- Ashley Thomas
- Columbia, SC #Grade 5 #Grade 3 #Grade 4 #Math #ELA
Tis the season...for progress monitoring! We use MAP testing in our district for elementary students and one of my favorite ways to encourage them to meet their goals is to first meet with them before the test and discuss what they feel their strengths are and what is something that they'd like more help in. For MAP, they receive their score at the end so I love to write a sticky note (or put it at the top of their scratch paper) what their goal score is so they know immediately if they met it or not. I will also put an encouraging note beside it to remind them how awesome they are.
What are some ways you encourage your students to meet their goals when taking tests?
Vocabulary is such an important part of any instruction. What are some creative ways you use to help students retain vocabulary knowledge more than just word walls?
One of the ways I do it is something Talk a Mile a Minute. I put a topic on the board (example: multiplication) and then list 5-6 words that are associated with the topic (example: product, factor, array, repeated addition, equal groups). Students partner up facing each other, with one student facing the board and the other facing away. The person facing the board will give clues about the different words (think $100,000 Pyramid) so that their partner can guess. After that round, the partners will switch. It only takes about 5-6 minutes but it has been a game changer in my room! Would love to hear other ideas as well!
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I just started in a new district and they do standards-based grading which I love because it gives students more time to practice and work towards mastery. I’m a math interventionist so I don’t give grades anymore but one of the things I did as a teacher was put a plus sign and then they number of points they got on an assignment. This way they knew what they got correct but they also felt better than just getting a bad score. We could then have more conversations about how they could continue to improve!
Something that I’ve found with some of my students throughout the years is that they don’t know how to regulate their emotions. Instead of yelling at them, I prefer a conversation about what happened but only after I give them some time to cool down. I love this suggestion though because I think it’s the perfect conversation starter. What other ideas have you used with students?
One of the best ways I've found to start building relationships with students (please keep in mind I did this with elementary students) was to ask them for songs that made them feel good BUT there couldn't any inappropriate lyrics. I would sometimes use instrumental versions if I couldn't find clean versions of the songs. I would use this to build a playlist and when students were doing independent work, I would play it. Students loved it and got to share with me why they chose the song.
I loved teaching science and one of my favorite sections of science with severe weather. Before moving to South Carolina, I didn't experience much severe weather in Pennsylvania other than a few blizzards growing up. Once I moved here, I realized how valuable this lesson in science truly was. I have attached a planning guide and rubric from when I taught severe storms. I have done this a number of ways, but this refers to a board -- we had Discovery Education so students could create 'boards' to share this information. This also easily done in PPT, Canva, or any other computer tool (if you have great ideas on how to present this, please add below!). You can also have students use paper to create this! Some students have created pamphlets before and they've been just as creative!
In my role as a math interventionist (although looking back I did it as a homeroom teacher, but I don't think as intentionally as I do it now), I have found that many of my students can do the math, they just don't believe they can. As educators, we wear so many hats and one of them is helping students see their potential. I now ask students when they answer a question for me: "Are you asking me or are you telling me?" This questions prompts students to be more convicted in their answer to me. Or if they aren't sure about their answer, it prompts them to go back and recheck it. I have the conversation with students that if they aren't sure of their answer then they need to take a second look at it. They should always answer confidently if they did the work. If it's wrong, we will figure out what happened. It has been so rewarding to hear teachers say that their students are more confident in their answers when sharing in class.
As a math interventionist (but honestly I wish I would have thought of this as a general education teacher too!), I added a basketball hoop to my wishlist--the link is below. This has been a GAME changer (pun intended) to math fact fluency and review questions, especially with my male students! I can think of so many ways I would have used it as a general homeroom teacher too especially with trashketball (pdf attached as well). What are some other ways you get your students up and moving while also learning?
Absenteeism: At what point do you involve administration if a child has been frequently absent?
There are a couple of parts to this. I have worked in schools where I have been asked by admin to let them know when students have missed more than 2 days in a row. Usually after the first day, I will reach out, just saying that I missed the student and hope everything is okay. I will offer assistance if they need it. Usually parents will get back to me quickly if it's just a minor illness or a family emergency. I would say anything past 3 days in a row should go to admin, especially if you haven't heard from the family once you've reached out. I would also say that if it gets to a point that it is impacting their grades or their performance in your class, that it's time to sit down with admin and discuss next steps. They may need to be put on an attendance plan.
