I spent 12 years in the tech industry. Most of that time was spent in sales calling on the C Suites of Fortune 500 companies. It was my job to convince executives that purchasing my employers hardware, software, and services was worth the millions of dollars I asked for. I’m a huge tech fan. I was there when business computing migrated from the mainframe to the desktop. I was there as the world wide web was literally being built. Yes..I am old.
Computer/chip technology has transformed every facet of society including education. So am I really a luddite? Not really, but I try to understand the costs and benefits of classroom technology. Why even write about education technology?
I’m a bit of a quiet observer of Dublin Facebook groups. I like to see what the community is posting about in regards to DCS. Recently a discussion about classroom tech use came up. I think it is important to share my views so you know what is, and isn’t being done in my room. As always, different people/teachers/parents will have different views. If you have concerns about my views, please feel free to share them with me.
Aside from 2 times per year, your students won’t use computers in math class. The only time your students will use computers in my math class is to fill out the biannual anonymous student survey. Students are welcome to use my website when they are in study center or elsewhere, but I don’t ever assign computer work.
Why did I adopt this approach?
There is a lot of research between writing and making stronger connections to content in the brain.
It is difficult for students to show their work on a computer.
It is more difficult for me to quickly assess your students’ approach to homework and their understanding.
Using tech can sometimes become a cat and mouse game of students trying to game, watch videos etc.
Your students have told me that they are on devices a lot (this includes outside of school).
Tech has an important role in education and I don’t judge what happens in other classrooms. I am concerned about doing what I can in my room for your students.
What else is happening in math?
We are more than ½ way through 6th grade…let that sink in! I’ve seen a lot of growth in your students. I’ve also observed students who’ve never struggled in math before start to hit a wall and observed other students who have some persistent difficulties.
I’ve given a lot of advice to students in order to help them improve. But I’m the old cranky guy up front. Kids don’t always listen to their teachers, so I thought I would try something different. I spent yesterday asking your students what they do to help them learn math. I asked them to share what makes them successful. They shared a lot of great tips!
I compiled them in a list and asked your students to pick one new strategy to try regardless of how easy they find math. The more tools your students can put in their toolbag, the more successful they are likely to be. Once they find one tool that becomes a new habit, they can select another tip and so on and so on.
Here is what your students came up with. This could be a great conversation starter with your students. Your encouragement to try something new could be a great reinforcement to what’s happening in school.
As always if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me.
“This is the amazing list of tips you shared with the class. These are the suggestions you made because you use these methods to help you learn. Not everyone uses the suggestions below and I don’t think anyone uses them all!
I challenge you, no matter how easy (or not easy) you find math to pick one new method and try it out. If you like it and it helps you, use it for a few weeks until it becomes a habit. Then add another one…and another one..
Did you pick one you don’t like? Stop using it and try another. The key to life long effective learning is to develop strategies and habits that help you gain knowledge for the long term. With a little bit of work you can do it!
Math Learning Tips
In Class Tips
Write what’s on the board down during class.
Keep notes organized.
Ask questions.
Try your best to focus during class. Pay attention.
Participate in class.
Use time wisely.
Ask for help when you need it.
Homework Tips
Do homework and look over it.
Underline key/important information.
Break the questions down into parts.
Use class notes to help.
Take your time doing your homework.
Show all work on homework. Write down all steps in a problem.
Repeat skills by redoing homework assignments.
Ask for help. Go to the teacher during study center.
Read problems more than once.
Turn in assignments on time.
Check over answers using a different method.
Check with teacher in study center
Study Tips
Kahoot - make a math one.
Make a paper full of questions - similar to a study guide.
Look at Mr. Levine’s website for the unit.
Look over the study guide the day before the quiz.
Look over notes the day before the quiz.
When preparing for the quiz, write down what you know and write down what you don’t. Then study what you don’t know.
Make flashcards.
Quiz a friend on the notes packet.
Repeat skills by redoing homework assignments.
Look back at homework to see what was wrong/right.
Once the study guide is complete, hand it to someone else to help you by asking questions about the content.
Look over the quiz to see what didn’t go well.
Work on your weak spots.
Learn multiplication facts and divisibility rules.
Try to see patterns in what we are learning.”
Today I spoke with 8 students so far, just in my 1st period, about whether they should take Math 7 or Math ⅞. The students asked to speak with me about their choice. Here are some questions to consider. They are the same questions I asked your students to consider.
