Privilege, Power and Difference

As a class we’ve begun an anti-bias unit based primarily on Allan Johnson’s book Privilege, Power and Difference in which we take a closer look at classism as it plays out both in our individual lives as well as in our society. We began by watching segments of People Like Us: Social Class in America, a thought-provoking documentary, which spawned some impressively deep and mature discussions. We’ve agreed upon a set of norms for sharing in what can become difficult conversations, which will inform our continued discussions of the various chapters of Johnson’s book. These norms, introduced to my by Dr. Caprice Hollins and used in various anti-bias workshops, include Stay Engaged, Speak Your Truth, Experience Discomfort, Expect and Accept Non-closure, and Listen for Understanding. Your 8th grader should be able to give you a fuller explanation of each "admonition" should you find yourself curious. In addition, we’re practicing “close reading” techniques, which will serve us well in high school and beyond. PPD, as we call this unit, will continue into the third term.

Do you remember F.O.I.L?

Factoring, F.O.I.L.ing, quadratics Oh My! We have launched into Chapter 8 with great energy! Moving from linear equations (straight lines) to quadratic equations (parabolas a.k.a. "curvy lines"), the girls have made the transition smoothly. We started out with some basic multiplying using the F.O.I.L.- First, Outside, Inside, Last method to multiply binomials (ex: (x + 2) (x + 5) = ?). We also began factoring simple quadratic equations. There was a huge sigh of relief when the diamond problems from 6th and 7th grade reappeared and FINALLY made sense (it applies directly to what they are doing when they factor quadratics). They are continuing to work on factoring as the quadratic equations become more complicated. The girls are doing a great job recognizing patterns and discovering different strategies that work best for each of their different ways of thinking. We are moving into graphing parabolas and looking at how all of this relates to gravity, motion, and anything curvy (well, parabolic shaped specifically). Yes for real world applications!