Algebra Readiness: How can you help students understand the concept of variables when they are just beginning to learn algebra?
In my experience, this can be done early on with students learning basic addition and subtraction facts. One of the things that I often do with my math intervention students is discuss the importance of an equal sign. I will do this by incorporating a scale and have them put manipulatives (bears, base ten blocks, counters, etc) in both sides to show that equal amounts are on both sides and that the scale balances. Then we talk about missing addend problems (3 + ____ = 7) and we build it, with 7 on one side, 3 on the other and they add the manipulatives until it balances. Once we do this, I will put an object (or a letter) in for the blank (3 + a = 7) and we discuss that a=4. This is a great way to set up students for success later on!
What ideas do you use to help students?
I’m loving this idea—what are some ways you build discussion with your students?
For all of my fellow ELA gurus: what are some ways I can help elementary teachers (for both reading and math) by teaching the parts of words in my math intervention block? I talk about vocabulary all the time (because chances are that is the reason why my students did poorly on an assessment; lack of vocabulary knowledge) but what is a more intentional way to help? I'm thinking like 'geo-' in geometry and explaining what that means--but make it fun!
What professional development opportunities have you found most valuable in your teaching career?
What strategies can I use to help students who are struggling with basic math operations?
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What professional development opportunities have you found to be the most valuable in your teaching career?
What are some engaging activities or games to help students better understand fractions?
How can I integrate social-emotional learning (SEL) into my daily lessons without it feeling forced or out of place?
What are some strategies for helping students catch up after they’ve missed several days of school?
What are some do’s and don’ts for emailing parents, colleagues, and administrators?
Our second grade team is starting with different types of graphs. What resources or read alouds would you recommend for them?
What are some of your favorite places to find warm-up questions or problems of the day for math? I had a friend just recommend this site to me and it's awesome! https://www.wouldyourathermath.com I'm looking for more great ideas!
I'm looking for advice: I am a math interventionist and in my new school, I have an assistant, which is completely new for me! I have met her and we seem to hit it off super well. I'm just looking for ideas on how to balance leading her and also give her autonomy to use ideas that she also has for our small groups. She has experience so it's not as though this is brand new to her.
My new school is looking for ways that related arts (music, art, and PE) can integrate math into their lessons easily. Any ideas or research that you’ve found that helps this work? We are doing this Kinder through 5th grade.
What are some back to school bulletin boards that you’ve done and loved? (Pictures appreciated!)
What are some of your favorite review activities (I’m thinking before a summative assessment) for math?
I know most of us are enjoying our summer break so back-to-school resources sounds scary, BUT what are your favorite activities to do with students on the first week back that help you build relationships and set routines?
What are some ways you give students ownership of the classroom and what happens in it?
What are some of your favorite professional books that you recommend?
What is a math manipulative that you use multiple ways in the classroom throughout the year?
I saw this on LinkedIn this morning and thought about how powerful this was. The longer I teach, the more I realize that it’s about channeling the strengths that kids have both academically and social emotionally. Any a-has or connections that you have to share?
What are some quick (5 mins or less) math fact fluency ideas that you love to use with students? Why do you love it?
How do you help new classroom teachers mainstream exceptional students? Many new teachers struggle to make sure they are meeting the needs of all students. Any tips would be appreciated!
What are some of your best math test prep from third through fifth grade ideas? I’m trying to compile some ideas for my teachers!
I have a good friend whose nephew is heading into first grade and needs some online reading resources to help with practice. Besides the obvious in reading books, what are some great sites I could offer?
What are some tools you use to measure fact fluency for elementary school students?
What are some great math read alouds for elementary (3-5th grades specifically)? Bonus if it’s a chapter book!
How do you hold students accountable during centers? Specifically for second through fifth grade. Some teachers at my school are struggling with this and would love some additional ideas to share!
What are some easy to make math games or review to send home with students to practice with their families? Target audience would be 1st-3rd grades.
What are some ways that you build relationships between students throughout the year in elementary school? I think the teachers at our school are great at doing it in the first few weeks but then don’t continue throughout the school year once standards are started. I would love to share some ideas at our next PLC!
Looking for some ideas that my 5th grade teachers can use!
