Follow me on Twitter!

If you would like, you may follow me on Twitter. My handle is @llpeluso. I can't promise that you won't see a picture or two of my three awesome kids, but it's mostly all about mathematics education here at Brassfield. Have a super day!

Let's Be Nimble, Let's Be Quick: Student-Centered Learning

I read the white papers on a Dreambox Learning product today and loved so much of what they had to say. I decided it might be a good idea to paraphrase, since the document was some thirty-eight pages in length.

The part that resonated most with me most focused on student-centered learning. I have spent the past ten years of my teaching career trying to get away from the "Sage on the Stage" approach in which students "sit and get" in favor of the "Guide on the Side" method that gives the power to the people (the little people, in the case of an elementary school setting).

The Dreambox team put together a nice, succinct table comparing teacher-centered to student-centered activities, which I have share below. They also said:

These skills, enhanced with high-quality, relevant, domain-specific 

digital content-form a solid learning foundation to help today's students 

                      become nimble, adaptive thinkers and doers who thrive in a complex                          future.

Brassfield Parents: You Are AMAZING!

How do I love thee, Brassfield parents? Let me count the ways...

I could write a whole book about how amazing our community of parents is here at Brassfield, but instead I'll just tell you that I received an e-mail today from a parent who had read an article in USA Today that spoke to her and she took the time to share it with me. I am "paying it forward" by sharing it here with you.

CC Math is not Fuzzy

With a whole 'lotta mathematical love,

Mrs. PF 

The New and Improved Multiplications Flashcard

When I was a kid, my parents used to make me practice my math facts with boring old flashcards and I remember considering the idea of running away to live with a kinder, gentler family who would love me whether or not I knew my math facts. (Thanks, Mom and Dad, for always pushing me to be my best! Sorry I wanted to run away.)

I don't want YOUR children to want to run away from home, so I'm going to be proactive and offer you a link to a WONDERFUL resource: array cards. These cards can be used as flashcards, but are much better because they have embedded meaning. Also, they drive home the area model and underscore the genesis of the formula Lenth x Width = Area.

Here's a link to get them for your child: Array Cards

I recommend that you have your child label the factors on the front and the product on the back. Even better, have your child use the commutative property of multiplication and list BOTH possible factor orders.

For example, if there is a 2 x 3 square, have your student write 2 x 3 AND 3 x 2 on the front of the array card. On the back, simply have them write 6.

Create a "known" pile and an "unknown" pile and focus on the latter. It's OK if your child has to count each square at first to determine the product, but try to encourage him or her to count more efficiently as he or she progresses. After all, skip counting/ repeated addition is the foundation for multiplication.

Enjoy!

Top Ten Teds

Which is your favorite from among these ten math Ted Talks? Tell us in comments.

Top Ten Ted Talks (Math)

Parent Toolkit

If you are in the market for a little support in navigating your child's growth and development, both educational and emotional, check out The Parent Toolkit. The good folks at Education Nation created this app with parents in mind. It applies to students in PreK to 12th grade.

I downloaded it quickly and easily and have already begun using it for both Deacon, my 4 yo, and Anthony, who is ten.

Check it out for yourself! Let me know what you think in comments.

http://www.parenttoolkit.com

Using Minecraft as a Teaching Tool

For my generation, the "it" game was Donkey Kong, followed by Mario Brothers. (Did I just totally date myself?) I could never understand the fascination with gaming. Even as a kid it seemed like a colossal waste of time.

These days, Minecraft is the game du joir, and I couldn't be happier. My oldest son, a 5th grader at Brassfield, is obsessed. I love the fact that he is learning as he plays.

The good folks at Scholastic have recognized the learning potential in Minecraft and have put together a parent resource page with ideas here http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/free-printable/more-printables/minecraft-learning-home-and-school

Check it out!

