One Day Math Seminar

Fee for the workshop is $199. Groups of 3 or more is $189. per person. Lunch is included.

• Wichita, KS ~ October 4, 2010 ~ Site Information
• Kansas City, KS ~ October 5, 2010 ~ Site Information
• Edmonton, AB ~ November 3, 2010 ~ Site Information
• Calgary, AB ~ November 4, 2010 ~ Site Information

As a classroom teacher you are asked to respond to the needs of all your students! These students have diverse learning styles and abilities due to prior mathematical experiences and socio-economic levels. The challenge for teachers is therefore the challenge of teaching all students to be mathematically competent and confident. To meet this challenge it is critical for teachers to equip themselves with a large and diverse collection of strategies.

When we think of intervening and supporting all learners we must think of how to provide students having difficulty with support as well as extend those students who are mathematically promising. What a job!

Barbara Novelli’s one-day seminar for teachers K-5 will make the difficult a little less complex by focusing on her “Seven Essential Elements” for a successful mathematics classroom. Here are the elements:

• Students should devote 10 minutes daily to fluency of basic arithmetic facts
• Students should have opportunities to work with concrete manipulatives and visual representations before moving on to abstract concepts or procedures
• Curriculum should focus on whole numbers and operations in Grades K-3, then move to rational numbers in Grades 4-8
• Students should be provided with diverse models for solving problems including models of easy and difficult problems with accompanying teacher think alouds and opportunities to solve problems in groups.
• How to make differentiation simple by thinking VTAK (visual, tactile, auditory and kinesthetic learning)
• Planning proactively for all learners
• Using critical tools and models to support all learners

To help teachers in achieving these goals, Barbara will share a “Must Do list for your Math Program” which will include daily Must Do’s, weekly Must Do’s and monthly Must Do’s. She will also provide teachers in this seminar her suggestions for weekly and monthly planning for your math period.

As always Barbara will share wonderful literature, great songs, and games to engage students in mathematical learning! In this seminar she will also focus on how learning centers can help

What You Will Learn:

• Easy and motivational ways to use 8-10 minutes daily to increase the fluency and understanding of basic math facts
• How to move from concrete materials to representational (visual) to the abstract — effectively with your students
• Ideas on how to proactively plan for all learners using a daily and weekly schedule- planning template
• How to select and use critical math tools and models to increase understanding of math concepts for your grade level
• Effective strategies to use with your students to help them solve problems: think alouds, journal use, group work strategies, and poster talks
• How to use learning centers to help you teach and assess your students understanding •
• Great music, literature, games and activities to use in your math classroom
• Ideas about how you can use calendar to support your math program

Program:

• 8:00-8:30 a.m. Registration
• 8:30-9:15 - How to use calendar, and Kim’s Number line daily to increase math fact fluency, understanding of number relationships and problem solving
• 9:15-10:15 - The importance of going from concrete representation, to abstract sequence and the use of critical math tools, and models
• 10:15-10:30 - Break
• 10:30-11:45 - How to use learning centers in your classroom
• 11:45-12:45 - Lunch
• 12:45-1:00 - Planning proactively using Barb’s Must Do list, and weekly planning template
• 1:00-2:30 - Experience a vignette of primary and intermediate math days
• 2:30-3:00 - Tackling problem solving in a different and powerful way

Who Should Attend?

All K-5 Classroom Teachers, Resource Specialists, Curriculum Co-ordinators and Administrators should attend.

Cancellations/Substitutions:

Substitutions may be made at any time. All cancellations received the day of the seminar or afterwards are subject to a $15 service charge.

This Seminar Includes:

• •Morning Coffee & Pastries and Lunch
• Door Prizes
• Extensive Resource Handbook

University Credit:

½ unit of credit from Humboldt State University is available for an additional charge. These credential/licensure courses offered are designed primarily for elective or professional development purposes. Clock hours may also be available - please check at the workshop.

What To Bring:

Scissors, marking pens, scotch tape, glue stick, stapler and camera (optional).

How To Register:

Call (800) 841-5193 ~ Or Use Our Online Registration Form: Either Mail, Fax, or Use Your Credit Card on Our Secure Server. MasterCard and Visa Accepted (US funds only).

Greg Tang

Fee for the workshop is $199 (U.S.) / Groups of 3 or more is $189 (U.S.) per person. Lunch is included.

• Vancouver, BC ~ October 22, 2010 ~ Class Information
• Fort Worth, TX ~ November 10, 2010 ~ Class Information
• Dallas, TX ~ November 11, 2010 ~ Class Information
• Houston, TX ~ November 15, 2010 ~ Class Information
• San Antonio, TX ~ November 16, 2010 ~ Class Information
• Kansas City, KS ~ November 17, 2010 ~ Class Information
• Wichita, KS ~ November 18, 2010 ~ Class Information
• Toronto, ON ~ November 29, 2010 ~ Class Information
• Boston, MA ~ December 6, 2010 ~ Class Information
• Baltimore, MD ~ December 7, 2010 ~ Class Information

Is there a way to teach math that’s intuitive, grounded in common sense, engaging for children, and most importantly, highly effective? The answer is yes!

At last, Greg Tang is applying everything he’s learned – after more than 1,300 workshops, conferences, and school visits in the past 10 years – to create a brand-new, supplemental math program that includes math learning centers for your classroom. Your students will not only develop strong computational and problem-solving skills, they’ll develop true algebraic thinking skills – the key to being smart.

In this new workshop, Greg introduces Smart Centers – carefully planned and meticulously designed math centers that give you the freedom to incorporate group work in your daily lessons. You’ll gain the confidence of knowing that your students are mastering important math skills whether they’re working directly with you or cooperatively in small groups.

As part of this workshop, you’ll receive a comprehensive activity book that allows you to incorporate Greg’s strategies and lessons immediately in your classroom. It includes worksheets that teach strategies and assess critical skills, activity sheets that leverage Greg’s picture books, game sheets that provide hours of fun and practice, and puzzle sheets that will challenge both you and your students. Math centers will never be the same!

