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How to teach Algebra 1

to Underprepared

StudentsJeanette Stein

Algebra1teachers.com

Are your students…

� Behind?

� Recently moved into your district?

� Special Education identified?

� Missing prerequisite skills

� EL, ELL, ESL?

� Years behind?

During this training you will learn to create a classroom where everyone grows everyday!

• Create a safe environment for growth

• Understand Cognitive Load

• Create Lessons where everyone can grow!

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About me… About the training…

� I talk fast ☺

� I love coffee!

� Chat box

� Delay

� Resolution

Today we will learn

� How to emotionally prepare your students for success.

� How the effects of Cognitive Load affect you and your students.

� How to reduce Cognitive Load to allow ALL students to succeed.

In about an hour…

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The Bonus…

� Activity Pack and Slide Deck

� Certificate of Attendance

“Most people quit because they

look how far they have to go,

not how far they have come.”

We all want motivated and engaged

learners in our classroom.

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How do you Emotionally Prepare Your

Students for Success?

Smile

Positive

Attitude

Celebrate

Accomplishments

Build

Relationships

Mistakes

are

okay!

Small

Wins

Reality…

� Students come from a variety of backgrounds

� Teenage drama is real to students

� Parents, jobs, grades, etc….

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When we create a

positive, nurturing, and

safe environment, we

increase the amount of

learning that happens in

our classroom each and

every day.

Broaden and Build

Fredrickson refers to this as the “broaden and build” theory because positive emotions broaden your sense of possibilities and open your mind, which in turn allows you to build new skills and resources that can provide value in other areas of your life.

…, negative emotions do the opposite. Why? Because building skills for future use is irrelevant when there is immediate threat or danger (like the tiger on the path).

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-clear/positive-thinking_b_3512202.html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3156028/

Weekly Assessments

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Remember…

When we create a positive,

nurturing, and safe

environment, we increase

the amount of learning that

happens in our classroom

each and every day.

Reflection...

�What is one thing you are going

to do to create a positive

environment?

Be Aware of Cognitive Load

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We all want students to understand and

retain the information.

Who carries the heaviest cognitive load

in your class?

Good educational design

can reduce cognitive load

without watering down

the content.

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“I gave up and checked out.”

“OK, I’m getting this.” Then slowly the

chalkboard became cluttered as he

added another problem somewhere

else on the board. Then another. Then

another, never erasing old problems to

clear up space.

“I felt frustrated, defeated.

I retained almost nothing.

I gave up and checked out.” https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2014/08/avoid-

overwhelming-users-lessons-from-high-school/

Cognitive Load

� This is the stress, anxiety and affected learning that

happens to a student when content is presented in an

overwhelming and excessive way.

https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2014/08/avoid-overwhelming-users-lessons-from-high-school/

Cognitive Load Theory

http://www.slideshare.net/Trustamper/mindful-mappingpresentation-120313slideshare

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Use Lesson Plans that connect the content to

previous learning and student curiosity.

Remember…

Good educational design can

reduce cognitive load

without watering down the

content.

Reflection...

�What is one thing you are going

to do to help your students

connect to the content?

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Activities/

Problem

Solving

Appropriate

Bellringers

Share/

Pair

Thinking

Time

Emotional

Wins

One more tool: How to reduce cognitive

load and increase learning.

Stop the overwhelm

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Teach the Algebra Standards First

When we layer our lessons we give

students a chance to meet the

Algebra standards.

How we learn…

�Essentially, the more adept you become at a

skill, the less work your brain has to do. Over

time, a skill becomes automatic and you don't

need to think about what you're doing. This is

because your brain is actually strengthening

itself over time as you learn that skill.

� http://lifehacker.com/the-science-behind-how-we-learn-new-skills-908488422

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Step by Step…

� A success story…

Remember…

When we layer our lessons

we give students a chance

to meet the standards.

Reflection...

�What is one skill you are going

to layer in a lesson during the

upcoming week?

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Review

� How to emotionally prepare your students for success.

� How the effects of Cognitive Load affect you and your students.

� How to reduce Cognitive Load to allow ALL students to succeed.

Free Slide and Activity Pack!

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• Daily Lesson Plans with Bellringer, Activity,

Presentation, Practice, and Exit Slip

• Assessments for every week as well as every unit

• Organizational Tools – CCSS, Mathematical Practices

• Training – Over 15 hours of training

• Community

Welcome new members!

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Questions?