-
Getting in the School Mindset
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,
