Math Mini-Conference

One of our PD was a half-day math conference. We had two half day conferences for reading earlier in the year.

This math conference dealt with the eight math practices and CGI math. We discuss ways to involve the students with the eight math practices. The first part of the morning was spent looking at the practices and their meaning. We had to find keywords and give examples for ways we use them in our classrooms.

During the CGI math part we were shown CGI buckets. We broke into partners and completed a math task using the materials in the baskets. CGI was exampled to us as letting the students figure out math problems on their own. The principal gave us the task of creating CGI buckets for our classroom. I am very excited to try this out with my students. My bucket will consist of unfix cubes, counters, bears, whiteboards, and hundred boards.

Math Center Survey

I surveyed my class of kindergartens on their thoughts about math centers. When I gave directions Imade sure the students knew I wanted their honest answers. The students drew a happy face for yes,sideways face for a little, and sad face for no. As I read the question I explained to them what I meant bythe question. I wanted this survey to give me as much information as possible.

Questions:

1) Do you enjoy math?

11: yes

4: a little

5: no

2) Do you like math centers?

14: yes

3: a little

3: no

3) Are you learning during math centers?

16: yes

4: a little

0: no

4) Do you work well with people in your group for math centers?

14: yes

5: a little

1: no

5) Do you feel upset during math centers?

5: yes

7: a little

8: no

Analysis:

The question about their learning during math centers was my most important question. During my research, I have noticed that students are more engaged and learning during hands on learning centers.My students know they are learning the skills I am teaching during their math centers. With 16 studentssaying they are learning I was surprised at the answer for question five. This makes me wonder if theyare upset with their groupmates instead of the actual work. Even though I have five students that do notenjoy math there are only three that do not like the centers. This correlates with my research as well.Researches have observed students being less attentive and off task during classes with no centers.

I enjoyed being able to survey my students. It has let me see how students feel about the activities goingon in the classroom

Proficiency & Fluency Part 2

Exploration 1:

First, I made a tower for each person with a different color. The next step was to distribute the cubes for each person to have the same number. This is a good was to practice division without the students even realizing it. The mean is 6.

Exploration 2:

The missing factor was 6 which balanced out the equation.

Exploration 3: will be added tomorrow. I do not have different size pencils at home

Exploration 4:

This is different from #1 because I had to dump the cubes together to show addition. Then I had to distribute them evenly for each person. I liked doing this exploration more than 4. I believe I could actually do this task with my kindergarteners later in the year.

Multiplication Fluency Game

I have played the game around the world with kindergarteners using addition and subtraction flash cards. It would be very easy and fun for students to play this game with multiplication flash cards.

Students should sit in a circle around with the teacher at one in using the flashcards. Two students would go against each other to see who can say the answer first. Whoever gets the answer correct first moves to the next person. If they go all the way around the circle they went around the world. I like this game because it can be used with the whole class or with a small group. Having the teacher be a part of this game is very helpful. This way you can make sure they are answering correctly.

Addition and Subtraction Game

The game I created involves students drawing number cards out of a brown bag and adding them.

Directions:

1. Collect recording sheet (1 for each partner)
2. Roll dice: whoever has the largest number goes first
3. Pick two cards out of the brown bag.
4. Write the two numbers on the recording sheet in an addition equation and solve
5. You may use drawings (space on recording sheet), mental math, or cubes to find the answer
6. Partner needs to make sure the answer is correct
7. If answered correctly, roll dice and move that many spaces on game board.
8. Next person picks cards and complete the steps

There are two sets of number cards 0-12 in the bag. Student may get two cards that equal more than 20. I feel this is okay because they have manipulatives to use as support to solve their questions. Student are held accountable by writing their equation and answers on the recording sheet.

I played the game to generate 30 addition equations. My equations are

11+12, 0+2, 8+2, 9+7, 10+6, 11+4, 12+7, 5+4, 9+8, 12+8, 8+5, 10+2, 9+6, 12+-, 6+7, 11+7, 4+0, 11+1, 9+4, 8+5, 9+2, 5+0, 12+2, 12+7, 7+8, 6+5, 6+6, 7+5, 8+7, 11+12

The most frequent are: 15, 13, 12

The least frequent are: 2, 10, 9, 4, 5

Analysis of Mathematics Curriculum: Part 2

The curriculum gives ideas for interventions and extensions for some of the activities. There are teacher notes on a few pages throughout the teacher handbook describing why students might need more help on a certain part of the lesson. This curriculum really meets the students that are hands on learners. Almost every lesson in Unit 4 has students using manipulatives.  Students are using cubes to show there understanding of counting, using pennies to make ten with a partner, and using tiles to show different ways to represent a number.

The curriculum relates to “Math Wars” because there are some traditional lessons and some not so traditional. I have talked to a lot of teachers about this curriculum and have heard A LOT of different opinions. Some teachers really like following the lessons from day one until the end. Other teachers feel they have to skip through because the task aren’t high enough for their students. Also, it is being forced on teachers to used because it cost so much and their county bought it.

MY Ideal Math Curriculum:

• would align with the standards I am teaching
• have materials for my low, average, and high students for centers
• give low and high cognitive math task ( I believe both are important)
• have games for students to play to help them better understand the concepts being taught
• some worksheets, for students to be able to write down their thoughts
• NO textbook, students are not learning by reading through a book and doing only the even numbers
• technology resources that align with the concepts
• manipulatives, manipulatives, manipulatives!
• list of additional resources of teachers to use for their learning and student learning
• real-world connections
• problem solving activities
• same ways of working problems will be used through all grade levels
• developmentally appropriate!

