The addition of Mrs. Small has really shifted a lot of things in Mr. Nyquist’s old class. Mrs. Small joining in the middle of the year changed a lot, but the new teaching style adds a lot more into the classroom.

For starters, Mrs. Small has decided to start using Delta Math for quizzes, tests, and practice work in blended classes. Mrs. Small also chose to rewrite the curriculum and teach a different set of math skills altogether. While these are big changes, they can be beneficial to students’ learning as they can now access practice work without needing to physically grab the papers from the classroom.

Mrs. Cann, another math teacher at SHS, thinks the switch, which happened in the middle of the year, might be confusing for students. Despite the unusual circumstances, she believes that students should try to be open minded and accept the change. This will help to make it easier for everyone involved, including Mrs. Small herself. “That’s such a big change, so I definitely think it’s a challenge for them; going from one teacher’s way of doing things to another,” said Mrs. Cann. With such a big change, things will be different, but change is not always a bad thing.

There are some more changes that are known only by Mrs. Small’s students. Those changes are specific to her different classes. Blended and directed study classes are very different from each other. Blended study is where students choose their own pace, while direct is more of a regular class.

In blended classes, a lot has changed. Mrs. Small has started to teach at a different pace. This is achieved by her posting notes when directed study classes are at that point. This change is something blended students will need to adjust to, but it can be helpful for those who need a bit more structure in their learning.

The directed study classes are also facing changes to their classroom. One being not playing as many math games as they used to. “I think the biggest change would be us not playing as many games on Friday,” said Grace Biorn. While they may not be able to play quite as many games anymore, Mrs. Small may have some fun up her sleeves that will shine in the future.

Through these changes, students will grow with them. Mrs. Small will help students in many ways and SHS is grateful for her.