Multiplication Tables Are Hard to Remember

So my son has been struggling with his multiplication tables, yes, you read correctly.  Even a teacher’s child will have their challenges in school.  I have tried flashcards, have had  him explore through word problems, write the number sentences down repeatedly, etc.  Nothing would seem to work!  But yesterday was a breakthrough.  I prayed to God to just give me some inspiration or an idea to help him with his tables and Boom!  It hit me.  How did I learn my tables as a child?

Probably not the way New Age teachers are recommending, but it worked and I still remember them to this day.  I used my fingers!!!!!  I know this sounds crazy, teachers never want children depending on their fingers after the second grade.  My fingers worked for me.  I remember saying the 6x tables across my fingers and doing it over and over again.  Before you knew it, I had memorized all my tables from 1 to 12.  Of course, the 1s, 2s,5s, 10s, and 11s are the easy ones but I knew the hard ones as well!

Back to my son:  So yesterday I asked him to say the 3x table and as he had to put his fists out and lift one finger for each number as he said them.  Every time he made a mistake he would have to start all over again. This is important because I want his brain to remember the table the right way and I want the brain to know that mistakes are not an option. Within 15 minutes he had the 3x table completely memorized.  To assess him and promote the repetition, I had him complete simple drills.  I would ask what is 3×2 and he would either know it automatically or just use his fingers strategy then follow-up by saying the full number sentence with answer, 3×2=6.  We practiced again this morning, afternoon, and will again before bed.  He was successful,  his confidence had increased, and as the day went by he became less and less dependent on his fingers.

If you want to try this with your child, be patient and make sure that he/she looks at her fingers when they are saying the tables.  You want them to start associating the fingers with the numbers to increase automaticity.  If you do try it, let me know how it turns out.

Classroom Management and Behavior

As a parent it is important to get a clear idea of how your child’s teacher is managing the classroom.  Some teachers yell and some don’t.  Some teachers have class rules and some don’t.  Some teachers and schools have strict no hitting policies and some don’t.  In a school I used to teach in, I would walk down the hallways and hear teachers just yelling at the children and see students hitting each other with no real consequences.

Thank Goodness I am no longer teaching there and thankfully the school was shut down soon after I left.  In my current school, we use an amazing program that promotes kindness, good citizenship, and  community. The program is called Responsive Classroom and it works.  My classroom is calm and I never raise my voice.  My students generate the rules and encourage each other to follow them.  It is beautiful to see the success of this program every year.

Below are some tips I use for my more active students who tend to have  a little extra energy:

The Popcorn

I have had some kids in my class that I call “popcorns”  they are super active and often have trouble sitting still for long periods of time.  For my “popcorns”, when I notice that they are getting antsy on the rug, I allow them to do some jumping jacks or crabwalks in the hallway.  I also try to make sure that I keep my students on the rug for no longer than 12-15 minutes.  They are young and need movement, try sitting and listening to someone speak for an hour and you will know exactly how your child feels sitting on the rug for more than 20 minutes.

The Fidgety Kid

In my classroom I have many interventions to help support these students.  For my students who need contact with anything tactile, I have a sensory box, which is box filled with squishy balls, bumpy balls, and putty.  My students often know where they can find them and I teach them how to use the tools.

From my experience I have found  a huge difference in my students behavior on days that they do and don’t have recess.  When I say recess, I am talking about children moving, playing, running and actually interacting  with each other.  I am distinguishing this because not all schools have the same definition.  I often notice that on the days my students have recess that involves movement, they are more settled and less antsy.  So if you hear from your child’s teacher that your child is having trouble controlling his/her body, ask about recess and what it looks like.  Just so you know some schools remove recess as a consequence.  The children who need recess the most are often the ones that tend to miss out on it.  In my school, recess is pretty much mandatory for all students unless there is a doctor’s note.

Star Parent Tip: If you have an active child, make sure that your child’s teacher has some supports in play for him/her.  Having these individualized supports will definitely decrease behavioral issues in the classroom. In my school we have something called “Quiet Time”.  Quiet time happens after recess. During this time the lights are dimmed, the room is completely silent, and the children have a choice: to read, write, draw, or put their heads down.

