My Favorite Friday: 2>4 & Tetris Group Costume

Its been one of those weeks.  Well, its been one of those years.  Its definitely not my students – they.are.amazing.  But I just don’t feel like I’m moving forward.  I’m stuck.  And I don’t like it.

Favorite #1 “2 > 4!”

Sitting in my room all alone this afternoon, I pulled up twitter and found this from @maxmathforum and absolutely love it.  SOOOOOOOO worth five miniutes of your time!  It was a wink to remind me – everything will be okay – eventually I’ll find my flow again…  just remember to listen to my students…  they’re the reason I’m here.

@jreulbach @Borschtwithanna @cheesemonkeysf Coloring Pascal’s triangle made me realize I wanted to do math forever: http://t.co/B5LzTwEC — Max Ray (@maxmathforum)

 Favorite #2 Tetris Group Costume

Its Homecoming week – I’ll be leaving to go chaperone the dance in just a bit…

Several of us have often tried to do a group-themed costume…

The Clue Characters – including the envelope.

The Seven Dwarfs

Black-Eyed Peas

 

This year – inspired by a tweet months ago…TETRIS!

6 – posterboards, cut 4 11″ squares out of each color

7 – foam boards

tape – 4 pieces together to form puzzle piece

hotglue to foam board, cut out excess white

elastic or ribbon toattach / hang around your neck

let the most talented one create the gameboy on a foam board (project onto board, trace, color with markers!)

 

Its a quick, cost-efficient costume! 

We met afterschool one day to make our Tetris pieces.  We shared how we so missed the collaboration we once had.  When you have the opportunity to share ideas – when you’ve got a go-to person(s), somehow, it limits the amount of stress.  With changes in schedules / room changes – we are not all in the same wing like we were for nearly 8 years.  We had common planning – and each week we met in what I believe was a true PLC.  Though most of our meetings were focused on students and not content – making sure we kept up with those who were falling behind – making sure we had made contacts home – we shared strategies that worked for certain situations – we made sure we used resources available to keep the students on track…we had the opportunity to share ideas.  Not.Any.More.

It has been so hard – being taken away from something you were a part of from the beginning – a venture you believed in whole-heartedly.

We all agreed that this year seems like…work.  And that makes me sad.

Just like our Tetris pieces – apart, we may seem a bit odd – but together…we made sense.  So a shout-out to my dearest friends – those who encouraged me, challenged me, helped me become a better teacher.  I miss each of you.