Program Highlights:

1. Clever Counting - Move kids from “counting all” to “counting on” strategy
2. Doubles Play - Use doubles strategies to “cure” kids of counting on their fingers
3. Math Limbo - New pegboard game teaches kids to add & break apart numbers
4. Smart Sums - Add using the Make 10 strategy, then generalize to larger numbers
5. Smart Subtract - Subtract using the Make 10 strategy, then generalize to larger numbers
6. Book Smarts - New supplemental worksheets for use with The Grapes of Math & other Greg Tang books
7. Great Times - Multiplication strategies that teach basic facts and generalize to double-digit numbers
8. Great Divide - Division strategies that teach basic facts while preparing kids for fractions & long division
9. Numskill 3, 4, and 5 - Teach problem-solving & arithmetic while developing number sense; leveled for all ages
10. Numskill 4×4 to 9×9 - Challenging puzzles reinforce addition and multiplication skills; leveled for all ages

What You Will Learn:

• How to use math centers to differentiate instruction and encourage cooperative learning experiences in your classroom
• How to design math centers that are effective, integrated, and easy to implement for a wide range of skill levels and situations
• How to develop strong computational, problem-solving, and algebraic thinking skills – all at the same time
• How to transition your students from concrete to abstract thinking, the key to generalizing and being smart!

Who Should Attend?

All K-5 Classroom Teachers, Elementary Math Teachers, Resource Specialists and Curriculum Co-ordinators should attend.

Cancellations/Substitutions:

Substitutions may be made at any time. All cancellations received the day of the seminar or afterwards are subject to a $15 service charge.

This Seminar Includes:

• Door Prizes
• Lunch
• Resource Handbook

University Credit:

½ unit of credit from Humboldt State University is available for an additional charge. These credential/licensure courses offered are designed primarily for elective or professional development purposes. Clock hours may also be available - please check at the workshop. Verification of hours of participation will be provided for continuing education or recertification.

How To Register:

Call (800) 841-5193 ~ Or Use Our Online Registration Form: Either Mail, Fax, or Use Your Credit Card on Our Secure Server. MasterCard and Visa Accepted (US funds only).

Been thinking about retirement lately!  Not for myself but for my dear friends who are retiring.  What remarkable careers they have had and continued all the way to the finish line!  Being an educator is such a calling.  My dear friends have dedicated themselves to being the best at educating children ending their careers with the same enthusiasm as they started.  May all their wishes come true!  

Have to say congratulations to our daughter, Halley who graduated from UC Santa Cruz on June 12th!  As her kindergarten and third grade teachers retire, she is starting her career this week!  It hardly seems possible.  I so clearly remember her first day of school as if it were yesterday………. what wonderful memories!  We are so proud of you, sweet daughter.

Mathematically yours,

Been thinking about retirement lately!  Not for myself but for my dear friends who are retiring.  What remarkable careers they have had and continued all the way to the finish line!  Being an educator is such a calling.  My dear friends have dedicated themselves to being the best at educating children ending their careers with the same enthusiasm as they started.  May all their wishes come true!  

Have to say congratulations to our daughter, Halley who graduated from UC Santa Cruz on June 12th!  As her kindergarten and third grade teachers retire, she is starting her career this week!  I so clearly remember her first day of school as if it were yesterday………. what wonderful memories!  We are so proud of her.

Mathematically yours,

In the state of shock…. have not written in so long!  I could make a list of excuses but that is either worth a snooze or would sound pathetic!

Seems that every year about this time, we say how fast the year has gone.  What changes did you make in how you teach math from the previous year?  What was difficult?  What was easy?  What worked?  What did students respond to?  Seems like reflecting on those questions is easier to do in summer than during the school year…..

Last week at NCTM in San Diego, I had the opportunity to hear one of the best speakers I have ever heard.  I attended a session done by Dr. Marcia Tate!  She was amazing and so inspirational, I could listen to her every day.  I have her books.  Her book, Worksheets Don’t Grow Dendrites is so important.  If you do not own it, buy it!  The message is so valuable and timely…. more is coming on this.

Mathematically yours,

We had the time of our lives at the Winter Olympics!  WOW!  A huge “shout out” to the country of Canada, province of British Columbia and city of Vancouver!  What an amazing show!  Still can not believe that we were there!

Our Olympic trip began in a less than desired way.  On Wednesday evening the 17th of February we had my mom and a dear friend for dinner.  We were supposed to fly early the next morning.  United called at 8:30 pm to announce our 6:00 am flight on Thursday was cancelled.  We looked at each other and tried to decide whether to drive north or south.  Our home is halfway between Portland and San Francisco.  We drove south to SF leaving home at 10:00 pm and arriving in the fee hours of the am but made our flight from SF to Vancouver.  

Arrived at South Poplar Traditional School in Abbotsford for setup.  Much to our surprise was a BIG screen playing the hockey game!  What a treat!  Visited a great pub for dinner with staff and watched the Canadian Hockey team in a pub environment!  Very cool!  We set up while watching the Olympics!  Could not have asked for a better workshop on Friday.  The teachers were amazing.  Suzanne and her staff were fantastic hosts.  I love the school and what a great learning environment.  Woody is a wonderful principal!  I could so teach for him.  He presented an ending to the day that was amazing.  He created a slide show/video to the song, “Simply the Best!”  It was played as we finished and participants packed up.  What a day!  What fabulous teachers!  The link to this is up on my website….

The weekend brought us to our dear friend, Donna’s beautiful home in Vancouver.  That became our base for our Olympic weekend.  Can’t even begin to describe all the amazing aspects of our trip.  Visited Granville Island and did lots of walking and mass transits to see all the sights of the Olympic venues.  Visited an igloo, saw Tom Brokaw at dinner at the Pan Pacific, visited the flame in awe and soak in all the nations represented in the folks walking around!  It was so wonderful!

Sunday morning Donna gave us a ride to the Pacific Coliseum for 7 am seats to watch the Ice Dancing dress rehearsal!  OH MY GOSH!  Our seats were right behind the teams and coaches!  They were in full dress and makeup and it was so grand.  After they finished we saw two groups of women before our seats expired at noon.

