Student learning is no accident!
This is one of my favorite strategies to teach my classes- and my life as a teacher has become so much easier since I implemented a few key steps. My teaching partner and I experienced our very first Turn and Talk as participants in a workshop by Bobb Darnell in 2008 and we’ve been using it with students and adults… Read More
Do you want your students to behave or do you want more than that? If you spend all day managing behaviors, you are EXHAUSTED by 3:00. I know!!! I’ve been there. It takes so much mental energy, so much executive functioning to anticipate every fire that might start- and to put out all of the ones that do. So, take… Read More
Using Sentence Stems and Explicit Instruction for Classroom Discussions Teaching discussion skills can be daunting! You know you want productive, positive discussions… but how do you get there? Here’s some of what works for me! Body Language & Politeness Matter Eye Contact: looking directly at the speaker lets them know they have your attention Inviting Posture: Facing your body toward… Read More
One of my biggest take aways from a New Teacher Center Mentor Academy last year was, “the ones who are doing the talking are doing the learning.” The focus of that academy was Coaching for Equity, and we spent time thinking about Conditions that Support Students with Exceptionalities. Early on in that academy, one of my amazing colleagues suggested that… Read More
Dear Teachers, This morning I reflected once again, on the important roles we all play in the lives of so many children. This past week was an emotional roller coaster for so many of us. Glued to the news, many of us saw images and scenes play out that seemed more like clips from a film (set anywhere but here)… Read More
How do you capture all of the learning that occurs during discussions, hands-on exploration and collaborative group work? When there is a written product… we know we can collect and correct (ugh)… but that’s not always my first choice. When I collect and correct too much, I lose the ability to catalog and analyze and make instructional decisions based on… Read More
“The ones who are doing the talking are doing the learning”
Talking About Fractions in Math Class • Write Solutions
There is no example stronger than that of talking about fractions in math class.I'm not wasting kids' time anymore, and I've prioritizing their conceptual learning over following procedures. They're doing the work themselves- and the room is a buzz of learning!Don’t ditch the concrete!
3 Keys to Teaching Fractions • Write Solutions
In the era of "new math," upper elementary teachers are tasked with teaching fractions. Here are three keys to teaching fractions in fourth grade, fifth grade or sixth grade.Conceptual understanding is more valuable that practicing a procedure EVERY SINGLE TIME. We’re starting the {practically} eternity long fraction study that IS fifth grade😂😂😂
I’ve been teaching fractions since it was a sixth grade thing- and I had to step back at least once a year then- to remind myself that some kids are just not developmentally ready for a certain concept. When they are, I will know. There’s no sense in teaching kids a bunch of procedures that mean nothing to them, just so that they arrive at an accurate answer.
Today, I had an aha moment when hardly anyone in one class could talk to me about WHY we need common denominators when we add or subtract fractions.
We need to back up. We need manipulatives in hand. We need to PROVE that 1/2, 2/4 and 3/6 are equivalent. You need to be SURE the value isn’t changing, just the name- and the size of the parts of the whole.
We grabbed fraction strips today for the first time this year. They made a difference. Stay tuned. I’ll post some videos and practice problems that help us prove that it makes sense to call 2/3 a name like 6/9- and we’ll do it with the strips.
They’ll get it. Not all of the same day- and DEFINITELY not in the same way. But they’ll get it and they’ll be able to TALK about it.
What are you doing to build fraction sense? We played Fraction Top It (War) in small group today... and I saw some lightbulbs get bright!! 💡💡💡
We’re establishing “15 minutes of alone time in our rooms” every day after school to unplug and decompress. Read a book, Stare at the wall, close your eyes. I’m hoping it resets everyone ❤️