Do you like math? If your student doesn’t really like math, then Math ⅞ isn’t the best choice.
Do you think my class moves too fast? If the answer is yes, then Math ⅞ isn’t the best choice.
Are you willing to work harder?
Are you ready for twice as many quizzes?
Are you ready for more homework?
Do you think 6th grade math is easy?
Here is my opinion for why your students shouldn’t take Math ⅞. It’s only an opinion, but it’s based on 22 years of teaching. You are always free to disregard my opinions!
Having a free period in high school is probably not a good reason to take Math ⅞.
My friends are taking Math ⅞ is probably not a good reason to take Math ⅞.
My parents want me take Math ⅞ may not be a good enough reason to take Math ⅞ (I know this is controversial, but I’ve seen this go badly too many times.)
Ultimately this is a family decision. If you have any questions regarding this decision feel free to reach out.
In this edition of Numerical News I provide results from the Anonymous Parent Survey and some results from the Anonymous Student Survey.
Survey Results:
This year 44% (44/100) of families responded. If you did not respond to the survey, you are always welcome to provide feedback through email. If you’d like your feedback to remain anonymous, just have an envelope placed in my mailbox at school.
Based on survey responses:
Only about 25% of respondents use my google page to find class information. The link to my google page is Mr. Levine's Google Page. I provide the link at the bottom of each email.
All respondents believe they can communicate openly with me about their students.
All, but 1, respondents believe students are taught at an appropriate level. The 1 respondent stated that his/her student doesn’t understand the material as we get further into a unit. Please encourage your students to ask questions, get help during study center, use my google site for practice, and work on their fundamentals.
Another respondent believes his/her child is taught at the appropriate level, but has concerns over gaps the student has from elementary school. This problem affects more students than I’d like. The only way to fill in those gaps is to work on those skills. I know it isn’t easy, or fun, but the work will pay massive dividends in your students’ futures. There is support for gap filling on my website under the Help Me section.
If you ever have a concern about your child’s needs, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
All respondents believe I want their child to succeed.
Most respondents believe that I have their child’s best interests in mind. There were two respondents that provided a neutral response (right in the middle of the scale).
Most respondents believe their students are making progress in math, with 1 choosing a neutral response, and 1 who believes his/her child isn’t making any progress.
Most respondents believe their students are comfortable in my class, with 5 making the neutral choice. 2 respondents don’t believe their student is comfortable in my class. I strive to make every student feel safe and comfortable in the classroom. If there are specific concerns, please don’t hesitate to let me know.
Respondents provided a lot of kind feedback to the open-ended questions. I only share feedback that is less than positive. I did not get a lot of critical feedback and there weren’t any strong common themes from multiple respondents.
One respondent wished I would “spend some time going over homework problems that seem to be missed by many in the class to help students understand where mistakes could have been made.” We go over homework everyday. (There may be very rare occasions that it hasn’t happened.) I also take time for questions everyday about homework.
Another respondent wished I would “Have time available to help students who are behind “catch up.”” If the respondent is talking about homework, students have until the quiz to earn partial credit on late assignments. As I’ve said many times, math requires a lot of practice so homework is assigned 3-4 times every week. Most students do a fantastic job managing their responsibilities. If your student is consistently falling behind, feel free to contact me with questions.
One respondent wished I would stop “Getting upset in class when students don’t know the answer, which is a reflection of how the knowledge is being transferred to students” Another respondent reminded me that students with math anxiety require patient teaching. I admit there are times when I am not as patient as I should be. Like anyone else, I have some off periods/days that get reflected in the classroom. I hope those times are few and far between.
A couple respondents wish my study guides, and class room examples, were less gross. I gave the first set of student surveys this week. Two math classes would like me to be less gross and two classes think the level of grossness is just right. The actual quizzes never have joke/gross questions on them so as not to distract from the quiz. Based on student feedback, I will moderate the level of grossness in two of my classes.