The afternoon brought up to the ferry for a trip to work in Victoria!  Monday was a great day!  Enough of my gushing but this definitely was a trip of a lifetime!  BC and Vancouver you have done yourselves proud!

More math coming tonight!  Have not been good about keeping the blog up, life got in the way.

Mathematically yours,

Kim

I am always reminded in January how hard travel is!  Late flights and not knowing when you will return home!

Still, a trip like yesterday reminded me all the terrific places there are in the world!  Got to do my favorite workshop yesterday (Roadmap to Mathematical Success) in Vancouver, BC.  The day with the teachers was fantastic!  Have a few words to say about the city!  I am so excited about the Olympics being in Vancouver and surrounding areas!  What an incredible city!  They have done the best job getting ready for all that is coming.  I will be back to enjoy all there is to offer!

The Olympics remind me of the classic math/science activities from Project AIMS—”Mini Metric Olympics.”  What a great time to do these incredible measurement, estimation, data analysis, graphing activities!  Your students will be amazed and so excited!

These activities are from the first AIMS book, Math + Science = A Solution.  Enjoy!

Thank you dear friend, Barry, for your birthday call!  So many years ago I was your teacher and we found out we had the same birthday.  I was dating Jeff who brought a birthday cake for us that day!  I always think of you and the fine man you have turned into.  Thank you for reminding me that I have the best job in the world!!!

Mathematically yours,

January 19, 2010

Are You Thinking About Basic Facts?

Are you spending five to nine minutes daily on basic facts?  I have to ask the question because I hear so many complaints about students not knowing basic facts!  I talked about this on a previous blog but is it happening in your classroom?

There are three steps on the road to fluency with basic facts:

•  Teach for understanding!

•  Teach the strategies!

•  Practice!  Practice!  Practice!

I like to start the practice each day with a song from Ron Brown of IntelliTunes!  He is the most talented musician I have ever heard of!  If you have not tried his music, I recommend it!  The CD to start with is his “Math Concepts I and II.”  You will be convinced!  The CD has such a great mix of songs that will change your classroom—skip counting by twos, threes, fives, and tens.  It also includes three place value songs along with do many songs that works every math concept!

I am teasing you a little bit!  I am about to unveil my newest project concerning basic facts…… just a little tease!  More to come later.

First grade teachers, are you working on doubles?

Traveling to my next destination….

Mathematically yours,

January 10, 2010

Shake Rattle and Roll!

Oh my gosh!  My area really got hit hard yesterday.  We had a 6.5 earthquake!  It hit yesterday afternoon at about 4:30 pm.  The problem with my part of the world is that we do not have freeways, tall buildings or lots of people so it lasts about 5 minutes on the news.  

I was not there.  Left on the 3rd for Pearland, Texas.  After working for the district there flew to Birmingham, Alabama to work with Trussville teachers.  Flew that night to San Antonio.  Worked three days there and flew to Omaha on Friday night.  It had warmed a bit.  Tried for two hours to get my dear 84 year old mother.  Jokingly said to my husband, “Gosh, I hope we did not have an earthquake!”  Could not get her.  Finally my brother called to say the phones and power were out.  

All my family and friends are fine but I have to say it is scary.  My mom says this is the hardest one she has ever felt.  Two of my girlfriends had lots of disarray, broken glass and chaos ……. we are just grateful that our community made it without any lost lives!

What a time to “count blessings!”  Thanks to all who emailed with concerns!  All is fine!

Mathematically yours,

Merry Christmas!  Happy holidays!  Hope this break is giving you a much needed rest.  How fun to spend time with family and friends.  My daughter has repeatedly reminded me that I need to write this…… I needed the push since our time has been all about family.  I am quite behind.

As the year draws to a close, it is time to reflect what tough times we are living through.  Education budgets have been cut in some states to unbearable levels.  I am wondering how we can stay positive and focused when things are this tough.  Have no answers but think about this constantly……. less will become more.  We must continue to make more with fewer resources.  

Make the New Year about mathematics by using a simple tool:  the calendar.  January is a natural time to focus in on the calendar.  Plan on making “My Calendar Booklet” next week from my book, Making Math Books with Children.  It will draw instant attention to the patterns that occur.  Try doing “Arrow Math” with the calendar.  If you are not sure what that means, check it out in two of my books, The Powerful Numbers 0-100 or Math Focus Activities.  Both will explain.

Take any month and box in a two by two matrix of numbers.  Have the students add the diagonals and compare the sums!  Magic will happen!  Have them add horizontally and compare the sums.  Add vertically and compare the sums.  Notice any relationships with the numbers?  Does it always work?  What will happen with a three by three matrix?  Does this change on a hundreds’ chart?

Read the book by Stuart Murphy, Pepper’s Journal!  This book will enhance the calendar activities!

Play the game called, “The Calendar Game.”  This is described in my book Math Focus Activities.  It is simple.  Divide the class into two teams.  The date is used for the number.  Each team will contribute an equation equaling that number.  Older students will be awarded points based on the number of operations used.  The game is fast-paced and will encourage students to think of how many ways to decompose a number!

Teach your hearts out!

Wow!  This has been a wild week in Greensboro, Atlanta and now Nashville.  The NCTM Regional in Nashville was attended by more than 5,000 teachers and it was very exciting!  We have discovered that Nashville is one of our favorite cities.  Got to enjoy some sightseeing on Saturday and it has been beautiful…. 

Please check out a new tool for Monday and Tuesday.  I posted a glyph for next week for you to download.  It is a cornucopia for Thanksgiving and will give you two days of data analysis with your students.  Remember that a glyph is a picture where the details tell a data story!  You can modify my questions based on your situation.  

After each glyph is completed, pick one of the questions to graph with your students.  I always like to have the students move the glyphs into a graph.  Then each group will describe what else they know from the data within their groups.

Several different graphs can be constructed changing the questions!  I like to take a picture of each graph. Students will love to look back at the monthly glyphs in your classroom.  This activity will push the students to analyze all the data!

Enjoy and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!  Rest and relax!

