Throughout my years as a math interventionist, I’ve used and seen a variety of structures and classes for students who struggle with math. In addition to struggling with math, most of these students in our math intervention classrooms have also struggled with reading comprehension and lacked academic vocabulary. Personally, I’ve worked with hundreds of these students. While each student is unique, there are definitely similarities and patterns that arise.
[Read more…] about How to Run a Math Intervention ClassSearch Results for: fractions
5 Books for math teachers
Every summer my nightstand piles up with the books that I’ve collected over the year. I like to unwind over the summer with a mix of fiction and teaching books. When it comes to math teaching books, I love stepping back from the classroom and exploring new ideas to try.
There’s a range of teaching books that I’ve read over the years. Some books are motivational. Some have clever ideas that get my wheels turning about new things to try in my classroom. But there are some books that I keep going back to long after summertime is over. Let’s dive into each of these books for math teachers that I think are well worth their place on your bookshelf.
[Read more…] about 5 Books for math teachersHow to Teach Functions with Interactive Notebooks
We introduce the word “functions” to students in 8th grade math. They, of course, have worked with functions in earlier grades. However, functions were previously referred to as input/output tables. Often teachers show input/output tables as a machine with a rule giving students their first introduction to the topic. But just because students should have some background with the concept of functions, it definitely doesn’t mean that you don’t have to teach this topic to students. They need to have a deeper understanding of functions before going into comparing functions and unit rates later on. Today I’m sharing with you the step by step way that I use interactive notebooks to introduce functions and activate students’ prior knowledge. By the end of this unit, students are prepared for other 8th grade topics with functions.
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10 Ideas for 6th Grade Math Test Prep
In our math teaching world today we have to administer a plethora of tests throughout the year. Sometimes our students get tired of the same old ways of practicing and reviewing. Today I’d like to share some test prep and review ideas with you for those tests that have all the 6th grade level standards on them. I believe that students really need to be engaged when they review, or they will not remember and carry it with them. Also, I like to make test prep a collaborative effort between students. So, many of the activities below don’t just review the math, they also get students working together and having fun.
[Read more…] about 10 Ideas for 6th Grade Math Test Prep7 Thanksgiving Math Activities To Add some Spice to Your Class
The month of November can seem to fly by when it comes to teaching, and Thanksgiving sometimes doesn’t get any attention in the math classroom. This year I’ve decided to add a little bit more Thanksgiving cheer to my class, and I want to share some of the ideas with you. This time of year is a time of reflection and gratitude, so I thought my students might be thankful to have some Thanksgiving fun. Also, I am going to have them do some reflection on why they should be thankful for specific math topics. [Read more…] about 7 Thanksgiving Math Activities To Add some Spice to Your Class