This curriculum is most suitable to support mathematics teaching and learning because it will meet every students need. Students will learning strategies in kindergarten that will help them for the rest of their life. This curriculum will start out with the basics in kindergarten. Most people say the Common Core does not let kindergartens be kindergartens. But, this curriculum will change that. There will be different activities that teach the standards but teach them in a way every student can learn. Teachers will not have to constantly search for interventions because they will already be found for them. This curriculum will allow teachers to teach math the way their students need to be taught.

The Skeleton Tower

1. Note the figure above. It is made of cubes that form stair steps. The center of the tower is 6 cubes high. On all four sides of the top tower are stair steps that extend from the center.
2. How many cubes are needed to build a tower like this, but that is 3 cubes high? 15 cubes
3. How many cubes are needed to build a tower like this, but that is 4 cubes high? 28 cubes
4. How many cubes are needed to build a tower like this, but that is 5 cubes high? 45 cubes
5. How would you calculate the number of cubes needed for a tower N cubes high?
6. How do the answers in parts 1-5 help you?

I am a very visual learner. For this task, I decided to draw out the towers for each questions (if only I was an artist).  🙂  Sometimes I wonder if I have to draw out everything because I’m always asking my students too. When I started drawing the cubes I realized there was a row of cubes in the middle you couldn’t see. Which makes me glad I drew them out or I would have got all the answers wrong. (This proves the reason I ask my kiddos to draw a picture to find their answers.)  After I drew each tower, I knew I could add up all the cubes or simply multiply the stair steps together and add the hidden cubes.

3 cubes: 3*4+3=15 cubes, 4 cubes: 6*4+4=28 cubes, 5 cubes: 10*4+5=45 cubes.

Now question 5 stopped me. I have never been good at coming up with a formula. I’ve been staring at my paper for quite some time.

K-5 Establishing Baselines For Student Success in Mathematics

Each teacher at my school was able to select a PTEC workshop to go to during this school year. After we go to the workshop we have to returned to our grade level and present. I, of course, picked the workshop dealing with math. Math has always been a subjected I loved through my schooling and as I have been teaching. Mathematics is part of my Masters program as well.

The workshop started out with us writing the beliefs of teaching and learning from the points of view of media, parents, community, teachers, and administration. After everyone has written one of each we seen that almost everything was negative. The view point with the most positive comments was the teachers. Anyone surprised? Next, we completed out our teacher believe survey.( Teaching and Learning Beliefs Survey)

We discussed how the Principles to Actions Mathematics Teaching Practices and the Common Core State Standards for Mathematical Practice are linked. (Comparison of Math Practices and Teaching Practices) We noticed that the Principles to Action should be what the teachers are doing while the Common Core should be what the students are doing.

Then we looked at Low Cognitive Demand Task and High Cognitive Demand Task. I had already completed this in my first Masters class. I enjoyed completing it again and being able to talk with other teachers about each task.

We spent the rest of the day looking at all eight of the Practice to Actions Mathematics Teaching Practices. We received the book Principles to Actions Ensuring Mathematical Success for All from NCTM. From the parts of the book that we looked at during the workshop I am excited to read more.

After the had looked at the 8 practices we looked at different tasked and discussed where the each practice took place.

There is only one part of the workshop I wished was changed. All of the tasked were for 3-5. There was not much mention of Kindergarten anywhere during the workshop. Since I have to report back to my team, I do not feel like I can give them specific information on Kindergarten.

If you have not been to the Mathematics Wiki you need to go! http:maccss.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/home

Chicken Nuggets

This task ended up giving me a headache. The first two questions were easier because I knew what I was looking for. The last two questions were a little confusing. I used trial and error to try to figure them out. There are just way to many numbers to choose from using trial and error. I was pretty lucky picking the numbers to try. For 7, 11, and 17 I started with 43 hoping they would be the same but, I was wrong.

Criticisms of Reform-Based Mathematics Curricula

My first reaction to the video was why in the world is a meteorologist speaking about math curriculum. As I listened to her I noticed she had some valid points. Over the summer I tutored an upcoming 3rd grader. Her parents had no clue how to help her with the homework she had brought home during the school year. This is very challenging for parents that are trying help their students practice at home. Her parents, just like me, were taught how to solve problems by the standard algorithms.

I thought the Turk strategies for solving the multiplication and division problems were confusing. How can we expect students just learning multiplication and division to understand? Then it makes me wonder…if it was confusing for me because I have only been taught to solve using the standard way??

I am not trying to say that students should only be taught the standard algorithms. When students understand the concept being taught then I believe they can try different ways to solve problems. My big fear is that I let my students try to figure out ways on their on and they never fully understand the concept. I know there are students that could be handed the multiplication or division problem she completed in the video and figure it out the Turk or Everyday Math way. But, what about the other students that get confused, miss a step, and get every question wrong?

This leads me into how I believe curriculum should be used in the classroom. I have come to believe that textbooks should not be the top priority of a teacher. In the few years of my career I have heard teachers complain about their being no money to buy textbooks. So what? I had an Investigation textbook for every student in my class last year. I could count on both hands the number of times I used in it the 180 days of school.

One of the quotes from the reading that really stood out to me was:           Teacher and students interacting bring curriculum to life and create something that cannot exist in a textbook. I have seen this happen in my classroom multiple times. Teachers are being able to see how their students are thinking and working through problems. Students are seeing that their teachers are interested in how they are working out their problem. I remember sitting in my high school math classes working out problems from the textbook as my teacher sat at her desk. Then when I turned my paper in she circle where I messed up, which was usually the same on half the problems. If she were up interacting with the other students and myself, I may have been able to stop making the mistakes.

I believe that some math curriculums are very helpful. I do not believe that teachers should have to follow them word by word. Not every student will learn by them. Teachers should be able to use their judgment and use the curriculum as they see fit.