Mathematically yours,

October 27-29, 2009

A great day for me is sharing my passion with students….. am having that kind of week.  Spent three days in schools in Albany, Oregon teaching lessons K-5.  Great schools, teachers and students!  I am always reminded that procedures do not mean understanding.  Students eager to get involved with mathematics.  My hats are off to the classrooms that allowed me in!

November 2-6, 2009

Spent Monday and Tuesday in Fresno and Camarillo, California working with wonderful private school teachers.  Then flew to NCTM Regional in Minneapolis.  Super conference…. met so many teachers seeking out best practices in math.  Very impressive!

Am pretty excited to offer new class next month in Texas.  The class is called, “Roadmap to Mathematical Success.”  This topic is what I think about constantly.  How do we take student performance and guarantee success?  Are we offering the balanced approach to the content of mathematics?  What about math fact fluency?  How do we make sure that they understand place value?  These questions haunt me… I wonder sometimes if we have curriculum leadership to make a plan not only for a district but follow through at each school site.

Do you have topics that you wish I would address here?  Please email and let me know.  

Mathematically yours,

Have you read any good books lately?  This time of year makes me think of the darling book by Nancy Carlson, Harriet’s Halloween Candy.  It is just a natural for sorting and classifying.  Put together bags of objects to sort and classify.  Introduce Venn Diagrams (one, two and three circle) to students as a way to think about the attributes.  Sing Ron Brown’s song, “Attributes,” from the Math Math Math.  If you have a document camera, introduce a set of objects and start to sort them.  Ask for a volunteer to continue sorting.  See if the students can guess the rule for sorting.  Don’t forget to make fractions from the set when they are sorted.

I have fallen in love with two new books.  The first one is the third in the series by Cindy Neuschwander, Pastry School in Paris.  If you remember, she is the author of many books including, Amanda Bean’s Amazing Dream and the Sir Cumference books.  The first two in the series are Mummy Math and Patterns in Peru.  This new book is all about capacity.

You will really appreciate Betsy Franco’s new book, Zero Is the Leaves on the Tree.  Sing the songs, “Zero, Zero” by Ron Brown on the Math Math Math CD.  The other song of Ron’s that is all about the properties of zero is “Zero is a Hero” found on Math Concepts I and II.

I can’t get enough of the great books for teaching math!  I would write more but falling asleep….. loved meeting the teachers on Monday in Riverside.  You Seventh Day Adventist teachers rock!  Work on getting your conference on the cruise ship.  Loved seeing my friends in Eureka on Wednesday.  

Mathematically yours,

Well, here it is—October!  Time is flying.  Currently in Temple, Texas enjoying a golf tournament for our daughter!  This trip took us to Boise to work with a wonderful school.  The school is determined to work hard and make number sense a priority for the students.  Then headed to Toronto for an algebraic focus!

In Toronto, my friend, Marsha attended the workshop.  She is the teacher who originally rewrote the song, “Walk the Line” for my number line.  She is amazing!  I thank her every day!  Then another wonderful teacher, Janeen had her class rewrite the whole song…… I love the creativity!

Some thoughts have been floating around my head about using the calendar to teach math.  The calendar can be the best tool for primary students developing number sense.  The concept of before, between and after can be reinforced every day and it needs to be!  Simple dialogue about numbers can be happen every day.  Place value is introduced by bundling the straws each day as the count to the 100th day takes place.  Make sure that you show the expanded form of the number is shown along with an enlarged place value pocket.  These three parts are essential…..

Don’t forget to read Stuart Murphy’s book, Tally O’Malley as your students participate in tallying to the 100th day.  Students love the song, “Let’s Tally Man” from Math Beats.  This song teaches them quickly how to tally.  Count by fives using the yellow dot on the number line singing Ron Brown’s song, “Let’s Count by Fives” on Math Concepts I and II.

Every primary calendar board needs a picture for evens and odds.  Use the day of the month for the even or odd picture.  On even numbered days, use the red dot on the number line singing, “We’re Counting by Twos” on Math Concepts I and II.

I promise that I am not done with this topic.  

Mathematically yours,

Kim

Teaching Intensive Math Content through Meaning and Motivation

Fee for the workshop is $199.00 per person. Groups of 3 or more $185.00 per person

• Nashville, TN ~ October 18, 2010 ~ Site Information
• Atlanta, GA ~ October 19, 2010  ~ Site Information
• Minneapolis, MN ~ November 15, 2010  ~ Site Information
• Chicago, IL ~ November 16, 2010 ~ Site Information

This brand new class focuses on how to map out and successfully teach the content of mathematics through practical ideas that can be implemented in your classroom tomorrow. Kim Sutton will share her model for covering the content and needed scaffolding skills to lead to the application of mathematics. She gives you a foundation for multiplication and division that starts in your primary classroom and continues through 5th grade.

Kim will use her four-part model for effective instruction; focus activities for all levels, drills to thrill, whole class lessons and small group instruction. All through the day, Kim will share wonderful management and math ideas like - how to use your ball box for math!

Kim has created new lessons for this class that span the grades K-5 with great music (Kim will share the research behind using music is the classroom), exciting literature and “hands on” math ideas. Kim has created a powerful 10 Block Schedule that will strengthen and guide your teaching for math fluency for grades K-5. In this class Kim has worked hard to go deeper with each concept so you will leave the workshop with a clear vision of how to fit it all in and address all levels of learners.

What You Will Learn:

• Five new focus activities that pack “mathematical power” into five minutes.
• 10 Block Schedule for basic fact fluency.
• 10 great songs from Ron Brown that you cannot pass up.
• 10 Important Literature titles that invite mathematics into your classroom.
• New strategies that lead to division success through whole class lessons.
• Ways to weave in data analysis and practice part to whole relationships.
• Leaping lizards! A measurement unit that can be used at all grade levels for small group instruction.
• Games that students beg for throughout the year!
• Creating the road map for success with an easy to use tool.