Parents, Consider Yourselves to be Empowered to Teach Math, Part II

Dear Parents,

The cool and relatively unique notion of using modern technology to "flip" the classroom has far-reaching implications for learners. The ripple effects of this new trend in education extend beyond the learner, himself, especially in cases of young children.

What can parents to do keep themselves in front of the learning curve? I addressed this topic a few weeks ago, but have something new to add.

Mr. Salman Khan, founder of Khan Academy, happened upon a revolutionary idea back in 2006. He started to videotape himself teaching math lessons to his nephews once he moved away from home. At first it hurt his feelings when the boys revealed that they prefered Uncle Salman on tape rather than in person, but thankfully he was able to take a few steps back, depersonalize, and examine the situation further. Thus, the flipped classroom was born.

I love the idea behind Khan Academy, but am not always a fan of the memorization-heavy, procedure-based math instruction that takes place on the site. In their defense, their pedagogy is improving, albeit slowly.

Learnzillion took the technological idea behind Khan Academy, hired a "Dream Team" of top educators, and created Common Core-based videos that hit the proverbial tale on the mathematical donkey. I have never, ever met a Learnzillion Video I didn't like.

Now the good folks at Learnzillion have created a quick and easy presentation for parents that offers a window into how to use their resources at home to support student (and parent) learning. I highly, totally, completely, unabashedly recommend that you take a look. You won't be sorry you did.

Learnzillion Parent Presentation

Mathematically Yours,
Larissa

A Message from WCPSS Superintendent James Merrill

An e-mail was sent to all Wake County Public School Employees from our School Superintendent today and I wanted to share the wonderful news as it relates to mathematics. I am hopeful that we will continue to make great gains as we improve our practice year after year.

• Proficiency in Math I leapt 9.5 points in one year, a strong indicator that we are preparing our students for college and work.

Common Core: From the Horse's Mouth

I had a delightful conversation with a Brassfield parent yesterday about Common Core Math. I really appreciated the gentle way she approached me with her questions and concerns. She admitted that the work she sees coming home with her two kids sometimes seems foreign (she is a mathematician, herself) but that she is reserving judgement for such time that she has better educated and informed herself about the standards. The fact that she is keeping an open mind is key.

Are the new Common Core standards perfect? NOPE. Do they FAR outshine anything we've ever seen before? YUP. If only I had a crystal ball, I could do a better job of telling you the fate of these standards in our great state of North Carolina. But even without that magical ball, I can tell you for certain that if they are repealed they will be replaced with standards that are EERILY similar but have a new and different name. Sadly, the CC standards have become politicized. This is bad for kids. This is bad for educators. This is bad for taxpayers. (Estimates regarding the cost to NC taxpayers should these standards be repealed so quickly after being adopted are readily available on the internet, but extremely depressing). You have been warned. :)

This morning, Mr. Jason Danahy, 4th grade Brassfield math teacher extraordinaire, sent out an email to the staff with a link to a short video on the TeachingChannel. It featured a master educator named Lynn Simpson, herself a 4th grade teacher in the state of Washington. Here's what she said about Common Core:

"The increased rigor of the Common Core and of what we are expecting them to do as a matter of practice...they are more than happy to explain their thinking to anyone who asks. And that sort of confidence, along with the content knowledge that they are learning, is preparing them for middle school and high school and beyond in a way that we have never seen before. It makes me want to jump out of bed to come to work when the kids are that encouraged and that excited about learning. They have realized how hungry they are to know more, and that they can make sense of it is the most empowering thing in the world."

I couldn't have said it better myself, Ms. Lynn Simpson.

Chinese Tangrams

Today I read a book with Mrs. Emerson's 3rd grade students called Grandfather Tang's Story. The third graders here at Brassfield have been studying two-dimensional polygons, so this seemed like the perfect fit. Students recreated the animals in the story using their own sets of 7 miniature tans. They made beautiful replicas of lions, geese, turtles, and more. Many students designed and shared their very own creations. Some accepted my challenge to use all 7 pieces to create a perfect square...we came close!