Where does a traveling school girl take a test? It might be in a hammock under an avocado tree (watch out for the falling fruits), at a fabric-topped table in a dining room, or even in bed. As I type, the Algebra 2 girls are in the middle of their first chapter test - and I'm not sure exactly where they're working on the tests. Given that we are in the midst of our Spanish immersion classes, we aren't holding an in-class test. Instead, I gave the exam to the girls yesterday after dinner, and it is due tomorrow at breakfast - a full 36 hours to work on the test. Armed with only their brains and calculators (it's an honor-system-enforced, closed-book test), Lucy, Katie, Emily, Tate, and Izzi are tackling polynomials in all their various forms. Many of the girls were nervous for this first test, but having seen them all working hard in class, I feel confident that they will excel. It is a relief to the girls to be able to take as much time as they need, because I want them to work slowly and conscientiously. The goal is for them to prove their knowledge and mastery, not their speed. From polynomials, we move on into exponential and logarithmic functions - maybe the girls will even be able to model whether their new Ecuadorian purchases increase or decrease in value over time!
From under an avocado tree,
Allegra
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