What is a math manipulative that you use multiple ways in the classroom throughout the year?
In my role as a math interventionist (although looking back I did it as a homeroom teacher, but I don't think as intentionally as I do it now), I have found that many of my students can do the math, they just don't believe they can. As educators, we wear so many hats and one of them is helping students see their potential. I now ask students when they answer a question for me: "Are you asking me or are you telling me?" This questions prompts students to be more convicted in their answer to me. Or if they aren't sure about their answer, it prompts them to go back and recheck it. I have the conversation with students that if they aren't sure of their answer then they need to take a second look at it. They should always answer confidently if they did the work. If it's wrong, we will figure out what happened. It has been so rewarding to hear teachers say that their students are more confident in their answers when sharing in class.
Absenteeism: At what point do you involve administration if a child has been frequently absent?
There are a couple of parts to this. I have worked in schools where I have been asked by admin to let them know when students have missed more than 2 days in a row. Usually after the first day, I will reach out, just saying that I missed the student and hope everything is okay. I will offer assistance if they need it. Usually parents will get back to me quickly if it's just a minor illness or a family emergency. I would say anything past 3 days in a row should go to admin, especially if you haven't heard from the family once you've reached out. I would also say that if it gets to a point that it is impacting their grades or their performance in your class, that it's time to sit down with admin and discuss next steps. They may need to be put on an attendance plan.
Ways to Quickly Check for Understanding
Edutopia, an online source that highlights best practices for educators, recently polled
teachers and asked them how they do quick checks for understanding. The attached file contains numerous ways that teachers have used in their classroom.
Do you have anything that you can add to the list? Have you tried any of these quick checks with your students?
Big win for the Thanksgiving celebration! All the families were represented and we had a great time! I highly recommend these events!
Resilience - The capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.
Teaching requires more emotional resilience than most other professions. Lacking resilience is a common thread that creates burnout and leaving the profession. Resilience is not something we are taught in school, but there are things that we can do to strengthen our resilience.
Don’t isolate yourself in your classroom. Get to know other teachers in your building and your students’ parents. Building relationships with your co-workers and parents can strengthen your resilience. Take care of yourself. If you’re worn out and not feeling well, you are more likely to isolate and avoid others.
What is your resilience level?
What are some strategies for adjusting my pacing when students need more time to grasp key concepts?
In intervention groups we have students do 1-2 mins each session of either vision tracking, vision memory/or sequencing, or RAN activities. How do you help your students work on visual skills to support decoding and other reading skills?
Michigan Department of Education shares several resources for family literacy and home to school connections. It is entitled: Family Engagement for Literacy. Here are a few of the documents included:
Supporting Families in the Essential Practice of Read Alouds; Sharing Why the Read Aloud Is an Essential Practice With Families
Does your state department of education share valuable resources you can use to collaborate and build understanding with families?
https://www.michigan.gov/mde/services/academic-standards/literacy/family-engagement-for-literacy
If you have never looked at sand under a 🔬 have your students bring samples from their trips. Make an index card slide by cutting a hole in the middle of the index card and placing a pice of packing tape over one side of the hole. Dip the sticky side into the sand sample and tape over it. Write on the index card where the sand came from. Your students will quickly observe how sand is formed from the erosion, weathering and deposition of the native rocks from that region. It is truly powerful!
What are you reading? As summer hits I have so much more time to kick back and do what I love, read! Share your favorite professional book as well as a good summer read for enjoyment!
I'm always looking for some good brain teasers for students for the transition into math intervention. I came across this link and thought I'd share!
https://www.weareteachers.com/math-brain-teasers-for-kids/
Any other great brain-teasers you use for your students?
During state testing there is not much I can do to help the students. So, I give them each an elephant figurine. Since elephants are my favorite animal, I tell them that they are part of the “herd”. I use this to help relieve stress that the students might have with test anxiety.
We use Class Dojo for points for our reward celebrations and while this has really worked for our students, I’m wondering how to specifically work with Kinder babies who sometimes struggle to focus. I’m helping a Kinder teacher and she has one that is just drumming to her own beat but isn’t learning. The teacher is in constant communication with the parent. I’m just wondering what might motivate her a little more than Dojo points!
What are some strategies for helping students catch up after they’ve missed several days of school?
.jpg)
One of the toughest things (but also most rewarding when the mindset shift occurs) is students believing that they can do whatever it is you are asking them to do. As a math interventionist, I work with students who, based on test scores, are struggling in math. While I know that one test score (or even a few) don't define a student, unfortunately, the score(s) travel with them. Once I start meeting with students, I can usually see pretty quickly that some of their 'struggle' has nothing to do with math, it has to do with mindset. We have very honest and real conversations about their experiences in math and what they like vs. what they don't like (or haven't liked in the past). It happens over time, and I recognize that my job is far different than others, but it begins the same: building relationships with students is the foundation to success. Once a student becomes mine, I begin building their confidence slowly and surely by being their biggest cheerleader. I ask that teachers share with me successes in the classroom too so that I can be excited for them. What are some ways you help students build their confidence?
