It is something I wrestle with each and every year. I yearn to just jump into the MATH- to start the learning- start my interactive notebooks- start the brains turning!
It is something I adamantly attempt to never do.
I have a lot of reasons for this-
- NOT because I want to hear about their summer.
- NOT because I want to get to know them.
- NOT because I want to go easy on the first day.
- because I want to CHALLENGE them.
- because I want them to struggle.
- because I want them to use each other and lean on each other.
The past two years I have used "SAVING FRED" as my opening activity (except with 4 people). You CANNOT do this alone. This instills that you have to work together in my class and that I expect it! I also have them fill out the sheet that is attached! They have to tell me their challenges, enjoyment level, and draw and write what their team did!
I show them mistakes that I made on problems- AND make them find them, fix them, and tell me what I did wrong! It instills that everyone makes mistakes and we are expected to make them and FIX them!
I also talk about how I will show them each other's mistakes and expect us all to help each other succeed. I call this my favorite mistake- but I'll get to this later.
Yes- I still make time for the basics- where things are, about me, my expectations, etc. But, we make the room comfortable, approachable, and we work together. That to me is my perfect: Day 1.
-Kjersti
