As a teacher, I am constantly looking for ways to refine and make my practice better so the children I teach can learn to the best of their ability. In fact, I think in all aspects of my life I try to not make the same mistake twice (except for losing keys and not having a spare). I strive to make everything I do a little more efficient as time goes on.
So this year, my fellow teachers and myself are doing something different from our school’s standpoint. Because all students have different learning styles and levels, we are splitting our fifth graders into three separate math classes to better fit their needs as students. We have been having trouble with each passing year differentiating for each student based on the following questions: What do I do if my student already know the material? What if they don’t understand the material? Because of this, each teacher is going to take a group of students for the entire year to be their math teacher.
Since this is a new teaching practice for our students, on Friday we gathered them all together to explain to them that everyone “needs” something different when it comes to learning, and we as teachers are there to provide them assistance and push them forward as learners. During our fifth grade pow-wow, a student raised her hand to help clarify something for her own understanding.
“So, we’re going to be in the math class that is easy for us?”
Which got the three of us thinking. Luckily, one of the women I teach with is excellent at spur of the moment questions like this, while I have to think it over and ponder for a while before I could formulate an eloquent response. She responded with the answer of “no” — because if this math class was “easy for them, they would be in the wrong math class.”
As a teacher, I would never want my students to think their work is “easy”. In fact, I work hard to change materials so the work is never easy for them. If easy was the answer, no one would be challenged and no one would have to reach to learn something new.
When I was running the other day, this concept popped into my mind. For the past few months, I have been doing what is “easy” for me. I have been hovering along the 3-5 mile mark because well, I didn’t really feel like challenging myself. There’s a time to challenge myself with fitness, and then there’s also a time to take it easy like I was. I, however, start to get bored when I am not challenged or something because too easy for me.
Because I want am going to be running a half marathon in January, I decided last week I wanted to start challenging myself again — starting with a seven mile run last weekend.
It was absolutely hard. Running five miles and running seven miles physically and mentally are different for me. When I start to get above the six mile range, that is a “long” run for me — and it was long. I took walking breaks. I stopped to stretch. I didn’t even care what my time was. I just wanted to finish it — and I did.
Was it challenging? Absolutely. Did I finish it? You betcha.
So this past weekend, I set out to run another seven miles. And you know what? I took less walking breaks. I stopped less to stretch. I still didn’t care what my time was. And last but not least, I finished it strong.
Doing something new or after a long hiatus can be scary, and it most definitely is not easy by any means. But once we start to accept having things being easy, we start to get complacent with life. Me? I want to constantly be challenged — both physically and mentally — in life. If everything is easy, then that means I am just skating by, and that is something I won’t be okay with.
This, of course, can be applied to anything in life. Is your schoolwork hard? Guess what — you’ll get through it and you’ll be stronger in the end. Maybe your job is too easy — find a way to challenge yourself. Are your workouts getting boring? Change it up and make yourself work for your goals.
My parents were firm believers in letting me know that life is by no means supposed to be easy or fair. It’s what you do with what you are given that really makes your character shine.
All I know is you won’t find me on Easy Street, and I hope you aren’t either.
Question: Have you ever been faced with a situation that you deemed too “easy” or too “hard”? What was the result of that situation?
{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }
Work right now seems ‘too hard’ -switching grades AGAIN!!! It got me down today but you did get me thinking, I don’t want it to be ‘too easy’. Do I? … Thanks for making me look at today a little differently. It was a hard day, but it will only make me stronger.
Neat-o!
Hope the new math class thing works out great for your students!
First - I totally feel you on differentiating and trying to make sure nothing is “easy” for your kids. It becomes so difficult when you have one student who still uses their fingers to add and subtract - and another who can multiply… It sounds like you and your collegues are really working hard to fix this!
I just came to an “easy street” realization with my weight training. I’ve been trying to keep it up with my half marathon training -and thought I was doing well. Then I took a weight class.. and found myself not completing full sets. I then realize I had been taking shortcuts in my personal lifting. I stuck it out for the class - and am now making change in my own routine.. today I am sore and it feels great!
Oh workouts that are out of the norm for me always kick me right down on my butt!
Right now I’m thinking that running 5 miles will be too hard. Even though I’ve completed a half-marathon and a 10k, and used to run 5 miles daily, I haven’t run that far in awhile. I just finished running 3 miles tonight, so maybe this weekend I’ll challenge myself to run 5!
