Mathematical Practices--What??

I know there are some. I've read them several times. They are in my math teacher manual. I have them in a flip chart. But do I really understand what they mean?

Nope, not really. Not until yesterday.

Chris Shore from The Math Projects Journal came to my state and gave the keynote at a math conference I went to. Here are some highlights of his talk...

1. Teachers have to have a Growth Mindset. I must believe that kids can do it and that I can get them there. Is this a moment when I keep saying it until I believe it? I've believed that kids can do it, but I have a tough time thinking that I can get them there. Better work on that.

Here's my new mantra: Kids are that SMART and I am that GOOD. (He made us say it out loud several times.)

2. Million dollar teachers do these three things:

--have a no-options engagement policy in class (yay, I do this)

--do boot camp numeracy (what prerequisite skills must I teach today-or review-so that today's lesson can be fully learned), fundamentals are KEY

--H.O.T.S (always a struggle, but now I have ideas), each day as I think about the content, also think about the math practice-post those along with the standards

This is where it got good. He broke down those mathematical practices so that I could finally understand what they meant. (Can't teach it if I don't understand it.) He did this in kid-friendly terms. And gave us anchor charts to reference and post. If you want to see the charts look HERE.

He ended the talk by reminding us (the teachers in the room) that we matter the most in student achievement. 

And at the top of the list are relationships. And a growth mindset. And flexible thinking. And knowledge of our content.

So glad that I live in a world (my district) that values continued learning opportunities and that I make the time to go to them.

Math

As a student, teacher, or user of math a person can either love it or tolerate it.

I loved it when I was in school, because I was good at memorizing algorithms and spitting that back out on a test.

But then in college it got more real life and I had to solve problems and this thing called a Venn Diagram nearly gave me a panic attack. Thank goodness for a friend who taught me about those circles and what they meant, and how to figure interest (compounded, because that is apparently what interest can do).

As a teacher I tolerated math. Tried to figure out how to get kids to memorize those math facts and spit them out quickly again. Tried to teach how to solve kid sized problems (that might have seemed like interest to them). And tried. 

But it could be going better.

I've had the good fortune to attend some PD this year related to math.

Clearly I am part of a "shift" generation. We are teaching for understanding, not algorithms. But how? Why? With what?

It sort of seems that I need to go back. I need to understand how and why of the most basic concepts.

Today I sat in on four math PD sessions. The first two were all about number sense. Right up a primary teacher's alley.

My favorite quote of the day: "What teachers know impacts what they teach."

Here are a few more ideas that I want to remember from today:

1. 80% of math class is "getting to the answer." Even at first grade, I have to make this happen.

2. Ask how/why all the time. Get the kids used to defending their answer, so that they do not think the question means they are wrong.

3. A spiral curriculum means that it builds on what was previously taught. Not that the kids have another time to master. Must master first, then we will move deeper into the understanding.

4. As a homework or warm up activity, provide two problems. Have the kids work the first until I say move to the next. For each problem, solve in as many ways as possible. Probably after I have taught several. LOVE THIS SO MUCH and it will sooooooo work in first grade.

This year my good friend has taught me a phrase. She says it all the time, especially when I get down on myself for not doing something "right."

"When I knew better, I did better." (The credit for this saying is from a local administrator, next time I see her I will tell her thank you.)

So, for the last of this year I will do better and I am pumped to do better next year!

Coming up: more math PD tomorrow, and a good, long look at the 8 mathematical practices during the summer. 

Looks like I'm gonna need a new notebook.

Interactive Math Journal

Today they loved math journal time.

Last Friday (after school) Mrs. Jones and I revamped and ramped up our math time.

We love teaching and enjoy improving what we do. And when we find a great blogpost or TpT product we get really excited. 

That's what happened on Friday. Mrs. Jones showed me this post on math rotations.

And we got to thinking about interactive math journals. 

Today I modeled and talked through a journal entry, and then the kids had a try. 

Let me say--teacher heaven. 