Program:

• 8:00-8:30 Coffee and Registration
• 8:30-9:15 Let’s Get It Started with Daily Data Analysis. Three graphs you cannot live without!
• 9:15-10:10 Focus Activities for All Levels. Plus the five most important visuals
• 10:10-10:20 Morning Break
• 10:20-11:15 10 Block Schedule for Math Fact Fluency – PUT IT TO WORK!
• 11:15-11:45 Games That Go the Distance Through the School Year!
• 11:45-12:30 Lunch Break
• 12:30-1:15 Foundations for Multiplication and Division
• 1:15-1:45 Whole Class
• 1:45-2:30 Leaping Lizards! Measurement that Matters!
• 2:30-3:00 Summing It All Up for Mathematical Success

Who Should Attend?

All K-5 Classroom Teachers, Elementary Math Teachers, Resource Specialists, and Curriculum Co-ordinators should attend.

Cancellations/Substitutions:

Substitutions may be made at any time. All cancellations received the day of the seminar or afterwards are subject to a $15 service charge.

This Seminar Includes:

• Morning Coffee, Pastries and Lunch
• Door Prizes & Extensive Resource Handbook

University Credit:

½ unit of credit from Humboldt State University is available for an additional charge. These credential/ licensure courses offered are designed primarily for elective or professional development purposes. Clock hours may also be available - please check at the workshop. Creative Mathematics is an approved Texas CPE Provider.

How To Register:

Call (800) 841-5193 ~ Or Use Our Online Registration Form: Either Mail, Fax, or Use Your Credit Card on Our Secure Server. MasterCard and Visa Accepted (US funds only).

Having another amazing trip!  Left on the 15th and flew to Wichita, Kansas then drove for my third trip to Dodge City.  Wonderful teachers for two days and wonderful classrooms for the third day.  Had fifth and sixth grade teachers then went into classrooms to teach math with students.  Saw incredible teachers teaching their hearts out.  Thank you Jenny, Wendy and Heather for allowing me in to create chaos in your classrooms.  You three are amazing teachers and your students are awesome!

Then ventured to a new part of Minnesota for the weekend of walking our daughter’s golf tournament.  It was held at a beautiful course called “The Jewel” in Lake City which is right on the Mississippi.  We loved watching 18 teams of collegiate golfers.

Headed to Chicago for a workshop on Monday and then an after school workshop with the most enthusiastic group!

Now we have been in Omaha working for three days.  Ok, my life is complete!  Got to watch Margaret’s fifth graders play a great p.e./math game using digital root.  She had her students in relay teams of about four students lined up.  She had the number 1-9 each written on a meat tray with a stake in the ground.  Margaret called out numbers like “376.”  Students had to find the digital root as mental math and run to that stake.  They loved it and ran their hearts out to get to the number first.  At the stake with the number “5″ there was a pile of dog poop!  They had to avoid it and touch the stake when the digital root was five.  Ah, the joy!

Kuddos to Greg and Margaret for using the technology and the fun to make digital root come alive as the most important number property!  If you are in the dark with digital root, stay tuned!

Also, something big is coming with my number line!  Hint, hint!

Mathematically yours,

Some days you can feel so lucky to be a teacher!  Days like this are the best rewards.  Attended a funeral today for a great local man.  Knew this man before I was blessed to have his grandson, Scott, in my class.  Also at the service was his best friend,  Jacob.  These two young men and many other students made incredible teaching years for me.  If you have been at workshops with me, you have heard stories of these two!  Both of these men are wonderful adults with great lives.  I have so many amazing memories that are causing me to do my favorite math activity—counting my blessings!  

I know I usually write about math but today I just want to savor the memories!  Thank you Scott and Jacob for all you did for me that wonderful year and for today.  You two need to know that I cried also.

September 6, 2009

Here we are starting a new year with lots of possibilities.  After sitting in on a textbook presentation recently, I was reminded how important it is to have a balanced math program.  Five to nine minutes each day should include drill and practice of basic facts using a sequential approach to the computational strategies.  I talk so much about this at my workshops but it continues to be important not for fact sake alone but as tools for application into more complex mathematics.

There are three steps on the road to fluency with basic facts:

•  Teach for understanding

•  Teach the strategies sequentially

•  Practice, practice, practice!

There are two models for each of the four operations.  Addition has two picture models that need to be developed with students.  Additions means to combine quantity.  That is the part/part/whole model.  This will be so important for fractions later on.  The other model is number line growth and that will be important for integers.  Subtraction has two models.  One is to “take away.”  That is the inverse of part/ part/ whole.  The other model is the inverse of number line growth, the difference between model.  

The two models for multiplication are critical for connections to be made with proportional relationships and measurement.  One model is repeated addition of like quantity.  This is the “groups of” model.  I always talk at my workshops about having that “groups of” statement as one of your five important visuals in the elementary classroom.  The other model is the area/array model.  Division is the inverse of multiplication so one model is repeated subtraction of like quantity.  The other would be the inverse of the area/array relationship.  This would be if given the area and one side, what is the length of the missing side?

I do not see the understandings developed adequately in math textbooks.  I also think that the computational strategies are “hit and miss” in the textbooks.  I like to think about the computational strategies as the bridge connecting the understanding and fluency.  In my next blog, I will write about the ten “power” strategies!

Remember that the tenth day of school is a day to celebrate how powerful ten is in developing number sense.  Don’t forget to use page 13 in my book, Math Drills to Thrill with the Random Number CD.  The ladybugs are arranged in a ten-frame.  While students circle the number they hear, they are also seeing what remains.  Later on, they can write the equation to the right of the frame.  Also, play my game “Take Two for 10″ with a deck of playing cards.  Have students place 10 cards face up in two rows of five.  Ace is worth one and every face card is a zero.  Jokers are worth 10.  The player picks up two cards with a sum of ten.  If there are no pairs showing equaling 10, two more cards are turned over.  A player is not cheating.  The check is only face cards are left at the end of the game.  

Understanding base ten is generated when cutting out the digit cards for the place value pocket.  There are only ten symbols to express quantity or measure.  Read Stuart Murphy’s book, Earth Day Hooray! to help students understand that we recycle the digits because we only have ten.  

These are just a few quick ideas for celebrating ten in your classroom!  The payoff will come throughout the year!