How do you feel about your child’s teacher/school approach on behavior?

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Writing, why is it so important?

I ask my students to write throughout the day.  The Common Core Standards have now put even more of a focus on Nonfiction writing rather than fiction.  For your child to be a strong writer they need to be strong readers first.  To prepare my students, I usually expose to them to many Nonfiction texts.

Star Parent Tip:  I always ask my son’s teacher to let me know what they are writing about in class.  Then I bring that exact content into my home.  For example, if they are writing nonfiction magazines, I will take him to the library and have him look at different types of magazines and we take a couple of minutes to talk about what we notice: Bold Print, Headings, Title Page, table of Contents, etc.  This helps your child to be more prepared and comfortable with the content being taught.  This in turn will make it easier for him/her to apply and use it correctly in their writing.

Intervention Tip:  If your child’s handwriting is illegible because of underdeveloped fine motor skills, but is comfortable with typing on a computer, ask their teacher to allow them to type some writing assignments and tests.  This will help your child to still feel successful even though they do not have the best handwriting.  This is a short term fix or is it?  In this day in age with classrooms getting more and more hi-tech, I wonder if handwriting will someday be an issue of the past…Something to think about.

Need more tips, let me know below.

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Home Interventions that Work!

Interventions

Sight Word Practice

Use the Dolch Sight Word List or ask your child’s teacher to supply you with a list of words that your child needs to know. Practice 5 new words per week before bed with your child.  I often put each word on a flash card and go over them for about 5 minutes.

Home Objects

Label objects in each room in your home in bold print on index cards.  For example, in my home when my son was learning how to read, I labeled everything!  From the toothpaste to the tub, I paired every label with a drawing of the object it represented.  This is a great and effortless way to teach your child how to read common words that appear in children’s books, this also will help your child build confidence (even if they are using the pictures to help 😉

Star Tip: I had my son involved in drawing/ coloring the pictures and walking with me around the house to label objects, he loved it.  This activity can be done over a long period of time so don’t overwhelm yourself or your budding reader.

Bedtime Stories

I started reading to my son in the womb and have been doing so (almost) every night.   It is part of our nightly routine so he expects it.  It is wonderful way to bond with him and settle him down as well.  But those are not the only advantages to bedtime stories.  In a recent Parents.com article, title The Brainy Benefits of Bedtime Stories, I read that, “There’s a clear indication of a neurological difference between kids who have been regularly read to and kids who have not,” Dr. Lyon says. The good news is that these discrepancies don’t have to be permanent. In NICHD studies under way at Yale University in New Haven, CT, and the University of Texas in Austin, researchers have found that electronic images of the brains of children considered poor readers show little activity in the verbal-processing areas. But after the researchers spent one to two hours a day for eight weeks reading to the poor readers and performing other literacy exercises with them, their brain activity had changed to look like that of the good readers.”   Pretty Profound, huh! But you don’t need to read wo hour bedtimetime stories to help your child.  I usually read to my son for about 10 minutes and it definitely is enough. As a teacher I have noticed that many of my stronger readers who also have strong verbal skills are consistently read to by their parents.

Star Tip:  I try to read advanced books to my son at night.  I normally choose books that are a couple reading levels higher than his current level.  That way I can guide him  and we can discuss the content without him having to feel stressed at night.

Keep in mind, I do all of the reading, then I will stop and think aloud, saying everything that is going through my mind as I am reading the book.  Then I ask him to do the same.  This really is good practice for school.  This is exactly what will help your child to be a strong reader because after all, we do think as we read and reading should never be passive.

What do you do at home? What works? Need any more intervention ideas?

Technology, how much does it help?

Technology

More and more classrooms are equipped with Smart Board technology.  If you are not familiar with it, it is a large white board that has taken the place of the chalk board of our time.  This is not just any white board, it is interactive.  I use my smart board to teach lessons, play educational videos, and even Skype with children in classrooms from around the world.  This is a great tool to keep students engaged and focused on instructions.

