only one oval.

1 Elias bakes cookies 7 5 dozen cookies in 1 5 hours Which graph best represents the relationship between x the number of hours and y the number of dozens of cookies?

8.

5. Mark only one oval.

2 Cindy was making bracelets She made 8 bracelets in one hour Which equation best represents y, the total number of bracelets that Cindy can make in x, number of hours?

6. Mark only one oval.

3 Which answer choice represents a plant growing 12 inches in 3 weeks?

B y=12x+3 U A plant grows 24 inches in 5 weeks

L Y

4 Antonio walked at a constant rate of 0 05 kilometers per minute Which table represents y the number of kilometers Antonio walked in x, number of minutes? Input

Mark only one oval.

Yay Bud has sent out the invitations but he is convinced no one wi come unless there are refreshments