Hope you are relaxing this Labor Day weekend.  I am enjoying the mountain air with my family before our daughter goes back to UC Santa Cruz on Monday to begin a new season of golf and get ready for her senior year.  Ah, empty nest!

Mathematically yours,

Wow, what a trip!  By now, you know that my family and I had a very unique experience this last week.  We sailed out of Miami on a Carnival Cruise.  Our first!  This cruise had two ports of call, Key West and Cozumel!  We returned on Friday to land and spending the weekend in South Beach.  While at sea, I had the wonderful experience of working with the Canadian Seventh Day Adventist teachers.  I so appreciated this opportunity to work with the teachers and all their enthusiasm for my ideas.  The conference was a huge success and Brandy and Betty did an amazing job of making this event happen!

There are so many options on a cruise.  We were amazed!  Seemed very cost effective in that there were plenty of food options and activities.  We enjoyed the ports.  We even returned by car to Key West after disembarking the ship.  At Cozumel, we went on an excursion in beach buggies to snorkel at Punta Sur, a reserve with a small Mayan ruin.  

The teaching of mathematics in this setting was amazing.  It was a new experience for me.  I usually “wind up” before my presentations but it was such a relaxed atmosphere to teach in and I learned that I can teach and be relaxed!  Please know that I appreciate my life very much…..

I was able to listen to several of the other presenters and learned lots….. one of the messages was about teaching with what’s in hand.  That really hit a note for me.  Times are incredibly hard in many places.  Teachers have been laid off and budgets cut to a bare minimum.  This could translate into lots of whining.  I don’t think that will happen.  Teachers have long used their own resources and ingenuity to make their classrooms the best learning places for their students.  

This year, get to the basics of number sense with tools that requires no expense to think of.  The place value pockets from my book, Place Value with Pizzazz is one of the most important tools to use this year!  Hopefully you have them run off in cardstock with at least two sets of digit cards.  Remember to match the size of the pocket to your grade level standards. 

You will need ones, tens, hundreds and thousands cut from the five mesh plastic canvas.  One of my five recommended visuals to be used three times a week is “Aerobic Place Value Cards.”

Warmup with Ron Brown’s song, “Place Value Rap” from Math Concepts I and II.  Teach my dance if you know it!  Your students will love it and be motivated to learn place value! 

Three times a week take your students through the three steps for place value understanding:

•  On the overheard projector, make a picture of a number using the five mesh plastic canvas.

•  Pass out the Aerobic Place Value Cards.  The students with the cards for the picture will run up.  The students will be in the expanded form of the number.

•  Students will show the standardized form of the number.

This drill is essential for reinforcement of place value understanding.  Please know students need repeated practice with this, not just the seven pages in textbook on place value.

If you are still waiting for requests from me, don’t worry.  I am home all next week and will get them sent.  If you still do not have them by September 1st, assume that I did not receive your request and send again.

Mathematically yours,

Wow!  How quickly summer fades away!  I am so appreciative of the immediate support of my new book, All Aboard the Algebra Express!  Thank you for believing in my ideas and philosophy!  It only inspires me more….. please let me know how the ideas work for your students.

So enjoyed the Math Camp in Auburn, Washington!  What great participants with so much enthusiasm.  We thank Heidi for all the work she did to make it happen.  I thank all the teachers who traveled from near and far to participate.

Had a super two days in Oregon City and Brenda worked very hard to bring that class to her district when budgets have been cut down to nothing.  Love that class because of the emphasis on number properties.

Ended that trip with two great days with the Albany teachers.  Can’t believe the work the district is willing to do!  They are giving the teachers the tools to make it happen and the teachers are so willing to do what is right mathematically for their students!  I am so excited to be a part of that!  More to come on that….

Hard to explain the excitement of this last trip for the summer.  In a few short hours, my family will get on our first cruise.  Leaving Miami to cruise and teach mathematics for the Canadian Seventh Day Adventists teachers for their annual conference!  I have chosen two topics to speak about….. The Six Guiding Principles of Teaching Mathematics and Computational Strategies!  These two topics are the cornerstones of teaching mathematics.

Getting in the mindset of teaching mathematics means that we, as teachers need to think about the year’s journey of mathematics.  What are the big ideas we hope our students gain from this year?  Remember, the small details may be forgotten but what are the themes?  I so believe that it should be a commitment that the whole school makes!  Let’s make that a priority…… common goals are important.  No more finger pointing about what skills students are lacking!

Computational strategies are an every day commitment.  What can we do every day to get fluency with facts!  Let’s thrill them with the drills as opposed to killing them.

I know the sweet sea voyage will be inspiring and renewing for us.  More math to come!  Thank you, Linda for the good idea of dating each entry!  You are the best!

Mathematically yours,

Greg Tang

Fee for the workshop is $199 (U.S.) / Groups of 3 or more is $189 (U.S.) per person. Lunch is included.

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Do you want your students to be fluent with their basic math facts and also have a true understanding of the algorithms they are using? Do you want them to be clever, creative problem-solvers who will be ready for higher math when they’re older? Well what if it turns out that our current approach to teaching math will never get them there? Would you change the way you teach?

Despite the fact that we’ve spent millions on new books, new programs, and countless hours of professional development, our kids are still struggling in math. In this groundbreaking workshop for elementary school teachers (grades 2-6), Greg Tang presents a new paradigm for teaching math that turns conventional wisdom on its ear.

He’ll show you why so many widely used teaching methods are actually hurting kids rather than helping them, and how a few important changes to your practice will help students develop the critical thinking skills they need. You’re guaranteed to come away with a better understanding of what makes kids good in math, and most importantly, you’ll gain new perspectives on what it means to be smart and how you can make your students smarter.