One respondent provided this important feedback, “I think you are a good teacher, who appreciates feedback. I also think that most 6th grade students appreciate your sense of humor. But I want you to be aware that the teasing/joking that happens also makes some kids really anxious and afraid of speaking up at all in class in fear of feeling made fun of our out of place. Not trying to change who you are or your teaching style, but just want to bring awareness to those who may not speak up.” I never intend to make fun of students. However I understand that what I intend is not what students may perceive. If your student doesn’t like the way I speak to them I’ve asked them to tell me, tell their guidance counselor, or another teacher. I never want your students to feel uncomfortable in the way in which I speak to them. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if your student isn’t comfortable talking to me, another teacher, or a guidance counselor. I have had students in the past tell me, “Please don’t ever joke with me again.” I am happy to make that change so your students are comfortable in class.
I appreciate your feedback everyone who took the time to provide this feedback.
I anonymously surveyed your students this week so I haven’t had a chance to really dive into the data. I will share, in class, what your students told me before they go on break.
I can provide some top line data. There were quite a few on survey day, so only 87 students completed the survey.
50% of your students think that math is not too hard or too easy, it’s just right. 30% find math on the easier side, with the remaining 20% finding it on the more difficult side.
40% of your students are having fun in math, 25% are neutral, and 35% find math boring.
58% of your students believe I’m not too strict or too easy going, that classroom management is just right. 20% believe I’m a bit too easy going with the remaining 22% finding that I’m a bit too strict.
81% of your students believe they are learning a lot. This is one of the two most important statistics that I look at. 11% are neutral in how much they believe they are learning with the remaining 8 percent believing they aren’t learning a lot.
69% of your students feel more confident as math students. 18% are neutral with the remaining 13% stating they feel less confident. This is the 2nd of the two critical data that are most important to me.
And now a note about your students. Last week I had to take two school days off. Normally when I know I’m going to be off, I give students a standard spiel,”I’ll be absent tomorrow. When I come back I only want to see positive comments from the substitute. I expect you to behave better than you behave when I’m here!”
This year, maybe the first year EVER, I don’t need to, nor have I, given my standard sub talk. Your students are so well behaved it simply isn’t necessary. That doesn’t happen by accident…so thank you!
I hope you all have a great winter break with your students. The next Numerical News won’t come out until 2026.
As always feel free to contact me with questions or concerns.
In this blog I answer a question straight from the Anonymous Parent Math Survey. If you haven’t completed the survey yet, please head over here. Only one survey per child please. If you have two children in my class, then you may fill one survey out for each. I will share survey results before winter break.
In one survey a parent asked me to write about:
What to do with our kids when they come home saying they know they got a bad grade on a math test. I know what to say as a parent, but sometimes teachers want the kids to go to them first, which is where I direct my son. You’ve sent home notes for a test that didn’t turn out well before and I loved it! Just curious what the guidance is for kids when it isn’t the whole class that’s struggling, but just them.
This is a great question. The answer may differ for each student. Here are some questions to consider and some suggestions (suggestions start with a bold word) to try:
Questions:
Is this a consistent issue or a one time event? If it’s a one time event, then your students may just need to get some help in study center so that they are ready for 7th grade. If your student consistently can’t prove mastery over the material, then a more holistic approach is necessary.
Are your students completing their homework? Practice is essential. Homework completion is one of the biggest determiners of success. Take a look in Infinite Campus. Is your student getting 3 points for each homework assignment? Are there a number of late assignments? If your students aren’t completing their homework, don’t ask them if they have homework. I suggest asking to see their homework! Even better, ask them to explain their homework to you.
Are your students paying attention when we go over their homework? Do they ask questions when they aren’t correct? Are they trying to figure out why they are making mistakes? If your students aren’t focusing on why they are making mistakes they can’t fix their mistakes and grow. Encourage your students to ask questions in class or to see me during 9th period study center. If their study center is 10th period, they can see Mrs. Hull.
Are your students using their notes when they don’t understand something? Class notes have examples and review concepts covered each day in class. Encourage your students to have their notes out when they are doing homework.
Do your students right down the examples I go over in class? They are supposed to so that they have something to refer to when completing homework. Encourage them to write everything down!
Do your students know their divisibility rules and multiplication tables? I can’t stress this enough. This very basic set of skills is one of the most important skills your students can bring to math class. Knowing their tables helps to build a number sense, helps to build confidence, enables efficiency, and increases productivity. Test your students’ knowledge. If they still don’t know this information, drilling for a few minutes a night can lead to proficiency.
