Student learning is no accident!
Let’s think about where we are starting! If you missed the rubrics I posted yesterday, you may want to check them out. Level 1: Questions are rapid-fire,and convergent,with single correct answers. All discussion is between teacher and students; students are not invited to speak directly to one another. -> Level 2: The teacher frames some questions designed to promote student… Read More
Dear Fellow Teachers, Let’s roll up our sleeves, take some risks and be proud of the outcomes! It’s February and by now you have a good idea where you want to focus your attention. Maybe you’ve been observed by a colleague or administrator and you have some actual feedback to guide you (yes!!) or maybe you’ve known for months and… Read More
Dear Teachers, Thank you for attending today’s work session on using centers in the primary classroom! Here are the links and documents I promised you. I hope you find them helpful. My favorite website for literacy centers is the Florida Center for Reading Research. It is amazing because the skills are organized by grade level and common core standard. To… Read More
What would parents think if they knew? I find that the majority of first year teachers I support teach in multi-age, self-contained special education classrooms. Many of the challenges they face are unique to this setting and predictable to administrators and veteran teachers in the school. Many of these challenges are also driving potentially long term and high quality special… Read More
Good Morning & Happy Halloween! If you’re reading this, you have power somewhere… and that’s great news for you and your students. They are so lucky to have you today. I want to share a quick thought with you before your day goes into overdrive and you are lost in the responsibilities and assessments and deadlines of the noble profession… Read More
Lately, many of the teachers I support have been expressing a desire to take risks with new and different teaching strategies. One strategy many teachers are investigating is station teaching. Over the next two weeks I will attempt to respond to their needs as best I can through group work sessions, classroom observations and modeling. Here are some videos from… 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 ❤️
