Friday, October 13, 2017

Friday Focus: Math, Portfolios, and Buddies

After attending a professional event yesterday morning, I'm delighted to see all of my math students again today.

We'll review a bit of past study then dive into the connections between the base-ten place value system and U.S. currency. I hope this will spark some good connection making for eager fifth graders. I'm also offering a morning of extra help which I find to be an opportunity to teach well and support students who are motivated enough to come in for extra help.

I could not offer this extra help with the old model of one-teacher-one-classroom as the prep work was overwhelming, but now with the shared model, I have a bit more time and energy so I'm able to offer this extra time now and then.

The learners are becoming acclimated to the fifth grade expectations, routines, and protocols, so good teaching is now starting in earnest. It takes time to prep the learning/teaching team for a deep year of learning, and that prep has occurred.

Today will find us also looking over portfolios, completing self assessments, thinking/talking about character, and playing a "find the sums" game with our kindergarten buddies. It will be a good day!