Have your students mastered elementary math? If your students can’t add, subtract, do basic multiplication, or divide then they can’t employ those foundational skills to higher level math. Test your students’ knowledge of elementary math. There are resources available for students to improve their skills. My website has some resources under the 6th grade Help Me section.
There are tough realities that come with modern math education.
Math is relentless. It builds and builds and builds. Math isn’t very forgiving if one forgets prior skills.
Your students have 6 more years of math after 6th grade. Each year builds upon the last and assumes your students are proficient with prior skills as they move along.
Not all students are ready for 1 & 2, but if you want to save your students from more pain, and possibly even misery, then working now to address those gaps will pay a massive amount of dividends.
Unfortunately that work is likely to cause some short term pain and misery. We all have to make the decisions that work best for our families. I can’t tell you what the right mix of current pain to future pain is for your students. In our society we easily make the connection to practice time and improvements in sports. Math is a sport - we even have mathletes. It takes consistent practice. Fundamentals are key.
I only have 45 minutes per day with your students. I wish I had more time with your students. There isn’t enough time in the school day to make up for elementary school math gaps and to teach all of the standards Ohio expects 6th graders to learn.
To take it back to the original question from the survey, an unexpectedly lower performance on a quiz may just need a one time quick brushing up of a skill. A consistent inability to master material requires a more universal approach, but an approach that works for each family and for what each family envisions for the next 6 years of their students’ math lives.
If you celebrate Thanksgiving, I hope it’s a great time spent with family and friends. If you don’t, I hope this mini break is still a great time spent with family and friends!
As always if you have any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to contact me.
As a salesperson in the tech industry I knew I was doing my job well when I earned business from a competitor or when my current clients repeatedly bought what I sold. Sales performance is a fairly objective science. Teaching has a lot of similarities with sales, but it’s not nearly as objective, or easy, to measure success. In business I had a few clients. As a teacher I have hundreds of clients. My primary clients are the students who sit in my class every day.
I survey students in order to determine what my primary clients believe I’m doing well, and what they believe I’m not doing well. Students fill out an anonymous survey once before winter break and once before the end of the year. Student surveys provide invaluable feedback. Student surveys are directly responsible for changing the way I teach. No other feedback mechanism is more responsible for adapting my teaching methods than what your students tell me.
My secondary clients are you, the parents. Before Thanksgiving I will send you a link to an anonymous survey. Parent feedback is also invaluable. The survey is an opportunity for you to let me know, from a parent perspective, what is working and what isn’t working. The results from the parent survey also directly impact what I do in the classroom and the services I try to provide to parents. I don’t always get positive feedback because I’m not perfect. Your students can grow. I can grow.
I share the results of the student surveys with students and I’ll share the results of the parent surveys with you. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey when you get the link. As these are anonymous, please feel free to share constructive criticism.
As you read this it’s sometime around November 7th. As of October 31st I’ve sent and received almost 600 emails so far. That 600 email count only includes messages I’ve written to, or received from, parents and students. That’s a lot of messages.
When I teach math there are always a lot more messages. I hope that when you see my name in your email an involuntary twitch doesn’t happen. I know that some of the messages I send aren’t always as positive as we’d like. I don’t like sending them, but I also don’t like knowing that I sent a student to 7th grade math without doing everything I can to help them be successful.
So I need to let your students, and you, know when they aren’t living up to my (and I hope their) expectations. I need to let your students, and you, know what they can do to help themselves make their math lives. Not all of the messages I send home are critical. My goal is to send at least 1 positive message per day to students. My goal is to send at least 1 message to every student before the end of the year.
I’ve sent far more positive messages this year than critical ones. This is pretty easy to do because your students are pretty delightful. Most of them are prepared, hard working, polite students. Most of them do the best that they can even if their best isn’t better than others. Some of them are pretty funny. Most of your students put up with the old cranky man in the room.
The room is full of promise, growth, and future math whizzes.
If I start sending more critical messages than positive messages, then there is something going wrong in the classroom.
I also get a lot more parent emails when I teach math. Recently I got an email from a parent who was trying to support her student after the last quiz. The parent was understandably frustrated and concerned about her students’ math progress and what was, or was not, happening in the classroom. The parent expressed some concern that I wasn’t doing enough to support students in the classroom.