Program Highlights:

1. Fluency Framework
   Partials plus traditional algorithms, guided investigations, blueprint for strategies, efficient assessment, algebraic teaching
2. Critical Contrasts
   Counting vs adding, skills vs strategies, partials vs place value, facts vs factors, abstract vs concrete, algebraic vs non-algebraic
3. Troublesome Topics
   Regrouping algorithms, subtracting across zeroes, long division, distributive property, multiplying decimals, dividing fractions
4. Power of Place Value
   Base arithmetic, color/shape value, cross-curriculum connections, fractions/decimals, time/money, measurement, algebra
5. Assessing Appropriateness
   Math journals, mad minutes, children’s literature, math songs, number lines, fact families/triangles, finger tricks, showing work

What You Will Learn:

• Teach young kids to think abstractly rather than concretely
• Develop computational fluency without sacrificing true understanding
• Encourage algebraic thinking by connecting concepts and strategies
• Combine the best of both traditional and progressive math programs
• Teach kids to be good in math and more importantly, to be smart!

Who Should Attend?

All K-6 Classroom Teachers, Elementary Math Teachers, Resource Specialists and Curriculum Co-ordinators should attend.

Cancellations/Substitutions:

Substitutions may be made at any time. All cancellations received the day of the seminar or afterwards are subject to a $15.00 service charge.

This Seminar Includes:

• Door Prizes
• Resource Handbook

University Credit:

½ unit of credit from Humboldt State University is available for an additional charge. These credential/ licensure courses offered are designed primarily for elective or professional development purposes. Clock hours may also be available - please check at the workshop. Verification of hours of participation will be provided for continuing education or recertification.

How To Register:

Call (800) 841-5193 ~ Or Use Our Online Registration Form: Either Mail, Fax, or Use Your Credit Card on Our Secure Server. MasterCard and Visa Accepted (US funds only).

Greg Tang

Fee for the workshop is $195 (U.S.) / Groups of 3 or more is $185 (U.S.) per person. Lunch is included.

Traditional algorithms - we were all raised on them. But with calculators everywhere, should we still teach them? Yes! They’re fast and efficient, and they also help students develop a better understanding of numbers, place value, measurement - even fractions. Teaching them well is a great way to develop strong computational skills and at the same time teach critical math concepts.

So what’s the secret to teaching traditional algorithms? It’s first giving kids a thorough understanding of place value. In this innovative, new workshop for K-8 teachers, Greg Tang introduces a revoluntionary approach to teaching place value that will test and stretch each teacher’s understanding of this fundamentally important subject. You’ll come away with a deeper, more satisfying understanding of numbers, place value, and traditional algorithms, and a proven model for teaching them algebraically rather than procedurally. Best of all, you’ll gain a new perspective on math, teaching, and maybe even thinking. Math - and you - will never be the same!

“I’m truly excited to teach this workshop. For too long people have been arguing about which algorithms are better - newer algorithms based on partials or traditional algorithms based on place-value. To be good in math, kids need both! They need to have number sense and a thorough understanding of what they’re doing, but they also need to be great computationally - especially with big numbers. I created my Go Fast Go Far program to develop number sense and mental math skills, and now I have created this new workshop to develop speed and efficiency.

“But the computational benefits are only the beginning. The benefit that comes from learning to think algebraically is even greater. My goal is never to teach a specific fact, equation, or algorithm; it is to teach a way of thinking that empowers students to solve problems of any kind. Traditional algorithms, together with place value, provide a perfect forum for developing this type of thinking. I invite you to join me for what promises to be an engaging, enlightening - even exciting - day of learning.”

Program Highlights:

Grouping and Regrouping Skills

• Arithmetic in Other Bases
• Measurement & Elapsed Time Problems
• Fractions & Decimals

Developing Speed & Efficiency

• Re-teaching Traditional Algorithms
• Understanding Non-Traditional Algorithms
• Math “Tricks” Made Meaningful

Re-Thinking Place Value

• An Algebraic Approach to Bases
• Alternative Value Systems
• Assessing Conceptual Understanding

What You Will Learn:

• Teach place value algebraically, not procedurally
• Leverage place value to unlock the power of traditional algorithms
• Use appropriate rather than confusing terminology
• Differentiate between partials and place-value algorithms
• Lay the groundwork for higher math by developing algebraic thinking early
• Teach algebraically by focusing on concepts rather than specific problems
• Assess conceptual rather than procedural knowledge
• Develop critical math skills more systematically
• Apply problem-solving techniques to your own life
• Thoroughly enjoy math!

Who Should Attend?

All K-6 Classroom Teachers, Elementary Math Teachers, Resource Specialists and Curriculum Co-ordinators should attend.

Cancellations/Substitutions:

Substitutions may be made at any time. All cancellations received the day of the seminar or afterwards are subject to a $15.00 service charge.

This Seminar Includes:

• Door Prizes
• Resource Handbook

University Credit:

½ unit of credit from Humboldt State University is available for an additional charge. These credential/ licensure courses offered are designed primarily for elective or professional development purposes. Clock hours may also be available - please check at the workshop. Verification of hours of participation will be provided for continuing education or recertification.

How To Register:

Call (800) 841-5193 ~ Or Use Our Online Registration Form: Either Mail, Fax, or Use Your Credit Card on Our Secure Server. MasterCard and Visa Accepted (US funds only).

Greg Tang
Fee for the workshop is $195 (U.S.) / Groups of 3 or more is $185 (U.S.) per person. Lunch is included.

Greg Tang leads you on a math journey like no other. If you ever felt like you were missing the “math gene,” never connected with the way you were taught math, or are simply looking for ways to make math more intuitive and compelling to your students, then come discover what thousands of teachers have learned firsthand: a simple, common sense approach to numbers that holds the key to arithmetic, problem-solving, and mathematical thinking.

Join Greg as he shows teachers from kindergarten through 6th grade a step by step, consistent, and coordinated approach to teaching math that develops good number sense, builds strong computational skills, and encourages creative thinking and problem-solving. Best of all, it is so simple and straightforward that it leaves teachers wishing they had been taught this way. If you ever had doubts about math in the past, you’ll come away inspired and passionate about how math can be taught in the future. Math will never be the same!

