I.T. to Teacher

I had intended to be posting more often than this, but, as those who are teachers will understand, since school started I have been busier than I have ever been before. Things are going well. Here are some highlights, and our featured story.

I told all my students the first day that I am a first year teacher. The other new teacher in our department isn't going to tell her students that. I think the difference in our class levels (she teaches grade level, and I teach PreAP and AP) is reflected in the students maturity level (or what passes for that in high school). So far it has been a good thing for my students to know I'm new. My students can laugh with me when I make silly mistakes, or new teacher discoveries. They enjoyed it when I found I could use multiple colors on the overhead. Also, they know that I probably can't answer them if they ask what's going on next week. Right now I'm running about 12 hours ahead of my students. Hopefully that will increase soon.

Today I had my first lecture that fell apart. It's my AP Physics C class. Last week we talked about derivatives, and I found that all but four of my students had learned derivatives before. Great, that means they know integrals, too. I only need to plan a review on integrals to refresh memories and introduce them to the four who are just starting calculus. So we go over a problem for a while until we encounter the place where we need to use integrals. I begin my integral review. The students are very involved, scribbling notes and asking lots of questions. I'm pleased, until I realize there are too many questions. I'm getting questions from the students who were looking bored during the derivative review.

"Strange," I thought.

So I ask the class, "Who has had integration before."

....

"Anyone?"

....

Uh oh.

"Hmm," I say. "Ok, I was not expecting that."

I find out that they learned derivatives in the couple of weeks before school ended last year, and they'll be learning integration this year. I tell them that I had prepared a review of integrals, and was not prepared to teach integrals, but we'll see what we can do. There's about 45 minutes left in the period; plenty of time. I launch into integrals. Indefinite integrals go well. We're integrating, we're taking derivatives, things are going well. Then I try to transition into definite integrals. That didn't go so well. After fumbling through the beginning of definite integrals (remember, I haven't had calculus in 8 years and hadn't planned on doing definite integrals today) I start to confuse them, and in the process end up confusing myself.

Enough of this.

I stop things and tell them that we're going to approach integrals from a different perspective right now, and I'll have something better prepared for next time. I start showing them integration from a graphical perspective. That should be easier, right? That didn't work so well either.

RING!!!

Saved by the bell! "Get out of here! I'll figure something out for next time."

In the end, even though my lecture completely melted down I was pleased with how it went. I never felt totally lost, I never panicked, I never lost control of the class, and I never lost their attention.