Star Parent Tip:

My son loves our home and any gadget that uses technology.  I use his interest in technology to my advantage by allowing him to go on websites that reinforce many of the concepts being taught in school.  It’s funny how putting a computer in front of a child will get them interested in almost anything.

Science Tips

Keep up to date with your state science standards for your child’s particular grade.  Also, ask your child’s teacher to let you know whenever they start a new science unit.  Having this information will help you bridge the gap between home and school education.  For example, when my son was learning about force in motion we went to the library and took out books.  I also took him to a museum exhibit that focused on force in motion and found websites for him to engage in that thought more force in motion.  Exposing your child to different aspects of a subject helps to strengthen their understanding and makes them more comfortable with the concepts.

edheads.org

 

 

 

 

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Back to School Tips for the Nervous Child or Parent ;)

Children are always nervous about the first day of school, but so are you. So many things would go through my mind for my son:  Will he be alright?  Will the teacher be patient?  Will he eat his lunch or will his nerves get the best of him?  And the most important question…Will he make friends?

Speaking from a teacher’s point of view, I am always pretty nervous about the first day of school.  Funny, huh? Many things race through my mind like did I make the right bathroom chart?  Believe it or not usually towards the end of summer vacation I start having “teacher dreams”. Don’t laugh but one time I dreamt I was late for the first day of school and had nothing prepared for the children. So yes, we are all nervous about the first day of school.

What you can do?

Get  your child back on a consistent sleep schedule

As a parent I would suggest getting your child ready for the new school year at least 2 weeks prior.  Over the summer I allow my son to go to bed later than usual and in the past I have found that it takes about 2 weeks for him to get back into the groove of his normal sleeping habits.

How this helps?  As a teacher within the first couple of days I can tell which of my students who are sleeping well and the students who are still trying to get their bodies out of summer mode.  A well slept student stays awake and engaged throughout the day while tired students fall asleep on the rug, rarely participate, and seem like they are in a daze.  So help your child out and get them to bed, (my son needs about 10 hours a night).

Read some Back to School books to your child. and talk about it

This will start to get your child more comfortable with the idea of having a new teacher, new classmates, and new experiences.  I do this with my son every year and it definitely decreases the back to school jitters (for the both of us) Click Here for a link to a list of Back to School Books.

Email or call your child’s new teacher.

Some schools don’t allow direct contact with teachers, but my son’s school does and I am grateful for that.  Your child may have likes, dislikes, quirks.  If there is anything that is causing you to lose sleep over, I suggest you reach out to your child’s new teacher and let him/her know.  In the kindergarten my son was super shy (common) and hated loud sounds.  I sent him to school with a note letting his teacher know.  It does not have to be a long note or conversation but I think that as a parent you should always be able to feel comfortable enough to reach out to your child’s teacher.

Post a question or comment below.

Math

You can find out everything that your child needs to know by looking up the Common Core Standards for your child’s grade.  Just like reading, it is very important that you keep up to date with what your child is being taught.  This way you can reinforce the concepts at home.

Star Parent Tip:

When my son was learning his multiplication tables, I brought him flashcards and multiplications work books.  He practiced an extra 10-15 minutes a night just for extra reinforcement.  The extra practice helps a child to be more comfortable with applying newly taught concepts.  You can also buy math board games and computer games.  A couple of great sites are ixl.com, brainpopjr.com and mensaforkids.org.

How does a teacher decide what to teach?

Truth is, a teacher does not decide what our children get taught, the state decides.  A group of teachers, school administrators, and experts worked together and complied a set of standards that they feel will prepare our children for college.  They have set up a set of standards called the Common Core Standards.  Common Core Standards are listed by grade and subject.  Keep in mind that these standards are high and a great deal of time and research went into putting them together.  The standards tell teachers and parents what children need to learn, but do not tell a teacher how to teach the content. The standards help to guide a school curriculum and a teacher’s lesson plans.  By the end of the school year your child should have learned everything on the list, EVERYTHING.

