February is for purifying, not just surviving
There is one reason February is the shortest month of the year: for teachers. Winter break is a distant memory. Spring break is but a dream. You are closer to the end of the year than you are to the beginning but there is still so much to do. For so many reasons (insert yours here!) February is hard. “Just survive” becomes the modus operandi.
Yet, while the shortest month comes with its challenges as a teacher, it also brings opportunities.
February is named for the Latin word februum which means purification. Perhaps February presents the opportunity to contemplate and clean up the norms you and your students have established in your math classroom. Purification, as related to teaching, can involve a process of removing undesirable and contaminating practices and replacing them with teaching moves aimed toward a specific purpose; beyond mere survival.
Here are some questions to help you start the process of purifying your math teaching practice throughout the month of February:
-What is your favorite norm or routine you have established with your math class? Why? Do these norms serve each student equitably?
-Is there a norm or routine that you do because “that’s the way it’s always been done” that impedes access to math content or inclusion into the math classroom culture? How could you modify it?
-What would your students say is their favorite part of learning math with you? What would they like to change? (If you don’t know, ask them!)
-Is there something new you have been wanting to try in your math teaching but haven’t yet? What is standing in your way? How could you start?
-If someone walked into your math class at any moment, what would you want them to notice? Is this vision you have a reality of your classroom? If not, how could it be?
-What is one new goal you have for your math teaching in the month of February? What are the benefits for you and students of implementing this practice? What are the risks if not done well?
The goal of purification is not to change everything about your teaching. Start with one question. The idea is to begin a filtering process that helps you see what you want to remove and find clarity in what remains.
Jennie Diaz
Augsburg University