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.