Math Strugglers (Tammi Sani)

Tami Sani, I hear you are wonderful and have incredible results at teaching math to students who consistently struggle. Do you have any suggestions for general classroom teachers to improve our practices with students who frequently struggle? Joe

Dear Joe,
First and foremost thank you for your kind words. I feel quite honored receiving the pixie pointer. Teaching at Chets alongside incredible leaders, coaches, and teachers has made quite a difference in the way I tackle math with my students. Here are a few tips that I find useful with the children in my care.

* manipulatives, manipulatives, manipulatives...... Your visual and tactile learners will have an extremely difficult time grasping new skills unless manipulatives are used. I find that you have to model repeatedly to your struggling learners HOW to use the manipulatives.

*TRUST..... Earning a struggling child's trust and getting them to the point where they communicate with me what they don't understand is key to my success with them.

*mnemonics......... My students know that I live by the motto "Whatever it takes!" and I will do whatever it takes to get them to commit math terms to memory and understand math concepts. I sing, make up poems, rap, etc, etc, etc.

*repetition..... A national conference my special ed. team and I attended years ago had a presenter share with us that most learning disabled children need to hear something 1400 times before it is committed to memory. This really helped me become more patient with my learners. Don't think that just because you've taught a skill more than once that everyone is going to grasp it. Your naive learners will need repetition.

I hope you find these useful. I will be glad to share my songs, rhymes, etc. with you. Happy teaching!

Fondly,
Tammi

In-class Safety Nets (Joe Montisano)

Joe Montisano—We saw your increase in diagnostic scores…How do you TARGET students in the FCAT danger zone? What system for strategy groups do you have in place?
From Lynn Patterson & Lindsay Hoffman

Thankfully, I have a job at Chets Creek where we use a wonderful diagnostic test that helps teachers categorize students into groups based on their strengths and weaknesses. Before teaching a specific unit I go back and look at the diagnostic profile sheet, which allows me to gain an understanding of what to expect in the upcoming unit and anticipate possible struggles. I prefer to start the unit knowing which students came to my class with a limited amount of prior knowledge on a specific unit.

During the work period I focus much of my time conferring with individuals or tables of students improving their skills on particular strategies that the students can be confident in, successful with, and rely on.

Mrs. Tsengas has been a wonderful addition to our team this year. She has done a wonderful job in assisting me with the strategy groups. She pulls the students who struggle in particular areas to her clubhouse, located in the bookroom. At times, students looked forward to going with her to her “cool” club house, rather than stay in the classroom with me. She is a natural at making students feel comfortable.

Furthermore, all students who are in the FCAT danger zone have been invited to tutoring on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. I focus my tutoring lessons on individual student weaknesses. I spend this time revisiting concepts from past investigations and units utilizing teacher made story problems.

Joe Montisano

Monitoring (Heide Donalson)

Dear Heide,

You are such a great teacher in many ways. You shared with me how you monitor and keep track of each child's progress in your classroom. Heide, please share with all of us your successful, monitoring plan.

Your buddy,

Cathy Daniels

Answer from Heide Donalson to Cathy Daniels
Thanks friend for thinking about me. I am very type A with a lot of wanting to find a better way of keeping my life easy.

Since I am in a co-teach model, I had to come up with a system that would benefit the two of us plus the 3 ESOL kids, 1 speech child, 13 PMP kids, 11 target children, 14 kids being pulled by Mrs. Williams, and the wonderful Landstar readers! AHHHH! So, I created individual folders that include their diagnostic profile sheet, a yellow form that allows others to know what that child is working on, a reading form, any target information, and a place for everyone to sign that works with that child.

This took a lot of work in the beginning, but now it is very easy and it benefits everyone!

Can You Imagine? (Cathy Daniels)

Cathy Daniels,
Can you imagine a day… at the end of a perfect school year? What dreams have come true? How did you so masterfully touch every child in your care? I can imagine because I see it unfolding everyday in your classroom, but if you could have it ALL come true… Liz
Dear Buddy (Liz),

Is this a trick question? I believe every year that the precious students that walk through the door are mine for a reason. From the first day of school to the last day of school, I tell them that they are the BEST first graders in the WORLD. I believe it, and so do they. Each year I look at my students as the perfect class for me.

You ask me, "What dreams have come true?" I think daily I see dreams coming true within each child. It's the best feeling when the magic begins, and the light bulbs start to go off throughout the class. Their excitement alone is reward in itself. I meet every child where they are, and take them daily to that next level. I must interject right now, how wonderful it is having you in the class with me. You are incredibly instrumental in making dreams happen.

