One of the features of my Maths Methods classes over the last few years has been the scoreboard, for a game that no-one is entirely sure of the rules for. Well, there are some rules:
- If I make a mistake on the board and they spot it before I correct it myself, the class gets a point.
- If they claim I made a mistake when I didn’t, I get a point.
- I’m the only one who’s allowed to update the scoreboard (otherwise I get a point).
- Last year they were allowed to claim one ‘cake-point’ per week (that’s exactly what it sounds like: they get a point if they bring a cake to class). Honestly, I don’t mind it when they score this way 🙂
Plus there’s a whole heap of silly rules that tend to get made up on the spot, by both them and myself.
It’s a silly little thing we do which keeps them paying attention and keeps me on my toes. I’d like to say I planned it that way, but the game sort of just developed by itself. At the end of each year the outgoing class seems to tell the next year’s class about the game, so they claim points from me before I’ve even mentioned it.
The first year we did it, I won comprehensively. It was a tie last year (though I may have bent the rules a fair bit to catch up). This year, I think I’m in trouble.
As Unit 3 ended on Friday and Unit 4 starts this week. So it’s half time at the moment. The scoring’s been pretty slow this year – they’re fairly conservative with their challenges and aren’t willing to give up anything easily. Unfortunately for me, that strategy seems to be working:
Oh well. Everyone loves a good comeback.