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Thursday, April 4, 2013

April Currently & Summer Math Projects

Is it really April?  Really?  I think I missed April 1st and now it is April 4th. The only way I knew it was April was that Farley posted April's Currently over at Oh Boy 4th Grade.  How did that happened?  Gosh I am definitely in spring break mode and I do NOT want it to end.  So here is my April Currently.  I love reading all the other bloggers posts.  It is like reality T.V. for teachers.  LOL




Listening - My youngest is so proud of herself that she makes herself toast.  She gets the toaster, bread, butter & cinnamon out all by herself.  She refuses to let me help.  I do keep an eye on her though.  I love it! 

Loving - Spring break and who does not love that?

Thinking - I need to get some stuff done for school and my TpT store.  Actually I think I need another week off.  Hee Hee

Wanting - Warmer temps even though it was been beautifully sunny skies here in Ohio this week it has still been only in the 30's brrrrrr.  Looks like we will get a warm up when I go back to school next week.  Of course!

Needing - I need to print out my resume today for a interview for a part-time tutoring gig I have later today.  I wish I did not have to take on a 2nd job but my teacher's pay does not look like to be getting any better and the chance of any new job offers with more money is slim to none.  Sooo here I go adding more to my already crazy schedule.  Ugh!

Advice - I see my advice comment is stuck up by my needing comment and I just do not feel like fighting with it.  So my advice would be to join as many linky parties as you can so get more of a following.  I am still new to the TpT so I do not have a lot of advice there.  I did sell 3 things for a big whopping $3.00 and after fees & commission I made....... drumroll please....... .90 cents.  Woot Woot!  I guess I need to get my rear end moving and get some more items on my TpT store. 

Summer Math Projects

Since I am the chairperson for our math curriculum  I have to have a meeting to plan on what we are going to send home for math practice over the summer.  In the past we have made mandatory the Summer Solutions workbooks.  I loved it!

I think the workbooks are great practice over concepts that are taught if you use the Simple Solutions series during the school year.  As many of you who follow my blog know we have implemented a new textbook series, Go Math, this year that I really do not care for but I will not rant about that. It is a done deal.  We did not use the Simple Solutions this year.  There just is not enough time to do both.  So I do not think the summer workbook can be used because we did not use the Simple Solutions workbooks this year.  This will be missed. 

I think a constant review of math topics really does help students though.  I currently have 4th grade students that still cannot remember how to do mean, mode, and range and many of my 5th graders cannot remember it from last year when we did use Simple Solutions.  It is tested and then forgotten with Go Math.  That is just one of many concepts that my 4th & 5th graders are missing with this Common Core curriculum due to no repetition.  Concepts not reinforced in Go Math like it was in Simple Solutions.  But Simple Solutions does not have the depth and application skills that are needed for the Common Core and our changing world.

Now the problem,  our principal still wants us to make some math project mandatory for over the summer but she does not want us just to send a worksheet packet home.  I agree BORING!  As I already mentioned the new Common Core does not insist on rote memorization but a more deeper understanding of math concepts by application, explanation of why and a multiple ways of completing math tasks.  So the principal wants us to come up with or find a math "project" for our students to do over the summer.  I do have a few ideas but I was wondering what does your school have your students do for math over the summer?  Or is nothing mandatory?  What are your thoughts and feelings?  I would really love your feedback.

Happy Thursday,

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7 comments:

  1. Unless students are going in to honor or gifted classes, we do not assign mandatory summer work. I usually give my students a summer reading list and suggested apps and websites to use, but I find that a lot of the students in the district that I teach in travel, and I am sure that parents would be less than pleased if we made any assignments mandatory.

    Hasn't the spring break gone by entirely too quickly? I can't believe that it is Thursday already! I would definitely love another week off as well.

    Good luck on your interview. It is so unfortunate that we work so hard and don't get the pay to show it. I've tutored or worked back to school programs every year of teaching. Like you, I'd love to use TpT to supplement my income, and I am slowly growing, but I need to find the time to create the 1000 items that are in my head :-)

    Enjoy the rest of your break!

    Mrs. O at Mrs O Knows

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  2. I had spring break last week and the weather was awful. At least it has been awful this first week back - I would have hated it if the weather had been beautiful this week. Good luck with your tutoring interview and with getting your TpT store business to pick up! Here is a cute little poster with a poem for helping to remember mean, mode, range
    http://pinterest.com/pin/122582421079475446/

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  3. Hi Wendy,

    What is your TPT shop address? I spent a lot of time creating materials for TPT this past summer. I've found that the more work I put into my projects, the more I get back from them. It's hard to have a life and keep up a shop but in the long run it pays off!

    Amanda

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  4. Your TPT store will get moving before you know it! I made a grand total of $15 my first quarter and reached a great deal more the next. I think it feels better if it is not forced you know? Good luck with the tutoring job, it is a shame that you can't just be a teacher.
    Brooke

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  5. Yay another fifth grade blog! I'm your newest follower!
    I teach year six in New Zealand which is equivalent to your fifth grade.

    I also tutor (just privately) a few times a week! Although this year I'm going to try and cut that back a little and get TpT up and running instead

    How does your summer break work- do you have the same class after the break or is it the start of a new year and therefore new class after - I'm just wondering how homework over summer is meant to work- I'm in NZ so at the end of the year (early December) we break, then come back at the end of Jan or first week of Feb- but with a whole new class because the kids have moved up a year- and they never have homework over summer.

    I started my blog yesterday and just have a couple of freebies up on TpT- so don't worry you're 90c ahead of me!!!

    x Serena x

    Magic Mistakes & Mayhem

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  6. Don't be discouraged by the sales in your TPT store. It definitely takes time and more patience that I would sometime that to show. Join linky parties, offer giveaways on your blog, team up with other bloggers/TPT store owners, use Pinterest, and have as many high quality products as possible. Hope this helps :) Glad I found your blog today!

    -Courtney
    2ndgradesnapshots.blogspot.com

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  7. Hi I just found you through another person's blog roll! It looks like I'm your 100th follower! I can't wait to hear more!
    Jenn
    DoodlingAroundin6thGrade

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Thanks for the comments. I LOVE comments.