1. Practice cutting skills (fine motor)

2. Follow directions (where to glue)

3. Practice "making ten"

It was a long practice, but fantastic. Some kids were disappointed that the work was in a notebook that they could not take home--that's how much they loved it. Lucky for us, we talked about how they could make their own at home. 

When almost all were finished they got a turn with a partner "being the teacher."

Not sure what Bloom's level it is, but teaching someone else HAS to be high. 

And even one friend helped another friend do some writing. LOVE!!

I looked at a lot of pins and blog posts and YouTube videos about interactive notebooks this past weekend. I even created a board for interactive journals on Pinterest.

What was I missing?

Glue Sponges!!

I cannot wait to use these bad boys. 

Tomorrow: another interactive page, and an anchor chart for journal behavior and expectations. And maybe the glue sponges will be ready. 

TGIF

Is there anything better than a Friday night?

The promise of a weekend. Time to relax and regroup. Someone else made my dinner.

And a linky party! Thanks Kacey @ Doodle Bugs Teaching for this weekly party, an opportunity to share five pictures/events/randomnesses from my day.

1. Math Stations are going ok. The kids are learning so much. I love having the time to focus on a certain skill with a couple of kids while the rest are "doing" meaningful math. (These pictures are from earlier this week...we were very busy today with "special" activities and did not have time for stations.)

2. Our Cloverbuds group met today. My rotation was not fancy (the other three were fantastic), but it worked. After looking at several examples of 4-H group banners, the kids designed a possible banner for our group. the only requirement--must have 4-H some where. I will choose the "winner" later and on another meeting we will make a new banner to hang in our hallway.

3. The garden needed to be weeded. What's to be done? I bet you know...

Give the kids recess, have me watch them playing while Mrs. Jones grabs a few to work in the garden. Win-Win-Win.

4. How about a lively game of Duck, Duck, Goose? You betcha!

Thanks to Mrs. Jones for snapping these photos. I cannot believe how long these kids played this game. They waited patiently for a turn (really!!) and had fun.

As the "It" person walked around, I still had the same thoughts as I did when I was younger "please, do not say goose on me."

And one friend said, "I sure hope she gooses me." I had to chuckle a bit.

5. Our farm family guy (Mr. Williams) invited us to his field (nice that the field was the field "next" to our school--that means 1/4 mile away) this afternoon to have a lesson on planting wheat. I am not going to try to name the equipment we saw (I will just embarrass myself with incorrect terms), but it was COOL and HOT!!

And your bonus #6...

Late afternoon (think 4:30-5:30) collaboration session with Mrs. Jones. We were dedicated on a Friday afternoon or we were just too tired to get in our cars and go home. Which do you think is true?

We like our math structure, but we want to LOVE it. While talking and debriefing about our week we happened upon the topic of math. We researched. We sketched ideas. We briefly planned. And then we flew out of there to go be with our families!!

Here's hoping that you had a fantastic Friday and that your weekend is just as lovely!!

Oh What a Day...

Oh What a Day.

That is what I'm singing today.

Watch it.

And I am singing it good, not bad.

Today I took the plunge. Math work stations.

We already knew how to play the games. So what we added was independent/partner time to play/practice.

It's not that I'm a slow learner (I've known about stations/centers for years), but I am slow at figuring out "how" to do them so that I don't go crazy. Today worked.

This wonderful group worked for 15 minutes and they were using a whisper voice, so that they did not disturb the kids around them. Talk about a happy teacher!!

And as an elementary teacher, I have to teach apples in September, right??

Ok.

After a little compare and contrast lesson, we "busted out the seeds" as one funny kid said. (Really, a sharp knife did the trick.)

And now woking on a science experiment to learn if seeds will grow without sun and soil.

The idea for the experiment came from here.

For the next three days we will be observing changes in the seeds.

Aaaaaaannnnddddd--it's a girl!!

We are getting a heifer calf this week. She is coming from our farm family (Mr. Williams) and will arrive soon. Mrs. Jones decided that we should spruce up her new pen a bit...

