Do you remember your high school geometry class? I teach several sections of high school geometry every year and love it! My students, however, do not always share my enthusiasm. My students range from sophomores to seniors and come from a wide variety of backgrounds. A large portion of our population is military families; so students are often moving in and out of the district. My high school is the only high school in our district that is equipped for handicapped students; so we have a larger percentage of special needs students.
The main obstacle I face in teaching geometry is the subject itself. My teaching efforts have to compete with hormones, football games, work, and many more events that seem to take precedence over school work. My school follows a block schedule where each class is ninety minutes. Because of the long class periods, it is essential to include a variety of teaching methods in my lessons. Geometry is a very visual topic, and I have found that being able to place a figure or manipulative in the hands of students enables them to connect the material being taught to a tangible object.
I borrowed the phrase "Math is not a spectator sport" from a fellow teacher. I tell this to my classes to emphasize the importance of being an active learner. Each of the items I am requesting will put geometry directly in the hands of students. The patty paper will allow the students to develop many theorems about circles, quadrilaterals and other geometric shapes instead of just hearing about them or reading the theorem from the book. The "Getting Into Solids" set again puts the three dimensional prisms, cylinders, and other shapes into the hands of students. Different colored strings and markings highlight the slant height, height, and bases of each figure. These items are sometimes hard to differentiate on a drawing. I use a similar set already for cones and pyramids and have seen a direct impact on the level of understanding by my students. Constructing shapes is an essential part of any geometry class, and the compass set will ensure that each student has the same tool. These, combined with the board compass, will allow students to create and measure through the course.
Your help will make it possible for students to create connections between theory and real life. Each of the items I am requesting will put geometry directly in the hands of students.It is often a misconception that high school students are too "grown up" for manipulatives like the ones I am asking for, but I know from 12 years of teaching the impact possible. Your contribution will make geometry a tangible subject that can even be enjoyable.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Leland and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.