The TIP Chart is the key tool that I used to accelerate student learning. "TIP"stands for "Term", "Information" & "Picture". Key terminology is delivered through this document on a daily basis. The first 10-20 minutes of class are devoted to this vocabulary exercise. A typical TIP session would include 2-4 words. One of the fundamental principles of accelerating student learning is the "pre-teaching" that we do during this time.
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Question and Answer Time. Typically, 10-15 minutes of time is given to the students to ask questions to me, from their Algebra 1 course. Algebra 1 teachers at my school tend to teach at different rates, so sometimes students are exposed to questions that they have yet to see. I require all students to work through the problems with me, even if they were not required to do it for their homework assignment. I always cut this time off, even if their is more questions, because students will ask questions all hour if you let them.
Pound a Skill. I choose ONE skill to work on every day. The skill usually piggy backs off from one of the TIP words from the beginning of the class period. My objective is to get them better at something, so that when they get to that skill in their Algebra 1 class, that makes one less thing that they have to worry about learning. This is usually the last 20-35 minutes of the hour. During this time, I make my way around the room and I really focus on making sure the students are doing the skill correctly. I have the students moving around and doing "hands-on" activities that include sorts, white-board questions, scavenger hunts, tic-tac-toe boards, flash cards, foldables, and anything else I find on Pinterest. Students NEVER leave with homework. As long as they work for 55 minutes, they receive full points for the days activity.
tic_tac_toe_inequality_sample.pdf | |
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Friday Quiz. The students have a quiz every Friday over the weeks topics. I allow students to come in before or after school, or during lunch to retake any quiz an unlimited number of times. It may take a student several weeks to master a certain skill, so this allows them to work hard and experience success no matter how long it takes. The quizzes are typically pretty easy and straight forward. On Fridays I will allow them to work on homework from their Algebra 1 course after the quiz, provide an additional Q&A time, or provide a self explanatory activity for them to work on.
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algebra_support_quiz_october_30_2015.pdf | |
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The spark that started the fire! "Learning In The Fast Lane" by Suzy Pepper Rollins has largely influenced my thinking for the Algebra 1 Support course. This book lays out the foundation for the "acceleration" method versus the "remediation" method that we so often default to. I highly recommend it as you begin the process of developing your own Algebra 1 Support course.