Once again, she did the hard work, while I monitored the students. I did loan her my chore boots (why doesn't she have her own??).

Pictures of our calf will come soon.

This is math, This is math, This is math

I love my neighbor teacher. We can be serious, and we can joke.

Yesterday I was in the hallway (just dropped my kids off in music) and heard her telling her students, "come in, sit down, and then we will have snack." 

I thought that sounded pretty good. So, I went in, found an empty desk (I have no idea where the lovely student was that was supposed to be sitting there) and sat down. She was teaching and talking (and getting around to snack) when she finally looked around the room and noticed me.

We laughed a bit, I left (without my snack) and smiled that we can be goofy in a very serious profession.

Today she walked in my room to discuss morning recess. Go outside or not? 28 degrees, finely misting. She looked around my room and asked--they are already having recess?

Um, no. They were playing a math game. Upon closer inspection she realized that it was a math game.

These were some comments she made:

1. Look, they are working together.

2. Oh, they are helping each other.

3. See how those two are sharing a chair?

4. This is math.

5. This is math.

6. Repeat this often Alyce, this IS math!

My teaching buddy (who does not live near by, but comes by often to plan and chat--I love her, too) and I are using a great product this week in lead up to Earth Day. (Find it here on TpT.)

For math today they started with addition cover up (from the packet), then practiced adding three numbers, then played the above game (identifying 3-D objects) when my neighbor came in.

I am so glad to have my neighbor teacher near by. She encourages me. She gets me to think out of the box.

And she brings me K students who have big questions that I can answer for them.

That is what she did this afternoon.

I thought it was going to be something like "how are kids supposed to treat each other," or "this is why you learn letters."

Nope. 

His question (after she left him in my able care), "why can't we talk about God at school?"

WHAT?

I looked up and the secretary was smiling at me. Oh boy!

I did the best I could and sent him back to K.

************************

In other news...

We are working through an awesome Reading Unit. All about characters. See it here on TpT.

Today was day 2, and I blended Critter Cafe with it. Iggy the Inferring Iguana.

The kids "got" it. I love it when that happens.

What's going on in your neck of the woods?

Math Organization

Sometimes my ideas snowball.

I wanted to know about differentiating math instruction.

That led me to an online book study on the book Guided Math by Laney Sammons.

Which led me to Math Work Stations by Debbie Diller.

And that led to organizing the math manipulatives in my "new" classroom.

Yesterday it was me, my iPod and time in the room. I followed Diller's idea about pulling everything out, sorting it (my categories were: numbers and computation, geometry, symmetry, fractions, time, money, measurement, and data/probability), purging, containerizing (with labels), and finding a home for it all.

It took about 4 hours. The mess (or was it organized chaos?) was huge before it got better. And when I was finished I was so excited, because now I really know what all I have (which is absolutely one "I have, who has" game for the entire unit of fractions) and what I need to get more of before I can effectively teach it (get something for fractions--anything).

I have one cabinet with doors that has three shelves for math, and one bookcase that I loaded with all things numbers and computation (I am definitely set on counters, flashcards, and base 10 blocks).

This organization makes me so happy, I am still smiling. This year my goal is to work smarter, not harder. In order to get to the smarter place I had to put in a lot of hard work.

My Mountain Math kit came in and I got that put up on Thursday. I can't decide if I should take the questions down and put them back up when we start. But I needed to use the questions to help me center the question numbers.

Last week (while I was on vacation), my sister gave me a present for my classroom. She crocheted an owl for my reading corner. It is wonderful.

The owl sits next to the sock monkey my mom made for me out of real socks. Love that too. And rounding it out is my Shubert puppet. Shubert is the main character for the books that Dr. Becky Bailey wrote to help teach skills that are included in her Conscious Discipline book and website.

There is still work to be done. I need to put up the calendar area. Hook up the computer and printer. Finish a Daily 5 board. And find a place for all of my books that I brought with me. Perhaps I can work on lesson plans by the middle of the week.