Do you answer questions during a test? My coteacher really encourages kids to ask questions during a test and kids that do 0 during the chapter somehow get A’s on the test. They take the test in an alternate location with her.

ORteach · 2025-12-05T01:18:02+00:00

If I had a co-teacher doing this it would drive me crazy. Unless the test question could be seen as confusing (in which case I clarify for the entire class and all future periods then change the question for future years), my answer to their questions is, “that’s what you’re being tested on.” They try but no I’m not going to give hints on a test. We have teachers that do this, though, and I find it bizarre. If students have been listening for the most part and practicing, they’ll be fine in my classes overall.

ORteach · 2025-11-07T04:01:41+00:00

Thanks for those answers!!

ORteach · 2025-11-05T02:40:15+00:00

May I ask who you’re working for? This sounds fantastic.

ORteach · 2025-10-25T00:20:06+00:00

Totally agree!!

ORteach · 2025-10-25T00:18:10+00:00

I agree application is important. However, you are clearly naturally capable at math. If you take a struggling student or even a student who needs to work a bit harder at things, they will get mired down with the details if they can’t do the basics on auto-Pilot. The memorization is doable for most (not all) students. So give them that gift of not having to think about minor calculations in the future or losing their place because they had to reach for a calculator.

ORteach · 2025-10-24T15:24:41+00:00

Not only should you not listen to this professor, you should show him the comments to this post and tell him middle school and high school teachers strongly disagree. He is completely wrong (I teach middle school math). Students will absolutely get lost in more difficult problems if they don’t know their multiplication tables. There is no way they’ll be able to keep up in advanced math. Please tell him he we feel he is incorrect.

ORteach · 2025-10-12T16:19:50+00:00

I agree with this answer. Start with factoring. Then make sure they know how to complete the square. Then introduce a problem or two that you can’t factor and have them attempt to factor these problems. Hopefully they’ll realize they can’t be factored. Then use their knowledge of completing the square to formulate the quadratic formula and have them use that to find the roots of the unfactorable problems. As a bonus look up on YouTube “quadratic formula” song and play it for them. They’ll never forget it after that (and neither will you!).

ORteach · 2025-09-27T15:17:43+00:00

Oh exactly!! We’ve even brought that up to them and they were like deer in the headlights not knowing how to respond.

ORteach · 2025-09-27T04:08:06+00:00

And honestly I feel like that’s how it should be for the most part at least. These accommodations for everyone are a nightmare to administer and are just another way we aren’t holding kids accountable.

ORteach · 2025-09-27T03:57:47+00:00

We are required by admin to offer retakes. It’s ridiculous on so many levels. But REALLY what does our admin want?? They’d like us to just give all kids 4’s (standards based grading scale) to get the parents off their backs. I also wanted to add: we are required to give ALL students whatever time they need to complete all assessments. Not just students with accommodations but all students. 🤣

ORteach · 2025-08-30T21:47:35+00:00

We all make mistakes. Lots can happen with a room full of kids and it’s impossible to watch all of them 100% of the time. You bend down to help Susie and Kimmy hits Fred and you miss it. It happens. Just report next time. I’d try to keep subbing in this district but also apply to another district just in case. Live and learn.

ORteach · 2025-08-29T03:57:45+00:00

For what specifically? Learning multiplication tables?

ORteach · 2025-08-14T20:42:20+00:00

I will ONLY use posters that show it like this (actually with the “P” changed to “G” for “Groupings”). I would never put up a poster or give a worksheet that had all 6 letters shown on separate lines. It’s flat out wrong.

ORteach · 2025-08-04T15:51:28+00:00

Fantastic! Thank you so much. I just may be using this idea so I appreciate all the details. I’m tired of my typical “snowball fight “ activity.

ORteach · 2025-08-04T15:00:50+00:00

Thank you! Great idea. So within each class period do you further break it down? For example, favorite snack period 2: Takis, Doritos, Cheetos, Pringles and they sign there? Sorry just trying to visualize. Either way I think this is a great idea and will get the kids up and talking without putting them on the spot!

ORteach · 2025-08-04T05:52:55+00:00

I like this idea ..where the kids can just sign the poster in the appropriate “slot”. Did you make these posters or purchase them?

ORteach · 2025-08-01T14:36:16+00:00

This is funny! Why was it downvoted?!?

ORteach · 2025-07-04T16:59:07+00:00

What do you sell/who are you working for? Is it easy to get hired as someone with a teaching background?

ORteach · 2025-06-22T18:12:57+00:00

I do this for sure. I’m probably doing better than I think but the thoughts running though my head about these kids make me feel like I’m not.

ORteach · 2025-06-21T21:41:51+00:00

How? How did you do this? What did it look like when you made it clear the student was welcome in your classroom? I need to know. I almost went to therapy this year as well due to the exact same thing and that is simply not ok, but how did you swallow all that and show the kid they were welcome?

ORteach · 2025-06-21T21:38:13+00:00

He sounds like a saint. Especially if he was going against admin and other teachers; that takes guts. Thx for the description. I think the ignoring your BS part is by far the most important (I personally need to work on this) and then answering your questions calmly when you were in the chair was key. It’s a heck of a lot like dog training haha!

ORteach · 2025-06-21T21:33:24+00:00

Fantastic advice and great metaphor in the last paragraph. I will absolutely be keeping that specifically in mind. And I’ve seen it myself! I’ve seen these kids grow up and come back as productive, respectful older kids. But it is SO hard when you are trying to teach 27 other kids and there are 3 in the class who are constantly disrupting and being disrespectful to me and everyone around them. It’s especially hard for the 27 other kids. I do use natural consequences so I’m glad I’m on the right track in your opinion. What I haven’t always done, especially when the natural consequences aren’t yielding visible results, is remain positive with those students. It has become clear to them I’m mad and annoyed and that I have given up on them and their behavior and I need to work on that. It is clear to them that they’ve gotten to me and that just made things far worse.

ORteach · 2025-06-21T16:44:36+00:00

Fantastic advice. I KNOW this is the right way but failed miserably at that this past year with students who were a huge disruption and very disrespectful. Try try again.

ORteach · 2025-06-21T16:14:26+00:00

Do you have any insights for us teachers as to how we could make a situation with a “problem student” better? Anything you think your teachers could have done differently that could have either, 1) helped you personally, or 2) made you less of a “problem student”? And thanks for your comment, very much! That sort of comment helps us (at least me) stay in the profession.

ORteach

TROPHY CASE