My advice as a parent….

Every year you should look at that list.  Talk to your child’s school leaders and teachers and make sure that they are using the Common Core Standards to guide their instruction.  This is extremely important for you to know because, although it is required your child’s school or teacher may not be in compliance.  Believe me I have worked in schools where lessons were thrown together last minute and inexperienced teachers were responsible for writing curriculums on subjects they were not familiar with.  And guess who suffers? So familiarize yourself with that list and do whatever you can at home to reinforce it.  Let me know if you need any ideas on how you can help at home.  You can read an in depth explanation of the standards here, at http://www.corestandards.org, their main website.  And don’t worry, it is a very user friendly site.

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Reading Level: What is it? What does it mean? How is it decided?

Every school that I have ever worked in assigns a child with a reading level.  Your child’s reading level is very important and don’t let any tell you different.  Your child knowing how to read has an impact on how they do in every subject from math to social studies!  Your child’s reading level also plays a strong role on whether or not he /she will be promoted to the next grade.  I will get into whether this is fair or not later.

Levels range from A-Z.  A books being picture books with one or two words on each page and Z books being books like To Kill a Mocking Bird, The Outsiders, etc.

There are benchmarks defined for each grade.  Most schools will define where a child is expected be in the beginning , middle, and end of the school year.  As a parent you should know this before the end of every marking period (report cards are distributed). In my classroom, I try to tell my students’ parents weeks prior to parent teacher conferences that their child is not on grade level.  I give them interventions (ideas on how to help) they can use at home

Through an assessment your child’s teacher can determine your child’s level.  The assessment has two parts: word recognition and comprehension.

Basically, can your child read the words accurately and understand what they are reading.  During the assessment, your child’s teacher will introduce the book(on level being assessed) and then hand it to your child to read it aloud and independently.  There are strict rules to properly assessing a child’s reading level aka performing a running record.  The teacher can only help if asked and must mark each word that is read incorrectly as an error, teacher help counts as an error as well.  To move up levels your child’s need to have a high percentage of accuracy, around 95%.

The second part of the assessment is comprehension where your child after reading the book discusses with his/her teacher what the story was about.  The teacher may also ask questions that focus on details, characters, events, and authors purpose.

Although many teachers would rather parents not know their child’s reading level, many also do.  You may be wondering why wouldn’t a teacher want me to know my own child’s reading level?  Good question.  Well as a teacher, I have come across some parents who have drilled and exhausted their children to get them on or too far beyond grade level.  I have seen children as young as first grade turn into little competitors, putting their peers and even themselves down for not reading on or above grade level.

Star Parent Tip:

My own son struggled with reading.  It bothered me at first, but as a teacher I knew that it had nothing to do with him, me, or his teacher.  My son was below level because of his speech delay. I could have drilled him, but I knew that drilling him may do more harm than good.  The goal is for chidren to love reading and not look at it as a chore or impossible task.  Many times we as parents forget that because we want so badly for our children to be normal or exceptional.  I am in the same boat when it comes to my son, but as a teacher I know that children will always get there just at a different pace, and that is ok.  I repeat that is ok.  With practice and the proper supports your child’s reading will improve over time.

“The Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment evaluates the student’s reading and comprehension ability to determine each child’s independent and instruction level according to the Fountas & Pinnell A-Z Text Level Gradient. Once this level is identified; teachers, students and parents/guardians can select texts that are the right level for each student to maximize their learning potential…. It is a standardized, teacher-administered, one-on-one assessment, that must be hand-scored by the teacher as well”(Heinemann, 2011).

This system has many uses:

•Determine  students’ independent and instructional reading levels

•Group students for reading instruction

•Select texts that will be productive for a student’s instruction

•Identify students who need intervention and extra help

•Document student progress across a school year and across grade levels

•Create class profiles

•Inform parent conferences

Heinemann. (2011). Fountas & pinnell. Retrieved from http://www.heinemann.com/fountasandpinnell/BAS2_Overview.aspx

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