MEAP Testing...

...has taken over our class.

It's really too bad.  We have spent so much time preparing for the MEAP, whose math component starts tomorrow, that we covered almost no new content in either sixth or seventh grade.  It's really quite disheartening.  On top of that, I started reading the Teaching Gap in class, and the issues that are addressed in the text are picturesque of my classroom.  We are consistently drilling-and-killing, focusing more on procedures and memorization than any notion of mathematical thinking.  Nowhere are students asked to partake in any active, problem-solving tasks... they just sit there; mostly not listening.

I really need to do something to get them excited about doing mathematics and solving problems, but... what is that something?  I have students who outright just occupy space in class, offering nothing in return.  I can think of one student in particular... she is clueless; lost; spaced-out.  She doesn't want anything to do with math, and refuses to let me help her.  One can only lead a horse to water, right?  We had a conversation today that went like this:

Me: Okay, is there a number that divides into both 5 and 15?
Her: Seven.
Me: Why do you think seven?
Her: I dunno.
Me: Okay, so tell me how 7 divides into 5...
Her: I dunno.
Me: Does it divide into 5?  Can you divide 5, 7 ways?
Her: No.
Me: Okay, then can 7 divide into both 5 and 15?
Her: I dunno.
Me:...

Meanwhile, she would lose interest and look away, spacing out.  I had to refocus her back to me every so often, but she just didn't want anything to do with the help.  When we are going over problems, she is never tuned in, always looking somewhere else.  It's to the point where I don't want to help her anymore, as she clearly doesn't want the help.

Hm...

---

On a lighter note, I had my first College of Ed observation today.  I think things went pretty well.  I didn't ever feel nervous, and thought that my interacting with the students was appropriate and meaningful.  Let's see if the review comes back with the same sentiments.

Compher, out.