I hope your administration sees how well your students do this year with the different math classes!! I’m sure it will be more successful for everyone involved
When I was in 5th grade (5 years ago), that was how my teachers did it and it worked really well! Good luck with that! Just make sure there is no “I’m better than you” attitude from some of them. That’s the bad part I remember. And such an inspirational post overall!
As far as the differentiation goes: it’s tough. Are you splitting them by learning style or by level? I like that you’re team is splitting them up by level for math, but letting them be in heterogeneous groups for other subjects. It’s a slippery slope though-last year my school did WAY too much switching. We had 3rd/4th/5th grade aged kids (I’m at an ungraded SPED school) transitioning for every class! It got a little ridiculous. Especially now that I’ve seen how much effort goes into planning how they make they’re classes.
As far as too easy/too hard: I have the worst core strength-I’m trying to work on it, but I get way too easily discouraged. I’ve been trying to work on not giving up when I go to classes to focus on core muscle strength (or, more importantly not making excuses not to go)!
I find that when things are too easy for me, I get really bored and unhappy with life. On the other hand, I don’t like things being so challenging that I feel like a failure. It’s so hard to find that center, where things are the “just right challenge”. I learn about this concept a lot in grad school for OT because when I’m practicing we will have to always be challenging our patients to get better, but if something is too easy or too hard then their recovery/rehabilitation won’t work well.
oh well said Chels. Easy is no way to success. We must face those challenges and learn. It makes us better, stronger, faster, smarter. Youre a great teacher who know how to apply this technique to yourself and to others!
What a great post! Very inspiring! I definitely need to re-evaluate every part of my life every once in a while and make sure I’m not just riding along without challenging myself! We can always do better, in all aspects of life!
That is awesome! They should do this at all schools!
Students in my school are grouped for math, from grades 2-5. They are split up by their level- low, medium, and high. I think it works out pretty well and every year each student is re-evaluated. If a teacher thinks they need to be sent back or move on to a higher level, they meet with the parents and discuss options. It’s great and something I’ve never seen in other schools I’ve worked in.
I totally know what you’re saying about “taking it easy.” I think we all do that too often. Especially when it comes to working out! I know I have to get better at challenging myself in that aspect. Great post Chelsey, you’ve made my brain turn tonight.
Going to back to school right now seems too easy and too hard…if that makes any sense. I know I can do the program I am in, but I feel I could challenge myself more….Great post
I graduated h.s. when I was 16 and graduated college when I was 20. I wasnt even legal! lol
And I would have liked to have gotten out of h.s. about age 14 but my parents wouldn’t let me. They said I was too young but I was ready to blow that popsicle stand
So yes, I spent time feeling like school was easy. Which was good and bad. I could go on and on.
All I can say is that I dont envy your job. At all. And I have no idea what I am going to do with Skylar. She’s 4 and has a vocabulary to rival me! Educating children…what a question….
First of all, I think it’s so awesome what you are doing with your math classes! I hated always being held back on “easy stuff” because other kids didn’t get it. (I was a nerd…)
Secondly, I have NOT felt like running since my half marathon. Hopefully thinking like this will get me back into it soon!
I think that is a fantastic teaching strategy and I like how you are applying it to real life.
If I remember correctly, I think my elementary school had us split into different classes for math as well. I think it was helpful though I can’t remember!
I think I often think of short races not being worth the cost or bother to enter. Partially because they’re too easy but probably also because I don’t enjoy the rush of sprint type races.
Amazing post, I LOVE this! I completely agree. Many people get stuck into something they have been doing that’s easy only because it is comfortable to them (me included). I definitely have been faced with something that is challenging and though it may be hard to get through while you are doing it, I always feel that much better once it’s over with.
I was on the same Easy Street as you over the past 4-5 months with my running. 3-5 miles became the norm and was “easy” enough for me to do. I finally kicked myself out of the easy rut by signing up for a 10k race over labor day. I ran 7 miles today for the first time in 8 months. It sure as heck felt good! It’s funny b/c even though the shorter runs were easier, I feel so much better knowing I’m pushing myself a bit now.