Program Highlights:

Fluency with Numbers, Numbers & More Numbers

• Sequence and size of numbers
• Building blocks: decomposing numbers 1 to 10
• Creative use of place value
• Alternative number systems (color, shape, bases)
• Regrouping with Funny Numbers

Building Strong Computational Skills

• Transition from counting to grouping
• Strategic approach to addition and subtraction
• Multiplying without memorizing? Here’s how!
• Insight into long division
• Mental math

Creative Problem-Solving that Turns Students On

• Focus on efficiency and accuracy
• Learning to think out-of-the-box
• Looking for smart groupings
• Simplifying with patterns & symmetries

Unleashing Your Students’ Mathematical Thinking

• Activities that build speed, efficiency and accuracy
• Use verbal and visual materials to address different learning styles
• Move students away from a rote approach to learning facts and formulas

Making Math/Literature Connections

• Interdisciplinary approach to teaching: math, reading, writing, science, fine arts, and art history
• Verbal and visual communication to address multiple learning styles

What You Will Learn:

• Introduce numbers and place value in a way that prepares young learners for higher-order thinking
• Help children make the critical transition from counting to adding and adding to multiplying
• Teach kids to subtract quickly and accurately
• Teach children the times tables without memorizing
• Provide an intuitive understanding of long division
• Help students develop better computational and problem-solving skills by teaching both simultaneously
• Encourage children to think creatively and mathematically rather than follow rote formulas and procedures
• Address different learning styles by incorporating verbal and visual problems and explanations
• Take a multidisciplinary approach to teaching by combining math with reading, science, and even art history
• Make math truly relevant to children through fun and challenging books, games, and activities

Who Should Attend?

All K-6 Classroom Teachers, Elementary Math Teachers, Resource Specialists and Curriculum Co-ordinators should attend.

Cancellations/Substitutions:

Substitutions may be made at any time. All cancellations received the day of the seminar or afterwards are subject to a $15.00 service charge.

This Seminar Includes:

• Lunch
• Door Prizes
• Resource Handbook

University Credit:

½ unit of credit from Humboldt State University is available for an additional charge. These credential/ licensure courses offered are designed primarily for elective or professional development purposes. Clock hours may also be available - please check at the workshop. Verification of hours of participation will be provided for continuing education or recertification.

How To Register:

Call (800) 841-5193 ~ Or Use Our Online Registration Form: Either Mail, Fax, or Use Your Credit Card on Our Secure Server. MasterCard and Visa Accepted (US funds only).

Greg Tang
Fee for the workshop is $195 (U.S.) / Groups of 3 or more is $185 (U.S.) per person. Lunch is included.

Is there a systematic approach to teaching arithmetic that develops number sense, great computational and problem-solving skills, and most importantly, abstract thinking skills? Is there a new way of teaching math that isn’t just the same old stuff re-packaged in a different format? Is there a step-by-step approach to teaching and learning math that is based on common sense rather than common misconceptions? The answer is “yes!”

In this exciting new workshop for K-6 teachers, Greg Tang introduces Go Fast, Go Far TM – a program that helps children and adults become good in math. He’ll show you the strategies that make mental math easy to do, and the teaching materials that make math easy to learn. You’ll not only improve your content knowledge – the key to being a good math teacher – you’ll learn new methods and activities that will help you pass this knowledge on to your students. Greg’s systematic approach to math is so simple and straightforward, you’ll leave wishing you had been taught this way. So join us on the next leg of this exciting journey. Math will never be the same!

Program Highlights:

Addition Strategies

• Transition to skip counting
• Doubling strategies
• Shifting/renaming addends
• Making 10s & 100s
• Partial sums vs place value

Subtraction Strategies

• Making 10s & 100s
• Adding up
• Partial differences
• “99 by Design”
• Grouping place values

Multiplication Strategies

• Mastering 1-10
• Groups vs “groups of”
• Partial quotients
• Long & short division
• “Flip it and multiply”

What You Will Learn:

• Teach efficient arithmetic strategies that develop mental math agility
• Transition kids from concrete models to abstract equations
• “Cure” counters of finger counting – without duct tape!
• Lay the groundwork for higher math by developing algebraic thinking early
• Supplement your curriculum with materials that teach and assess at the same time
• Avoid common pitfalls in teaching: counting, turnarounds, doubles
• Move kids to increasingly efficient strategies – the key to mastering big numbers
• Improve your own content knowledge and comfort with math
• Become more judgmental and politically incorrect – the key to teaching math
• Thoroughly enjoy math and put the past behind you!

Who Should Attend?

All K-6 Classroom Teachers, Elementary Math Teachers, Resource Specialists and Curriculum Co-ordinators should attend.

Cancellations/Substitutions:

Substitutions may be made at any time. All cancellations received the day of the seminar or afterwards are subject to a $15.00 service charge.

This Seminar Includes:

• Lunch
• Door Prizes
• Resource Handbook

University Credit:

½ unit of credit from Humboldt State University is available for an additional charge. These credential/ licensure courses offered are designed primarily for elective or professional development purposes. Clock hours may also be available - please check at the workshop. Verification of hours of participation will be provided for continuing education or recertification.

How To Register:

Call (800) 841-5193 ~ Or Use Our Online Registration Form: Either Mail, Fax, or Use Your Credit Card on Our Secure Server. MasterCard and Visa Accepted (US funds only).

Here it is the beginning of August!  How can that be!  Summer is always anticipated and now the beginning of school is right around the corner.  Had a fantastic two days with many wonderful teachers in Boise, Idaho.  Many of the participants had traveled a great distance to come and I so appreciated that.  A special thanks to Rainey Peters for hosting the workshop and setting me up for success!  The Boise teachers are so lucky to have her support and enthusiasm for curriculum!  I always look forward to returning to that beautiful part of the world.

Throughout the last two days I heard lots of conversations regarding fall bulletin boards, classroom preparations and tool kits for students!  One of the reasons I love classroom teaching is the “fresh start” each year!  We always try to think of improving our teaching skills and what we offer our students.  Made a visit to the school supply in Boise to be filled with the thrill of new ideas.

Have you seen my new dominoes?  I am so excited about the possibilities because the quality of the dominoes is superior for $2 a set.  Dominoes can be used to identify numbers, create sums, look at differences and make two-digit numbers.  They are fun to use for fractions.  Probability with dominoes is exciting and real.  What a great start to the year using a new tool like dominoes!  Look for a book with domino activities from me around the new year!

Mathematically yours,