The Mathematical
November 2018
There is a Prodigy webinar at 3:00 on November 1st. Sign up is in the Google Classroom. If you missed it or are unable to attend, a link to the recorded session will be posted in your Google Classroom under Online Resources.
*Although Prodigy is only 1st - 8th, they are in the development stages of a beta program called MathBrix. Hopefully this will be available soon.
Enrichment Ideas
*This will be posted in Google Classroom in a new Topic section called "Enrichment." If you try it with your students, please post a reply and share how it went with your students.
One site that can be useful in finding ideas is on Mindset Learning (www.mindsets.com). They offer 150 free memberships each month with unlimited use of the free Challenges. Below are 3 challenges for 6-8 grade related to upcoming standards in November.
6th Grade Challenge
Expressions & Equations
7th Grade Challenge
Sales and Profits
8th Grade Challenge
Effects of Transformations
Word Problem Mindsets
Here are a few ways to accomplish this:
Instead of saying these math problems are "word problems," introduce them as "math stories." Children of all ages love stories! Let's change our mindset as well and change our thought process.
Introduce "math stories" at the beginning of the lesson and make them an integral part of teaching the math. Students will still be doing the actual computation regardless of whether the problems are set up and ready to go or the numbers are pulled from a situation.
Change your mindset. Students only think these problems are harder because we either tell them they are or lead them to believe they are based on our actions. The difficulty of the actual math hasn't changed at all. These types of problems are the connection our students need to relate what they are learning to real life.
Request a session for Making Sense of Word Problems
Would you like more information or training on implementing word problems in your classroom? We can do grade level or the entire math staff with examples that you can implement right away. Simply send an email or complete the "Request a Visit" form below to schedule!
The Importance of Student Struggle
Assessing Students for Success
We, as teachers, also need to remember that assessing students doesn't always have to mean paper-and-pencil quizzes and tests. We all know those students who seem to do well in class discussions but then bomb a more formal assessment. "For students who experience success, the consequence is that they believe in their abilities and continue to challenge themselves to achieve more. For students who don't measure up, the consequence is that they learn not to trust their own work and fall into a cycle of self-doubt (Gallagher, 2018).
Using creative, project-based assessments is a way to break the cycle and allow students to use their creativity to demonstrate understanding while applying those newly learned skills. Let's give our students another way to show their mastery and give them back the feeling of success!
Read more about formative assessments in the math classroom.
Read more about creative assessments.
Books on Formative Assessments
- The Formative 5: Everyday Assessment Techniques for Every Math Classroom by Francis Fennell, Beth McCord Kobett, and Jon Wray
- Embedded Formative Assessment (Strategies for Classroom Formative Assessment that Drives Student Engagement and Learning) by Dylan William
- Classroom Assessment for Student Learning: Doing It Right - Using It Well by Jan Chappuis, Rick Stiggins, Steve Chappuis, and Judith Arter
- #FormativeTech: Meaningful, Sustainable, and Scalable Formative Assessment with Technology by Monica Burns
Coweta Community Foundation Classroom Grant Application
The Coweta Community Foundation is accepting applications for this year’s Educational Classroom Grants for local Coweta County Educators. The foundation is awarding competitive grants of $750 by grade level – two each in elementary, middle and high school. To see examples of last year’s grant awards, visit https://www.cowetafoundation.org/partner-grant/list. To learn more about the grants visit https://www.cowetafoundation.org/partner-grant/request, or call the Foundation at 770-253-1833.
Grant applications are being accepted through Friday, November 16th. Grant applications and submissions will only be accepted online. To apply, go to the grant link at https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=ccfound and create an account.
Middle School Collaboration Meetings
Professional Learning
Mastering Fraction Division: Using Visual Models to Promote Deep Learning
Nov 13, 2018 - Free Webinar from edWeb.net, 4:00 - 5:00
Deep learning, as described in John Hattie’s Visible Learning™ research, focuses on recognizing relationships among ideas. When students are engaged in deep learning in the mathematics classroom, they are actively seeking to understand the underlying structure of mathematics. This type of thinking is associated with the mathematical practices and process standards found in contemporary state and national standards documents. How do we help students think like this?
Middle School Math Collaboration
Nov 28, 2018 - Evans Middle School, 4:00 - 5:00
The monthly meeting will include student enrichment and GCA follow-up. Please bring a charged chromebook to the session.
CK12 Textbooks: Instructional Technology Training
Nov 29, 2018 - Werz, PLC, 4:00 - 5:00
Want to learn more about CK12 textbooks? This training is open to all county teachers wanting to learn more. Please bring your chromebook. Register here.
Request a Visit
Resources
Gallagher, K., (Sep 25, 2018). "Why Student Creation is the Hardest/Best Form of Assessment." Tech & Learning, vol. 39, Number 4. Retrieved from https://www.techlearning.com/tl-advisor-blog/why-student-creation-is-the-hardest-best-form-of-assessment
Webb, D. (2018). What is Formative Assessment? Retrieved from https://ed.wootmath.com/formative-assessment/what-is-formative-assessment
Comments, Questions, or Concerns?
Email: michelle.clarke@cowetaschools.net
Website: curriculum.cowetaschools.org
Location: 167 Werz Industrial Boulevard, Newnan, GA, USA
Phone: 770.254.2800
Twitter: @clarkemath