Easy street is such a tempting road to take, but it doesn’t lead to anywhere good. I sometimes fall into routines, especially with workouts, where something that used to be challenging no longer is, and I kind of use it as an excuse to stop pushing myself. This has been happening a lot with my weight training lately, which is why I started really pushing myself to use heavier weights again. I like it because it actually makes me feel more accomplished and like I’m finally making some progress again.
That’s really great the way that all of the teachers work together! I hope everything goes really well for you all this year!
I am the same way with my runs! I love 3-5 miles because I do them, I finish, and I feel good! It’s a lot easier than pushing through those couple extra miles…you know, the ones that make you feel like your legs are lead!? Haha! I definitely think I need to start pushing myself to do longer ones again!
I think that’s a great system your school is putting together! I was never great at math, so I totally appreciate the fact that your reaching out to help those that aren’t as good as math and those that excell!
We differentiated our math and reading classes like that at my school and I absolutely LOVED it. I can’t imagine doing it any other way after 3 years like that. It would have helped me tremendously when I was in school, too. You’re making me nostalgic for teaching!!!!
I love the work you and your fellow teachers are doing for the math group. Math is a subject so difficult to teach and reteach to varying groups. It will be such a blessing to your students to take math at a speed that suits them instead of rushing and hating it.
I was on easy street when making healthy decisions but not tracking how much I was eating. Overdoing healthy eating was getting to me. I’m working on making notes of what I eat and paying attention to how each food makes me feel instead of just “it’s healthy.”
The minute I stop feeling challenged, I know it’s time to step up my game….otherwise I’m just living in a fool’s paradise! I was also a run rut, with 4.5 miles being my longest in a while! Last week, I said the same thing to myself: it doesn’t matter how long it takes/how many walk breaks I take, I just have to hit at least the 5-mile mark! I ended up doing 5.5 miles and boy did I relish that sense of achievement!
Easy street is such a tempting offer, but I find that it never leads to my ultimate final destination. I don’t know maybe I just like to be challenged.
I firmly believe that the easy road is no way to go. How BORING anyways. Love what you’re doing for those kids. It is so important to have a learning environment suited to different levels/styles. So awesome.
PS - I had Chelsey withdrawals at HLS. Not even joking. It felt like you should have been there!!
Seriously, you sound like an AMAZING teacher!! I wish you’d been my fifth grade teacher!
And YAAY for challenging your runs!! I”ve found that I’ve fallen into the ‘easy’ run habit in the past, but pushing yourself now and again is much more fun anyway!
Great job on running 7 miles! Pushing ourselves farther than we’re used to can be scary, but it always feels so great to accomplish it!
I feel like I’ve been taking it pretty easy with my exercise routine lately. I’ve just been switching it up between running (~3 miles) and the elliptical… and I’ve got to say I’m getting bored. I think I need to step it up a notch and also switch things up!
The most rewarding things are the hardest! Sometimes it is sooo hard to get out of bed and put on my running shoes, but afterwards I feel so good mentally and physically.
I am training for a half marathon, too! It’s in Dec, and it’s my first one! The heat of south Louisiana is slowing me down BIG TIME right now, so 13 miles sounds impossible. But I am just taking it one mile at a time!
Love this post! I’m so glad there are teachers like you out there helping kids understand that they can achieve what they put there minds to…even if its tough at first!
This post really inspired me to get my act together and make the most of each day! Love it!
We did that in 5th grade - 3 teachers w three levels! We also integrated two classes and switched teachers for social studies and science. I think it was extremely beneficial, especially to prepare for middle school. Granted this was God knows how many years ago haha, but I remember liking it.
In 8th grade I decided my regular math class was too easy for me, and halfway through the year I wanted to move up. My teacher thought I was crazy as first, but supported me and helped me go into high school on the honors track. I ended up doing really well in calculus and even minored in math in college. When I think about how much my choice to change math classes had, it makes me smile. I was always a student who wanted to be challenged; doing something that came too easily didn’t feell good.
I think its awesome that you’re thinking so much about how to best teach your kids - its clear you are an amazing and dedicated teacher!
I’m a teacher too Chelsey! High school English.
My kids would LOVE to be on Easy Street if I let them. They’re always talking about how ‘the other classes’ get to watch movies and I’m making them actually READ and WRITE! The horror, right?
Sounds like a great (and hopefully successful!) idea!