Quick Tip: Format of a typical math class.
Teacher teaching from the front, students seated.
Hey math students, welcome back. Today I go into a math classroom and play the role of the math teacher. Then I’ll ‘translate’ some of what your teacher is thinking, while they’re teaching.
Table of contents:
1 First up is the teacher teaching.
2 Second I’ll interject with my/EH translations.
1 First up is the teacher teaching.
Teacher (T) begins the class.
T1 Starts talking …, any questions from the previous day’s homework?
T2 Teacher writes the title of new lesson on the black, white or smart board, e.g. Solving Equations
T3 Teacher starts the new lesson, “Today we get into Solving Equations”.
T4 Example 0: might do a review example to remind you of past math needed for the lesson.
T5 Next up, they’ll speak and write the definitions of any new math words or symbols required for the new lesson. Solve means …, An equation is …
T6 Example #1: Then they’ll write the first question on the board and verbally explain what they’re doing while writing how to do it.
T7 When they finish that first example, they’ll ask, ‘Any questions?’
T8 Example #2: Starts the second question, explains, and writes how to do it.
T9 When they finish that second example, they’ll ask, ‘Any questions?’
T10 Example #3: Starts the third question, explains, and writes how to do it.
T11 When they finish that example #3, they’ll ask, ‘Any questions?’*
T12 Homework: Here’s the page and numbers - start your homework!
T13 Bell rings, class is over.
EH
2 Second I’ll interject with my/EH translations
Teacher (T) begins the class
T1 Starts talking …, any questions from the previous day’s homework?
T2 Teacher writes the title of new lesson on the black, white or smart board, e.g. Solving Equations
T3 Teacher starts the new lesson, Today we get into Solving Equations”.
T3 EH Some teachers start the new lesson by making a connection between past math and the new math - “Last week we focused on Simplifying Algebraic Expressions, today we’ll build on that and get into Solving Equations”. They’ve made a link between past math and new math 😊. Not all teacher’s do this ☹.
T4 Example 0: might do a review example to remind you of past math needed for the lesson.
EH They’ve made a link between past math and new math 😊. Not all teacher’s do this ☹.
T5 Next up they’ll speak and write the definitions of any new math words or symbols required for the new lesson. Solve means …, An equation is …
T5 EH Important: They’ll never go back and remind you of definitions you have already been taught. Why? They expect you to remember them. It’s the same reason, English teachers do not remind the class of English words taught in the past - e.g. ‘a ball is ..., run means …”, progress would grind to a halt.
T6 Example #1: Then they’ll write the first question on the board and verbally explain what they’re doing while writing how to do it.
T6 EH That first example will be the easiest question they will do! It’s the foundation for all other examples. Make sure you understand it!
T7 When they finish that first example, they’ll ask, ‘Any questions?’*
T7 EH: Questions are how a teacher gets feedback from you, and the class – to know if anything not understood.
T8 Example #2: Starts the second question, explains, and writes how to do it.
T9 When they finish that second example, they’ll ask, ‘Any questions?’*
T9 EH: That Example #2 builds on Example #1, which means, if you did not understand the first example, you’re up the creek without a paddle (aka falling behind, in trouble, about to be lost).
T10 Example #3: Starts the third question, explains, and writes how to do it.
T11 When they finish that example #3, they’ll ask, ‘Any questions?’*
T11 EH Typical level of difficulty: Example 1 is easy, Example two is easy-moderate, Example #3 will be moderate-hard. The third will sound like a foreign language and seem like gibberish if you were lost on the first two examples. However, understanding the first example, gets you ready to make sense of the second quicker, which has you prepared for the third (it’s all good).
T12 Homework: Here’s the page and numbers - start your homework!
T12 EH Starting your homework without understanding that first example, will lead to you struggling on the homework and having to get help quickly (friend or back of textbook or teacher). Why? Because like Examples 2 and 3, the homework builds on Example #1. Example #1 is the foundation for everything!
T13 Bell rings, class is over.
Have a fabulous learning day, EH!
EH
What’s EH? Initials for my name, Edison Hopkinson.
‘EH’ is a part of Canadian culture - it’s how many of us finish off sentences. Have a cheerful day, EH! Math’s going swell, EH! So not so much a question, but more a statement. And yeah, it could be a question, How are you doing, EH?