Teacherof20

When I began my teaching career as a second grade teacher, there was one mathematical standard that frightened me the most. “By the end of second grade, know from memory all sums of two one-digit numbers.” (CCSS 2.OA.B.2) I approached this standard in the same way in which I was taught my addition and subtraction facts by drilling my students with facts. I incorporated flashcards, games that required quick recall of the sum like knock out and around the world as well as weekly fact quizzes into my math lessons, but as the year progressed, there were two problems that surfaced.  1. My students were not engaged during fact practice time. To be frank, they were bored.  2. My students were not making progress on their weekly fact quizzes.  Needless to say, I was feeling quite defeated. My second grade students were not going to know the addition facts to 20 from memory by the end of the year if I continued to employ the same strategies. Luckily, around this same time, I was a...

  As summer draws to a close, it's time for students to pack their backpacks, lace up their shoes, and embark on a brand new academic journey. For middle schoolers, the back to school season is an exciting time filled with opportunities to learn, grow, and explore various subjects. in this blog post, we will dive into the world of math back to school activities specifically designed for middle school students. Additionally  we will introduce a thrilling no-prep activity that combines math practice with technology, promoting engagement and a sense of adventure in the classroom. Making Math Fun Mathematics may not always be everyone's favorite subject, but it doesn't have to be boring. One of the key aspects of a successful math back to school experience is finding innovative ways to make learning fun and engaging for students. By incorporating interactive activities, puzzles, and games into the curriculum, educators can transform the traditional perception of math and ignite...

This week's talented teacherpreneur is DianaJo from DianaJo's Math and More ! She loves to help students that are struggling with math. So much so, that she has tutored over 200 students one on one, and gained many valuable insights to lower achieving students that can help them succeed! She initially heard of TpT when a friend of hers retired, and encouraged her to create and sell products. The idea of being able to create anything she wanted really drew her. The most valuable product she's made for her store has been her Math and ART! products. Most of her work has been with struggling students. She had these kids in mind when she created Math and ART! These products really help struggling students because they are self correcting and fun! One thing she'd like to know more about is incorporating STEAM into her math class especially. She hopes to do some research on this and offer related products in the coming year. After all, learning happens best when we c...

Subitizing is the rapid and accurate identification of numbers used to assess small quantities. Knowing how to subitize (or recognize small quantities without having to count them) enables students to gain automaticity and numerical fluency. They can add and subtract faster. They are more confident in their abilities. In my subitizing activities center , I also incorporated number words, as an added skill students can practice and a way to incorporate literacy into my math time (we will fit literacy in whenever we can!) So, why is it important to have a math center focusing on number recognition, quantity (subitizing), and number words? Students need to be fluent in reading and math. Number words come up on many occasions in text (one specific example is the DRA assessment). Numerical fluency is important in problem solving. Seeing representations in your mind of the quantity of a number can help with adding more on, or taking away, or even grouping (tasks that require mu...