A number of kids this cycle came to my desk begging\u00a0to have a teaching assistantship to fill their schedules. \u00a0Since I have boundary issues, I now have to plan for these kids on top and their learning as they watch the rest of the class learn. \u00a0These teaching assistants are not student teachers from a local college. They are high school students, who are not necessarily stronger\u00a0than any of their peers. \u00a0One student said\u00a0they have a really bad history with math and another had not passed a class in over two years. \u00a0With these student assistants I could have pursued very talented math students, but they usually don’t have any trouble filling their schedules, nor would they have as much to gain from the experience.<\/p>\n
Why have assistants at all? \u00a0Isn’t just more to manage?<\/p>\n
Having assistants is certainly a job, and it is not worth doing if you do not have goals for them. \u00a0My goals for them is to have them view math from my perspective. \u00a0They will help students in class, grade the assignments that I grade, and talk with me about misconceptions students might have before giving feedback. \u00a0At the end of this I hope the students take a different view of mathematics. \u00a0Perhaps they could go on to take a serious interest in math in college, but I would be happy if they just approach the subject differently. \u00a0At the least, I hope the students would view math as something they can\u00a0work to\u00a0improve, and mathematical\u00a0“bad”-ness isn’t a terminal illnees, but can be treated through correcting their misconceptions and developing a productive disposition.<\/p>\n
For the rest of this cycle I am excited about getting them to finish the rest of the work for the class. \u00a0I want them to have a working version of the project that the rest of the class. \u00a0In addition, they could learn a lot from having to think of ways to scaffold the project, or re-word the current project. \u00a0Lastly, I will ask them to write about their approach to math, and if it is different than it was when we started. Their reflection will be informed by Approximately Normal’s<\/a> posts on student teachers, but I’m open to suggestions…<\/p>\n