Fifteenth Week at UHS!

“What is a teacher? I'll tell you: it isn't someone who teaches something, but someone who inspires the student to give of her best in order to discover what she already knows.”
― Paulo Coelho

This week has just flown by. We came back from Thanksgiving break and got back to business. My general Pre-Calculus classes reviewed on Monday for their quiz on four sections about functions on Tuesday. I was very impressed by the overall performance of these classes. After Tuesday, we preceeded on to the key components of quadractic functions and maxima and minima. In addition, we began working on modeling with functions and using these models to answer real life problems. In my honors Pre-Calculus classes, the students learned how to work with the imaginary number i. They learned how to do basic arithmetic operations with complex numbers. Also, they have applied the knowledge of complex numbers for solving and factoring polynomial functions with real and imaginary zeros. I have been so proud of the students, because they have been performing well. They have even thought even more in depth about imaginary numbers asking me how we might graph these coordinates. It has been a learning process for both the students and me. In the upcoming week, my honor students will be completing a real life application project about polynomial functions. I am excited to examine their creativity and se how they create a polynomial function to represent time and height of a roller coaster. They will be working in pairs for this activity, and it will last the entire week. Even though I am almost to the end of the road of my internship, I am a little sad to be leaving what I have been fortunate to call "my students." Yet, they have taught me just as much, if not more, than what I have taught them. (:

Week Fourteen at University High!

This has been another great week at University High School. I have been teaching, teaching, and more teaching. (: In my honors classes, we have finished up three sections of polynomial functions. We learned about the rational zeros theorem, upper and lower bounds theorem, synthetic and long division, and how to graph various polynomial functions. Yester, we played a review game of jeopardy on what we have learned about polynomial function. I divided the class in two and had them work in teams to solve problems. The classes had a lot of fun with it, yet they got a little noisy. But, it was a great review. Today, the students will be completing their quiz. In my general Pre-Calculus class, the students have begun learning concepts about the various functions. We worked through eight different parent functions and now are learning how to transform them. Today, I am having the students complete specific problems from the book that I think will help them most on their quiz when they return from break. When break is over, I will answer questions to correct any of their misunderstandings. Then Tuesday, they will take their quiz on the first four sections about functions. I am excited that this week is ending on a good note. Only two more weeks until I finish up my internship. Can't believe it!

“In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn.”
― Phil Collins

Thirteenth Week at University High!

Even though this was a shorter week for us because of Veteran's Day, many things took place. Tuesday I began teaching functions to my Pre-Calculus classes. My Honors Pre-Calculus students are learning about Polynomial Functions. We hav learned to factor and graph polynomial functions. Also, we have went over long division and synthetic divsion of polynomials. With that, we have discussed the remainder theorem and the factor theorem. Next Monday, we will continue with rational zeros theorem, Descartes' Theorem, and Upper and Lower Bounds Theorem. This is a very hefty chapter filled with many significant things. After we finish the next three sections, I will then be able to implement my class project. I have planned that the students with work with a partner for this project based on polynomials and present on the Friday of that week. I believe that this project will enhance the students' learning about polynomials and apply their knowledge to real world applications. I am looking forward to the week that we work on these! Only three more weeks, and I will be finishing up my intern semester. I feel so happy that I have been able to work with great people, and that I will continue to work with them next semester for my contract hours. Almost time to graduate! (:

Doing math is like going to the gym - it's a workout for your brain and it makes you smarter.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/math.html#yefvxLVEv7zXllGl.99

Twelfth week at University! (:

This has been a big week for me at UHS. I have given one Chapter test to my Honors Pre-Calculus class, and I am giving a Chapter test tomorrow in my general Pre-Calculus class. I have had many students coming in for extra help during my planning periods. So, it feels as if time is just flying by. I haven't had much time to get lessons and planning done here at the school. Still, I am glad that both of my mentor teachers have been great support and have reassured me that I am doing a great job. Tomorrow, I am having my meeting with the teacher coordinators about my contract hours for next semester. I am excited to see how I will plan out my last semester in school. It seems so crazy that I am almost a "real" teacher. (: Altogether, I am excited to wrap up this intern semester and move on to substitute teacher and pursue new things. I am trying to take it all in, because it's going to be over before I know it.