My willingness to survey parents and open myself up to potential critical criticism, makes me equally open to the fact that I can still improve and grow. I invited the parent to make suggestions on how I could better support students, but I also provided a list of what I currently do to support students. I am always open to your feedback, both critical and constructive. Here is the list I sent:
Here is what I currently do, but I am always looking for ways to improve:
1. Students get notes for each topic that include vocabulary, the concept of each lesson, and examples.
2. For the fraction unit, students got a grid that helps them to determine when to use various procedures.
3. For the fraction unit, students got a document that showed the procedures step-by-step.
4. The study guides students get are exactly like the quiz. There aren't any surprises on my assessments. Although this time I did make the quiz shorter than the study guide.
5. I go over every study guide problem on the board - giving students an opportunity to make corrections or ask questions.
6. On most days I circulate around the room when students are working independently and ask what questions they have. I've approached students specifically who have a harder time in math a number of times to see how I can help them.
7. I provide a google website that has the supporting materials for the unit, all of the notes and presentations from class, and videos that can "teach" the concepts. The link below my signature is for my site.
8. I am available 9th period to help any students with 9th period study center.
9. If I see that students aren't grasping concepts as a whole, or need more practice, I add in extra practice days. For the fraction unit, I added two additional days for students to practice and get more help.
Please look out of the survey link.
As always feel free to contact me with questions or concerns.
6th grade math continues to move relentlessly forward. More and more of your students are getting into the groove. Daily I see beautiful organized math work from many students. I won’t ever see it from all students, but I do see more buy in with each week that passes.
Your students' meticulous attention to detail, their desire to understand, the amount of “ohhhhhsss” I hear when the light of understanding washes over their faces is pretty delightful. But I can tell there is something many (most?) students aren’t comfortable encountering; Constructive Frustration. Maybe this is something most people regardless of age don’t like dealing with.
The other day students had to work on real world problems (story problems, application problems). This is how a typical exchange went:
Student: Reads problem quickly (or not at all). Student approaches me, “I don’t get this.”
Me: What don’t you get?
Student: Everything!
Me: Go back and read it again. Then right down what you know using numbers and words. Right down what you don’t know, this is usually what you need to find out. Once you do that, think about it.
Constructive frustration is supposed to happen next, but students aren’t used to that. They want, they need, to immediately understand and conquer. I wish that all students could immediately understand everything and conquer everything, but that isn’t the real world. That is why the story is the problem. Because in the real world what I spend so much time teaching your students (algorithms) won’t take much of their time.
What is more important is their ability to solve complex problems and for that they need to be able to wrestle with concepts that don’t immediately come to them. Just like any other complex problem, complex sport, complex instrument, etc., students need tools to help them with their constructive frustration. Quitting is NOT a way to successfully overcome constructive frustration or to grow as a problem solver.
My method of writing down what you know isn’t the only method, but it’s a start and one I expect your students to try. They can come up with another method, but not doing the work because they don’t immediately understand is a bad life long habit to develop.
Constructive frustration is difficult to watch, but when students overcome that frustration it’s amazing for them and it’s amazing to watch. Overcoming constructive frustration builds confidence and shows your students they can do hard things. Quitting does just the opposite.
The story doesn’t have to be the problem!
As always feel free to contact me with questions or concerns.
Yesterday your students took an Equations and Inequalities quiz. Quizzes tell me two important bits of information. If I asked you what the two bits of information are, you would likely, easily, say, “How well students mastered the material.” The second bit might not be as easy to identify. The second critical piece of information quizzes tell me is how well I taught a concept.
While grading your students’ assessments, it was obvious that I didn’t spend enough time on how to solve and graph inequalities. When the grading was done, only about 40% of students proved concept mastery. That set off a pretty loud alarm that reminded me all too often what I heard in high school,”It’s not you, it’s me!”
When I don’t do something right in the classroom, I don’t want your students to be negatively impacted. Today I had the students who successfully proved their concept mastery either work on reinforcement of another skill or work on various extension activities. I always try to squeeze in reinforcement or extension for as many students as possible.
The students who didn’t prove mastery got a mini-lesson on how to solve and graph inequalities. In this case reteaching isn’t enough to rectify my error. So on Monday students will have 5 minutes to solve and graph two inequalities. Students can earn points towards their first quiz score. Students who already mastered the concept will be able to earn a small amount of extra credit.
