This is the link to our collection of work: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/algebra-boot/id1329807222?ls=1&mt=13​

I have recently started using Classcraft in the classroom. 

Why gamify the classroom was the first question in my own thoughts when I considered this big step. I didn't know how to be a game master and now I was considering stepping outside of my own comfort zone to try to engage my students. I didn't even play games in my personal life so here I was trying to teach to today's youth in a way that they can learn. I know that the present time was not when I was in the classroom. Things have changed greatly since I sat in a high school desk. Well if I want my students to be ready for jobs of the future then I could not teach them the way I learned. That is the past and we are heading into the future. 

The first class I introduced the game to is the class that I can try things out on. These are my guinea pigs. When I have a new idea of how to teach a concept, these are the students that I try it out on. Some things are good, but sometimes the feedback is, 'toss that lesson'. 

The first week I brought Classcraft to the classroom, I had students that were excited about the game and were coming to class saying that they were excited. I started writing my first quest and added that to Classcraft. I had one student in particular that was so involved in the quest that I was amazed at the amount of work he did as well as the quality of his work. 

We are still in our first days of implementing Classcraft, but come back and I will keep you posted as to our progress. I think we are off to a good start. 

The first day of school is right around the corner and I am getting all anxious to meet my new students. I am hoping to start the year off with my students. I am teaching only Integrated Math 1 this year for six periods.

Some of my plans this year:
I am looking forward to implementing more writing for my students. I am always hearing from them that this is Math and not English so they think that they can get out of writing. Well not gonna happen.
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Another thing I want to do is not use pencils in class. I did this last year and it was good. Mistakes are excellent learning opportunities and if we are using pencils that can be erased, then we are missing out on a valuable learning tool (at no additional cost, and what teacher doesn't like free).

I need to sit down and think of some of the other things I need to do for this year. Any suggestions?

​We have seen a number of districts roll out one-size-fits-all solutions. It sounds a little like the Oprah show: “You’re getting an iPad, you’re getting an iPad!”  But is that the best decision? What are the key factors to consider?
One of the primary considerations is the Smarter Balanced assessments. There are requirements that whatever technology is purchased meets a set of minimum specifications, e.g. 10 inch screen, 1024 x 768 resolution, keyboard, as well as certain operating systems (click here for complete information).
Besides the new assessments, there are other considerations.  Cost, of course, is a big one. How much money do you have to make the purchase? What about sustainability? What is the life of the device? Which devices are easiest to manage? All of these are important, but they neglect one of the biggest factors that often gets overlooked: the classroom.
The decision-making process must include how the device will be used in the classroom. The mobility of tablets is great for science classrooms and allows students to do science.  What about a class where the primary use will be word processing? Then an iPad or Android tablet may not be the best solution. What about Chromebooks? They work great with Google Drive and web based applications and you can’t beat the price. You can get two Chromebooks for the price of one iPad, and you don’t have to purchase an additional keyboard. But if you need to install software, then you’ll need a different device. Netbooks are another possible solution, but they tend to have slower processors and have a difficult time running large operating systems such as Windows.
The reality is there is no single device solution that will cover all your needs. While a single device type may be easier to manage, you should consider a variety of devices. Talk to teachers who are already using devices in the classroom. Find out what devices they prefer. Pilot a variety of devices with teachers of various skill levels. Survey students to find out what they prefer to use. Weigh the pros and cons of the various devices and how they will be used. There is no perfect solution, and no way to make a good snap decision. Whichever devices you choose will require careful consideration and planning.

Our Class is something different because we approach math differently rather than the traditional way I have always had. This way is much better because we understand a lot better. This type of class environment is most effective because we are free to express our own individual opinion on the subject rather than just telling the teacher what she wants to hear. We do not just memorize our answers and then put it down on a test. Our curriculum is different because we take our time and work at our own pace and we are free to tell the teacher that we need more help on something or if we can show that we know it, we can move on and not have to spend time with all the boring stuff. Sometimes it is very chaotic in class, but that is because we are all given individual assignments based on what we need and what we are interested in. One thing that I have learned in this class is that math is more than just memorizing facts, but it is how numbers relate to each other. If I understand that relationship, then I don't need to remember the formulas because that formula is just a representation for the relationship. If I know the relationship, then I can figure out the answers and this will help me in my other classes and when I graduate.

​JM

I would like to show people the beauty of math. It is really wonderful. It is fun and useful. We have been taught from a very early age that math is useless, hard and miserable. People need to see otherwise. Teachers need to start teaching it to where students will like math.
CH

Math is so important in life. It can help you with the future.
JG

Most teachers talk way too much. That's why we are falling asleep half the time. We need more time to work. 
MP

I get so mad when other students disrupt the class.  It is like they don't want to learn and it distracts those of us that want to learn. 
VS

Math is not always easy. It is not just 1 + 2 = 3. It is much more than that. Linear equations, fractions, slopes, and so on are all math related and require using math to solve. Math is a requirement to every day life from counting change to building homes. Math is necessary. As I have said, it is not always easy, but if you take the time to understand, then you will not regret it.
​JB

No one is born a math person, you have to put in effort and work to reach new levels. Only you can decide at what level you want to learn at. If you want to learn at a high learning level you have to put in lots of work, but in the end it pays off. A higher education provides better outcomes for your future, it opens new doors for you.
​CZ


I learned that everyone can learn math in any way that they feel comfortable learning. The more mistakes someone makes, the bigger their brain gets; and the fewer mistakes they make, their brain will grow only a little bit. Some of the smartest people in math are very slow in computing, but they are good at it. Noone is born knowing math like a pro. They first learn it their own way and continue learning it, however they like.

​People who think positively make their brain grow and get smarter and those who think negatively will stay the same from where they started .
NS

New research has shown there is no such thing was a math person as anyone is equally capable of learning math. They compare the brain to a muscle, the more you exercise it, the bigger it gets. A good example of this is that a 9 year old girl has half of her brain removed, the part that controlled physical movement, but within months of the surgery, she was running around again. The missing part of her brain had regrown while the other part underwent functional compensation.
Another important point is to believe in yourself. In most situations, you may be the only thing holding you back. Carol Dweck has shown that a person's mindset, whether they think they can learn anything, or that some people are smart while others are not. They may think because they are not fast thinkers, they won't be good at it, but contrary to that belief, many of history's best mathematicians were slow thinkers, like Laurent Schwartz.
It truly doesn't matter whether you think fast or slow, anyone is capable of learning math, and nothing can hold you back.
DA

I think that it is true that everyone can learn math to the best of their ability because although not everyone has the best or smartest brain, it’s the people who keep going and don’t worry about their mistakes and learn from them. Everyone is smart. It is the how hard you push yourself and keep going to reach your goal. The only thing that is stoping you is . . .yourself.  When you see other people doing trying to bring you down, you gotta push yourself.
AM

The experience in this math class was wonderful. In the beginning of the year it was hard to understand the math problems and also to even pay attention while some people were talking. But throughout the year, it would get easy. Math wouldn't be so hard.  Ms.Alison would make math easy for me. I though math was actually hard, but she made me understand that math isn't as difficult as I thought. Math became something I like to learn from now on. She made it simple and found ways to teach us that was in a fun and simple way for us to learn and understand math. Now my other experience from this class room is that the students have changed in a way at least a bit. The way we all changed is we at least tried our best to try and learn something from this math class. We all did our best to understand and in a way we did to get ahead we did learn something. We did grow as a family. Ms.Alison did help us all to become that. There are so many things that we have learned from her. There are so many things we did learn about math and grew stronger from this class which is why I loved this more and more everyday. My thoughts on math have changed so much this year.