This is my classroom at McIntosh Middle School where I teach 6th and 7th Grade General Math and Pre Algebra. I spend my days pushing, pulling, poking, prodding, encouraging, and questioning students in an effort to get them to think and try and stretch themselves. My goal for them is not only to learn the math procedures, but to gain confidence in their math abilities AND in their ability to go out on a limb. I want them to be willing to be wrong and to learn from that, to try something and if it doesn't work to be able to let go of it and try something else. One thing my students know is that I make a lot of mistakes and I'm willing to allow them to point those mistakes out (as long as they do it nicely!). I don't get mad or give up - I go back and fix it and we move on. That's exactly what I want them to learn to do.
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