This is my 22nd year as a teacher and my second career. I made mistakes in my first career and I’ll make more mistakes as a teacher. My intention is to not make your students pay for my mistakes. If you already looked in Infinite Campus at your students’ grades, check back on Tuesday to see the new and final grades.
And now on to Xtramath. I bet your students talk about Xtramath - and it probably isn’t happy talk either. When I started teaching, a program like Xtramath wasn’t necessary. Something has changed in the last 5 - 10 years. Too many students reach 6th grade without knowing their math facts. Too many students are counting on their fingers, or in their heads, for a problem like 7 + 5. Too many students can’t add 7 + 5 quickly, efficiently, and accurately. The same issue extends to subtraction, multiplication, and basic divisibility.
Xtramath is a program designed to help students become proficient at these basic math skills. Many students are having difficulty moving beyond addition. I assigned this over a month ago and hoped everyone would be done with the assignment in a month. I extended the deadline to 10/28th. If students answer the questions correctly within the given time frame, they are able to move onto the next operation until they finish with division.
Ask your students which operation they are working on. If it’s still addition or subtraction, they may need flashcards because they still aren’t mastering these elementary skills. All of your students are more than capable of mastering these skills.
Why does it matter? Mastering these skills begins to build a stronger number sense. Mastering these skills builds confidence. Mastering these skills allows your students to concentrate on what they are currently learning (more complex math) as they build towards ever more complex math.
As always feel free to contact me with questions or concerns.
Have something you’d like me to write about? Let me know.
“2nd grade math doesn’t impress me.” That’s what I’ve been saying to your students A LOT the last couple weeks. Your students have been learning very basic algebra in this unit. The unit, like most of 6th grade, is intended to give your students the skills they’ll need to succeed later in their math education. Like so much of life, 6th grade is more about the journey (how to do math) than the destination (the solution).
Your students don’t know where their math journeys will end or even where the next turn is going to be, but I know exactly where they’re headed. I’m trying to prevent some very preventable crashes and 2nd grade math isn’t a great air bag. As you read my terrible analogy, you’re getting a sense of why I don’t teach language arts!
So what does this have to do with 2nd grade math? I’ve been teaching students how to isolate a variable (hopefully in an entertaining and memorable way). Here’s one example of a problem your students needed to solve; x + 4 = 11.
As soon as you read that your brain filled in the answer x = 7.
Easy right? Okay try this one; -32.675x + 15/17 = 42.3987
Got it? No? First problem = 2nd grade (1st grade?) math. 2nd problem, a relatively easy algebra problem when your students are prepared.
Too many students continue to provide answers using mental math without practicing how to isolate a variable. They aren’t developing the brain muscle memory necessary to keep moving ahead. It’s very common for bright students to tell themselves, “Mr. Levine is old, cranky, yet strangely good looking and telling me to do something stupid when I know the answer is 7! And I want to spend more time watching youtube.”
Many students buy into what I’m teaching them. Their work is meticulous, easy to follow, and helps to reinforce how to isolate a variable in a one-step solution problem. When those students get to two-step solutions they will be fine. When negative integers, decimals, fractions, and multiple variables are introduced they will be fine. The students who don’t buy into the processes I’m showing them will hit a wall. No matter how bright students are, mental math isn’t as useful in advanced math.
Please encourage your students to listen to the old, cranky, strangely good looking man. I don’t want them to crash into the wall. I want them to move through math as easily as possible. 2nd grade math won’t enable that.
Now at the risk of talking out of both sides of my mouth, 2nd grade math (and 3-5th grade math) is vitally important. Some of your students are still counting on their fingers. Some of your students can’t quickly/correctly answer what 42 - 17 equals. Too many of your students still don’t know their multiplication tables. I’m sure some who read this will think, then just let them use their calculators.
I will…eventually. 6th grade standards require a number of skills to be taught and mastered before calculators are allowed. Even if I let students use calculators right now, without a strong number sense calculators can be dangerous. If your students don’t have a strong math foundation then they just accept whatever answer pops up on the calculator screen. 8 x 9 = 64? It doesn’t, but if your student accidentally types in 8 x 8 then they accept it as correct. People press the wrong buttons on calculators all the time. A strong number sense gives your students the ability to say, “That can’t be right!”