Each day, I tell myself, "Okay, I've got to get them ready for second grade." I can't settle for anything, but their best, and my best.

The last day of school when I look at each child and remember where they were when they arrived in my classroom, I do feel that all my wishes, my goals, and my dreams for each child did come true.

Love ya like a sister,
Cathy Daniels

"If I do not love, I am nothing..." (Liz Duncan)

Liz, Let me start by saying, "I luv you girl!" You have been an incredible presence in my life professionally and personally from the moment I stepped inside these walls. I have admired your talents for years and have watched you sprinkle your magic fairy dust inside and outside of school (if you know what I mean, New Orleans, Louisiana, baby)! Okay, so on to what I really, really, really want to know.

I know this magical part of you must come from within but how do you crawl, tiptoe, cuddle or love your way into the heart of every child you speak to? I watch you again and again hoping to catch just a glimmer of the magic. Maybe you carry it inside your pocket but I have a sneaky suspicion it lies right there within that good ol' country girl heart.

"Carolina girls, the best of the world!" Love, Randi


Randi,

Thank you from the bottom of my melted heart. You amaze me. Another cool chick in my book is a contemporary Christian musician, Ginny Owens. She is an inspiring singer, song writer, keyboard player, and oh yes, she’s blind. The words to my favorite song of hers remind us…

“…I could sing like an angel, songs so humble and so thankful so the world would know Your truth…I could give away my life to restore the people that are so important, yet lost, down, and out…find favor with peasants and kings….but if I do not love, I am nothing..

….I could speak so kindly, smile so warmly…I could achieve success on earth, but these things will not matter in the end…stories will cease, the dust will settle on my selfless deeds…but if I did not love, I am nothing. I will love my brother like no other….as You first loved me…

…When I leave this earth, will they choose to say, that I chose to love?”

Every little face I see, is an opportunity to love. Children connect with their hearts, whether broken or whole, so I try to humbly give them mine first, whether broken or whole, with sincerity, respect, and a whole lotta childish humor.

What other career allows us this amazing opportunity?
Can You Imagine, a Day …when everyone loves others as they would be loved? I bet you can…

Love,

Liz

Co-teaching- Departmentalized (Lindsay Hoffman/ Lynn Patterson)

My Question is for Lindsay Hoffmann and Lynn Patterson:
Lindsay and Lynn how have you all managed as 1st year co-teachers and still stay “departmentalized”? What is a typical day like as you both interact with your class (specifically focusing being “departmentalized”)? What are some things that you have learned about co-teaching since the 1st day of school this year? Ashley

The answer is that we don't... We are always thinking of ways to integrate subjects. For example, if we're working on visualization in Writers', we can practice in math when working with story problems, or if we are working on report writing, we may brainstorm doing reports on a current or recent topic of study in Science.

The overlap of subjects allows for a deeper understanding in a more well-rounded learner, who is better prepared for the real world, where things are rarely isolated or departmentatlized!

L & L

Is there a 2nd-3rd grade Math gap? (Ashley Russell)

Ashley Russell - How has the experience of being a 3rd grade Math teacher helped you with your transition to 2nd grade? Do you feel there is a gap between the 2nd and 3rd grade Math curriculum. If so, do you have suggestions as to how to better bridge the gap? Kathi


In my opinion, my experience as a 3rd (and 4th) grade teacher has been an enormous asset in my work as a 2nd grade teacher. Even though I have not taught 2nd grade, I feel like I have an advantage because I know what the students will be expected to do next year (and the next for that matter.) As I teach, I often find myself “slipping in” 3rd grade terminology or skills thus making my job easier for next year as I hope to loop my kids to 3rd grade. I also feel that I have been able to help my 2nd grade math colleagues better understand what their students will be expected to do next year as I am on the only one who has taught in the intermediate grades.

As far as a “gap” between 3rd and 2nd grade goes, when I taught 3rd grade I used to think there was a gap but now I have come to a new realization. As I have been teaching my heart out this year, I have come to understand that students in 2nd grade must learn everything that is taught. There is absolutely no room for missing any of the concepts in order for them to be “successful” in 3rd grade. This so-called “gap” seems to be the result of any concept that was not learned in 2nd. The curriculum is set up well enough; however, it is my job as a 2nd grade teacher to make sure that the concepts are not just taught, rather that each child has a deep understanding of the concepts. No math concept can be skipped in 2nd grade. Great question!!Ashley