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.
-Helen Keller
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/h/helenkelle164579.html#ZXvmmsWwz98sz441.99

Week Eleven at "Home of the Hawks"

This has been a great week at UHS as usual! In my general Pre-Calculus classes, I have been teaching about coordinate geometry, lines, and inequalitites. In my honors courses, we have been learning about inverse functions and one to one functions. They also just had a quiz on four sections dealing with properties of functions. Next week, they will complete a chapter test based off of everythings they have learned bout functions. The students have been great in all of my classes. I am fortunate to work with such well-behave intelligent young women and men. I can not believe that I only have five more weeks left to finish up my internship. I am thrilled to still move forward into my spring semester and do different units with the same students. Throughout my weeks at UHS, I have been tested as a teacher in so many ways. I am learning what type of teacher I am and what works for me. It is very motivating as I learn new things about myself each day. Again, it is so fulfilling to teach the students, create lessons and assessents, and see how the students perform based off of my teaching and their studying. It is great encouragement when the students perform well on their quizzes and tests. Altogether, I can't believe how time is flying. Yet, I am learning so much!

Week 10 at University High!

This week has been great! I began teaching five class periods which is full time for me. My general Pre-Calculus classes are learning about inequalities, and my Honors classes are learning how to model with functions. I have been excited about modeling with functions, because we were able to complete a small group activity with a manipulative. The students actually had to take a paper, cut it, and model functions associated with it. It has helped them get a better since of how it relates to real world objects and ideas. In addition, I have been looking forward to the next chapter in the book which deals with polynomial functions. I plan on implementing a project where the students have to create a polynomial function related to their own roller coaster ride that they design. The project will be worked with partners. It will probably be a week long project, because we will have to cover all the concepts associated with polynomials through a worksheet activity. Then, they will create a poster with their roller coaster and present it to the class. I have been able to be organized and prepared to look at the span of the entire semester. So, I have a rough draft of what I will teach until I am done mid-December for both of the classes I teach. I still can't believe that we are already ten weeks into the semester. As I am looking forward to completing the semester and finishing up my studies, I will be very sad to leave the classes that I have taken over. I have been building strong relationships with my mentor teachers and my students. I am so thankful for how much encouragement and help they have all given to me!

Week nine at University High!

This has been an eventful week. On Monday, the students had an ISE day. The teachers came in, and we had many PLC meetings and a faculty senate meeting. We discussed many things pertaining to the school such as the Benedum Program for Student Teachers, recycling at the school, beatification of our property, professional development, and so on. On Tuesday, the students came back, and we began our regular routine. In my Honors Pre-Calculus class, we reviewed Friday's lesson on stretching and compressing graphs. The following day, we finished up the section for transformations of function by doing reflections and identifying even and odd functions. In my general Pre-Calculus classes, we reviewed our word problems from sections 1.5 and 1.6. Then, the students had a quiz based on what they have learned. Today, I have begun my full time teaching with periods 1, 4, 6, 7, and 8. This is a lot to take in, but I feel that I am well prepared. I have been fortunate with my mentor teachers, because they have slowly eased me into teaching more and more. If it would have been thrown at me full force, I would have been much more nervous. Even though I have taught these sections with my Honors Pre-Calculus students, I still learn new things about the content. This is what I like about teaching. It is full of learning. You learn about yourself, and you learn new things about math from the students in your classes. I am excited to take on the new challenges that full time teaching will bring on. I hope to maintain positivity and confidence to teach to my best ability, so the students are learning in a motivating and simplistic environment!