Until calculator use is possible, students who still don’t know their multiplication tables and divisibility rules spend way too much time on math problems that other students are completing in a fraction of the time. Yesterday in class a student who was struggling with a math problem told me that she hadn’t spent any time this year working learning her multiplication tables.
Students don’t have to listen to my advice, but they are making their math journey unnecessarily more difficult. That student might not like math at all, but I’m willing to bet that students who master their fundamentals can learn to love math. Students who understand math fundamentals learn to play with math. Math is amazing and fun when one knows the rules. Please encourage your students to make the investment in learning the rules, using homework to learn, and learning their vocabulary.
Let’s go back to the car analogy. I’m the driving instructor sitting next to your students. I’m not in the car alone. The most important person in the car is your student who’s behind the wheel. What your students put into the journey is far more important than what I’m doing sitting next to them.
As always feel free to contact me with questions or concerns.
But first a Mastering the Middle Session Reminder
Transitioning to middle school can be difficult for new 6th graders and their families. With that in mind I am presenting a Mastering the Middle session 9/25 at 6PM in the Karrer Library. During the session I'll give a brief presentation with suggestions on how best to help your students more successfully transition to middle school. The suggestions come from my 21 years of being a middle school science and math teacher. After the presentation attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions about the first few weeks of school and how to best help students, and families, master the middle.
The session is NOT an opportunity to discuss specific students or have an extra teacher conference. It's really an opportunity for a live Q&A to help make your students' science and/or math year as successful as possible. According to the parents who attended last year the session was time well spent.
Please do not bring your students. Please RSVP here.
And now back to our regularly scheduled blog:
The first 6th grade math test is over. Your students brought home a reflection for the first test. They were supposed to fill it out and then talk about it with you. Have you spoken with your students about how math is going and how they did on the test? Don’t get too nervous, I don’t send a lot of things home for parents to sign. In fact, there probably won’t be another one this year.
I’m pleased to say most students did well on the first quiz, although some students struggled.
I hope your students learned a lot during the first few weeks of school. I know I learned a lot about your students.
I want to use this post to accomplish 2 things. I want to tell you;
What students, who may not have done as well as they’d like on the test, should do moving forward.
What students who did well should do moving forward (because they WILL struggle at some point).
Did your student not do as well as he/she would like?
First – no one should panic! It’s one quiz in 6th grade. Some students are still figuring out 6th grade. The expectations are higher, the work load is higher, and the material is more complex. One quiz is not an indicator of the entire year.
We have a lot of ground to cover and there is an expectation that students are versed in elementary math prior to this year. Of course that isn’t always the case. I even need to brush up on skills from time-to-time. However, if a student doesn’t do anything to address gaps, those gaps grow, hinder further learning, and become chasms that interfere with student success and student confidence. Confidence propels students forward. Lack of confidence stymies students.
My job is to build student confidence through merit and success built on content mastery. My job is to help get students ready for the next 6 years of their math lives, but I can’t do my job without your students! So what should they do?
Your students need to believe in the process.
That process involves neatly writing their work down, step-by-step. Why?
Writing helps brain development and long term content acquisition.
Showing work allows your student to find and correct their mistakes.
Work allows me to help your students grow. I can’t help them learn from their mistakes, if I don’t know the mistakes they make.
Being fastidious about work will help your child when math grows more complex.
Although this may seem counterintuitive, your child will get faster in math once they get used to, and proficient at, showing their work – every step!
Math WILL GET EASIER. Notice I didn’t say easy, but it will get easier.
Your students must practice productively. I use a variety of homework assignments. However, DOING HOMEWORK is not learning. If your students do homework and get the right answers, but they can’t understand what to do on their own, then they did homework but didn’t learn anything.
Math is a skill. Your students already take sports practice seriously, video gaming seriously, their instrument seriously. Math is hard, until it isn’t.
Your students should be asking questions in class. They will tell you I don’t often give them answers. Giving students answers is like me doing their homework. I guide them to answers by asking them questions. At times it may be maddening to your students, but it is a method that works. It builds confidence. It shows your students that THEY can arrive at solutions. I tell them to have similar conversations in their heads. Your students need to learn to question themselves. This process trains them to have crucial internal conversations.
Your students should be talking with their classmates. More brains are better than less brains regardless of an individual brain’s abilities. Students need to inquire with each other, bounce ideas off each other, support each other, and laugh with each other.
