January 18, 2012

Learning never stops!  Am experiencing life’s bittersweet moments now.  My sweet, 86 year old mother is losing battle with cancer.  We are supported by the wonderful support of Hospice.  She is teaching me so much right now about many things and I am so grateful.

If you email and do not get reply, be patient or try again.  I am trying to stay on top of things but I am the “point guard” right now for my mom and my siblings so that is taking priority!

Mathematically yours,

Kim

December 14, 2011

Time sure does fly!  Can’t believe that this year is wrapping up with the celebration of all the holidays!  Got two days left before vacation?  Don’t forget to download the Number Trails (3 levels) from the Online Store.  Great game boards that practice factor analysis for every level!  Also the game “Factor Fun” from my Dynamic Dice book is an awesome game played with decahedron double dice or spinner…… students will constantly use the class number line.

My world was rocked recently.  Worked with several schools both teachers and students in Gallatin, Tennessee.  Called my friends John and Debbie Biord who have moved from Eureka, California to Nashville.  Meet them for dinner on my last night there.  John is the most amazing songwriter and singer who is following his heart to have a successful career in the music industry.  He performed after dinner and I was in awe!  Of course I had heard him when they lived in Northern California but he has really grown musically!  Had a potential Grammy nomination.  Did not happen but he was in the running!  You must look him up at iTunes!

Usually only write about math but could not pass up the opportunity to share his talents with my teacher friends!

I hope your vacation is filled with love, happiness and rest!  You really deserve it!

Mathematically yours,

Kim

October 26, 2011

Just spoke at two conferences, Northwest Math Conference and NCTM Regional in Atlantic City.  Times are tough and money is tight and yet there were so many dedicated teachers, math coaches and administrators attending!  Always great to meet new friends and reconnect with old friends.

Thinking today about the importance of helping children understand two models for each operation.  Seeing so many students struggle with subtraction with regrouping makes me realize that it is essential to teach the comparison model of subtraction using a number line.  Having students take adding machine tape and use it as an empty number line is a powerful alternative for regrouping.

Take for example the subtraction problem 71 - 29.  It can be solved mathematically using regrouping but an alternative is to place the two numbers on a number line asking students if they are walking from point of origin, which number would you meet first?  Students would write 29 on the left end and 71 on the right end.

Students are comparing the measure in spaces from 29 to 71.  They will mark the tens between the two points.  It would be four tens (40) and the one from 29 to 30 and one from 70 to 71.

Let’s not give up on students just because they can’t get it the way we were taught!

Mathematically yours,

Kim

Hope you are relaxing and enjoying a break from a school year of activity and energy!

Summer for me means incredible travel and it has been amazing already.  Started in Granbury, Texas with amazing teachers working on implementing my new 10 Block Schedule for Math Fact Fluency!  Then did two days with Salina, Kansas.  So enjoyed returning to work with the teachers there.

Puerto Rico was our next destination!  It was our first trip and it was fabulous!  The most amazing teachers in the most amazing school.  We loved the trip.  Got there on a Saturday from Kansas.  Had Sunday to explore the forts and Old San Juan.  Worked on Monday and Tuesday sharing math.  Got to do a little exploring of the island but can’t wait to return.

Flew Wednesday to another new destination!  Had a great audience in Hagerstown, Maryland!  Had a super group including teachers from West Virginia, Baton Rouge, Louisiana and other parts of Maryland.  The group was huge and we had such great days.

We spent the weekend touring New Orleans and Baton Rouge on our way to two weeks in Texas.  I do feel so fortunate to see so many places and meet so many incredible teachers on this journey!

Am enjoying training the 10 Block Schedule for Math Fact Fluency.  More to come…..

Mathematically yours,

April 6, 2011

Here comes something new!  Everywhere I go, I hear the same message, “Our children do not know their facts!”  My response is always the question, “What is your plan?”  Then I hear that students should work on it at home!  I agree that would be helpful but I am afraid that ship has sailed!  We have to have a plan!  Five to nine minutes of dedicated time each day is the recipe.

