A new unit

This week the students took a test over linear functions and equations. The students did not score so well on the test. Many of the students received F's. I think dealing with linear functions and equations is difficult for an eighth grader because it has many algebra concepts involved. Looking back I don't know what we could have done to improve those test scores. Many of the problems stem from students missing class and not getting all of the material necessary. Well, the students also started a new unit this past week. They will now be working on geometry. They all claim to like and understand geometry. We shall see. Many students struggle with geometry; however, it is a necessary concept for the students to understand. There are a multitude of geometry concepts to teach. I think there are a variety of tools available to help students learn geometry. One tool that I have found useful in my classes at Ball State is Geometer's Sketchpad. It helps the students to find out qualities about different geometric objects. One site that I found that seemed like a good one was http://www.mathsnet.net/geometry/index.html. It has different games and tutorials available. I also like the use of miras to teach reflection and symmetry. I think the students need this more active learning. I am excited to see where the teacher goes with geometry and what else i can learn from her.