Your students need to know how to do elementary math which includes multiplication tables, multi-digit addition/subtraction, and place value at a minimum. If not math will needlessly be harder with each passing year. The reality is that I see your students for less than 45 productive minutes each day. It isn’t realistic to be able to make up for the gaps from prior math years and teach current standards. I can help your students as much as possible, but working at home a bit each day will help your students make tremendous progress.
Is your student doing well?
That’s great, now go back and read the previous section for struggling students! Today’s success story will invariably struggle at some point in the future. Some math students often find math to be easy...until it's not. These students are used to being "the best" and doing math quickly and effortlessly. When those students hit the wall, they often hit it harder than most. When they find that they can’t do math in their heads anymore and have no process, or good habits, to fall back on, it can be a jarring experience that sets those students back on their heels. Meanwhile the “average” students who struggled for years are happily working away because they have strong habits to fall back on.
I hope to see you at the Mastering the Middle session.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have questions or concerns.
Mastering the Middle
Good Afternoon 6th grade math parents. Welcome to my classroom blog. Feel free to read, or not, as you see fit. The blog will inform you about what’s happening in the classroom and how best to help your students master the middle.
Transitioning to middle school can be difficult for new 6th graders and their families. With that in mind I am presenting a Mastering the Middle session 9/25 at 6PM in the Karrer Library. During the session I'll give a brief presentation with suggestions on how best to help your students have a successful transition. The suggestions come from my 21 years of experience as a middle school science and math teacher. After the presentation attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions about the first few weeks of school and how to best help students, and families, master the middle.
The session is NOT an opportunity to discuss specific students or have an extra teacher conference. It's really an opportunity for a live Q&A to help make your students' science and/or math year as successful as possible. According to the parents who attended last year the session was time well spent.
Please do not bring your students. Please RSVP here.
The google site you're reading this on has a lot of resources. The resources are mainly for students, but there are some parent sections that some families find useful. Those are located at the top of this page under Parent Information.
Mr. Levine & Dr. Decimal
Your students had two different math teachers during the first two weeks of school. For the most part they got Mr. Levine, but for one day I had a "substitute", Dr. Decimal, come and share his prescription for success. Dr. Decimal is a terrible surgeon, as I’m sure your students shared with you, but he really knows how to solve math problems in a methodical step-by-step neat manner. His prescription for success focused on how students should solve problems and show their work. Process becomes more important as students learn, and grapple with, higher level math. My ways aren’t the only ways, but they are a good place to start.
Many students enter 6th grade needing an elementary math refresher. If your student is focused on how to add/subtract multi-digit numbers, doesn’t know that 7 *5 = 35 without using their fingers, or takes a long time to remember, then they aren’t focused on what we are learning in class. New skill acquisition becomes more difficult because basic foundational skills need strengthening. The reality is that 40 minutes per day in school isn’t enough time to make up for all student gaps. So along with current homework demands, if your students can’t do the following I strongly suggest that time is set aside for practice. My google site has resources for students to practice those skills. Here are the skills that are critical to your students succeeding in middle school math and beyond as the pace and complexity of math topics increase.
Can your students…
Quickly state their multiplication facts up through the 9s?
Multiply using the basic algorithm?
Add and subtract multi digit numbers?
Add and subtract fractions and mixed numbers?
Understand, and correctly use, the order of operations?
Properly use and understand place value including decimal place value up to the hundredths(.00) place?
Your students can see me during their 10th period study center for additional help.
Regardless of your students’ current skill levels, I hope we have a horrible year in my room this year? HORRIBLE?!? Your students might have told you I’m a bit different. It’s another way I try to keep your students engaged in subject matter that they might not otherwise appreciate. So in my room having a “horrible” day is having a great day! For more Mr. Levine Speak translations you can go here.
With almost 130 students my style might not be for everyone, feel free to contact me with questions or concerns that you have regarding what’s happening in class.
My class isn’t intended to be easy. My goal is for every student to leave my class at the end of the year having grown in math. I hope they like math more in May than they do now, but I have high expectations for myself and my students. We will be working hard and there will be homework. After all, Dr. Decimal didn’t become a very bad surgeon without years of hard work!
Want me to write about a specific topic or question in a future Numerical News, drop me a note.
I hope you and your students are off to a fantastic (horrible?) start!
Welcome to Karrer.