Rationale
Currently, I am in my seventh year of teaching secondary mathematics, specifically Algebra I and II, to inner city youth at Franklin Military Academy (FMA), the nation's first public military school founded in 1980. FMA is a 6 th -12 th grade choice-school located in Richmond, Virginia. Students apply to FMA in the 6 th grade and again in the 9 th grade. Middle school students are not guaranteed a slot in the high school, but, are strongly encouraged to apply. Through an extensive application process, we accept children all over the city with various socioeconomic backgrounds and family dynamics. So, our students are neither the cream of the crop nor your child in need of strong discipline. A high percentage of our students are economically disadvantaged and/or are in circumstances in which their caregivers are incapable of helping with homework, researching, preparing for tests, college or the work force. In addition, FMA just concluded our 2 nd year of school improvement with an emphasis on mathematics. We are awaiting the final results of testing this year; however, the preliminary results suggest we continue to struggle in mathematics.
After reflection on my teaching practices, I plan to employ inquiry based learning activities more vigorously to increase engagement, foster critical thinking and, therefore, increase retention of mathematical concepts and skills. I hope to achieve this through interdisciplinary planning under the theme of energy. Some activities in this unit are repeated in a chemistry or physical science class; so, do not feel like you are stealing the science teacher's thunder. Most science teachers will appreciate the math teacher giving students a foundation of scientific concepts and principles in context. Also, to increase achievement across grade levels, my colleagues and I are having meaningful discussions about vertical articulation, early intervention, and professional development opportunities that encourage collaboration amongst mathematics and science teachers.
President Obama intends for energy efficiency to play a major role in cutting carbon pollution while keeping our economy strong. 3 Energy conservation is not free. It requires investment of time and money. The Obama administration's energy platform is focused on energy efficiency investments as a tool to strengthen our economy and environment. 4 As a result, we need individuals who are trained with the necessary knowledge and skills for a career in residential and commercial energy efficiency related occupations. This unit will expose my students to this sector of our economy. This year, I want the industry of energy efficiency to be considered as a possible career pathway.
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