Drill and practice programs fail when students just randomly practice mixed facts.  The most success will happen if each strategy is practiced ten times……… make sure they know them!

10 Block Schedule for Math Fact Fluency!  Let’s go!

Kim

January 2, 2011

Happy New Year!  Trying hard to make several resolutions!  One needs to be to enjoy writing more!  I certainly struggle with it!

What a busy 2010!  For me personally, it was filled with extreme highs and lows but made it through.  2011 promises many opportunities for all of us.  Many state are facing the new Common Core Standards.  I am excited about the place value emphasis in these standards.  I know that if you are reading this, you have heard my rants about the importance of place value!  I am excited that we are about to announce the new Aerobic Place Value Cards in colors that match my place value dice!  That is such an important connection for students!  Also we will be carrying the decimal dice in tenths and hundredths!  With all of that, I will be featuring a new class next school year on teaching place value!

Think about constantly assessing what understandings your students have about place value!  Textbooks gloss over this and yet knowing what a number is the most important part of mathematics!

Just some thoughts while waiting for a flight in SF to Colorado Springs!  Take a walk and breath before it all begins again!

Mathematically yours,

October 17, 2010

What a thrilling couple of weeks!  Had the privilege of teaching students in Omaha, Nebraska and Springdale, Washington!  Love those opportunities and always learn lots…… worked with 5th graders in Springdale on long division.  Used the “repeated subtraction” method working with taking out groups of 10 of two-digit divisors.  Students were very engaged and eager and you can not ask for more than that!  It always reminds me to present a concept in more than one way.

Worked with third graders on rounding numbers.  Their inspiring teacher had done a super job on rounding two-digit numbers to the nearest multiple of ten!  They proved their understanding to me!  Then we tried to move to three-digit numbers.  I certainly do not have a magic wand!  We worked several different ways to move to rounding three-digit numbers to the nearest hundred.  They struggled and that was a reminder every step is a challenge!  A mountain can not be moved in one day!  Try, try again…..

Isn’t it humbling to be a teacher?  Always more to learn… 

Mathematically yours,

September 8, 2010

Another summer come and gone…. hope the beginning of the year is filled with excitement and promise!  I had a super summer of great workshops and loved each and every one.  Think I need to consider becoming Texas and Kansas residents since I am spending so much time there!  Learned lots and had such great times.

On a personal note, we moved this summer.  We had been in our house 23 years and it was difficult to leave a place where our daughter was born and raised.  Have to give my husband lots of credit!  He arranged and managed the move.  I was not even there.  It has been crazy!  Part of reason I have not blogged this summer.  If an email you sent went unanswered, please try again.  We are experiencing lots of trouble with email at this new place out in the country.

On a professional note, lots of amazing new happenings at Creative Mathematics!  We are so excited to have my friend, Marcy Cook presenting for us!  Her workshops are so practical, high energy and dynamic!  If you have not been to a Marcy Cook workshop, put it high on your “to do” list!  You will be energized and filled to the brim with practical strategies.

Greg Tang is a “man on the move” with lots of exciting new ventures.  He is presenting a new class for us on Math Learning Centers this fall.  Look at the exciting description for this!  His approach to teaching math is always “mind stretching!”

I have been busy implementing my new drill and practice program.  Last year I hinted at this project but kept quiet about it…… more to follow about this.

September is always the month to use apples in math.  Check out the “Apple Choices” at my Online Store.  You will find students love the activities!

Mathematically yours,

June 19, 2010

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,

May 4, 2010

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,

March 1, 2010

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

January 26, 2010

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,

December 31, 2009

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!

November 21, 2009

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,

October 16, 2009

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,

October 5, 2009

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

September 25, 2009

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,

September 8, 2009

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,

August 23, 2009

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,

August 17, 2009

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,

August 2, 2009

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,