3 days in bed to the deep end

So the reason I don't have anything for Monday and Tuesday is because I was sick in bed for those days =( Although the teaching didn't stop just because I wasn't there. My cooperating teacher taught on monday which was just a worksheet for review. Tuesday there was a short 10 question quiz that I got to grade today. So today;

Wednesday 9/17

After being sick for 3 days I thought it might be best to sit on the side lines for the first few classes (we teach 5, 2 in the am 3 in the pm). We started subtracting integers which doesn't sound too bad, but the method we used was the "chip" method. You have red chips and black chips, red for positive (being in the red- negative $) black for positive (being in the black, black friday) yes we used a reference to the stock market teaching kids how to do math. 

So there are three basic examples to do subtraction problems:

1)  5 - 2

2) -5 - -2

3) 2 - 5

So I started with seventh period, the advanced class. We did the first two problems and instead of going to work on the problems in the book, one of the kids up front asked me about the third one, so going with it we tried it. and as Mr. B said I threw myself into the deep end instead of saying hold on we'll get to that. The chip method confused me from the start but having it up on the board with 25 sets of eyes staring at me didn't help matters. After a few minutes and some confused stares I asked for help and Mr. B told me that I had two sets to many and figured out the problem and how to do it correctly. The kids were super confused but we sorted it all out by using the examples in the book. No harm done, just a learning experience for both the kids and myself, and that's what it's all about, learning.

Periods 8 and 10 were a lot better and the kids got a hold of it quickly. I guess I found my floaties after sinking to the bottom...

Tomorrow is another day, and I think I get all 5 tomorrow =) absolute value and "the subtraction rule for dummies" keep change opposite. more on that tomorrow