I would like to go back to reviewing basic skills in all grade levels daily and coming out of our text books for good. The text confuses most students. The language is either confusing or not relevant for the skill needing to be taught. I do the basic math facts test daily. During our measurement unit I created a measurement fact sheet to cover for the last three weeks. My students did great. When I returned to the basic math facts sheets the students scores were okay but they had lost the 100 facts in 3 minutes. They were back to 100 facts in under 10 minutes. I hate to sound dated but Practice, Practice, Practice still holds true in the teaching of mathematics. They need to spiral back to all basic concepts to retain the information that we would like to build upon in the 5th grade.

math and memory

A strategy to support students in math that I have been successful with is the use of visuals. I have created visuals for metric conversions (ex; kg to mg) and used the upper case "G" visual with c/p/q's to help students remember cutomary conversions of gallons, quarts, pints, cups. Using visuals is a very strong strategy to assist students with abstract concepts. Once practiced, students can recreate the visual when taking a test to support memory. If visuals were consistent between grades, (ie; the gallon one) this would be very helpful for the students.
-Cheryl

Chapter 3

I think it would be beneficial for everyone to use the same math reference sheets. In third grade students use the same reference sheet for test taking. Perhaps this sheet could be utilized in the younger grades as well. The same layout/location of information on a sheet of paper could be used. The areas covered on this sheet could grow with the students as they develop a concept and concepts become more complex as grades go on. Students will be exposed to this at an earlier age and will be able to use this as a resource.



I feel that students need a solid foundation of math skills. They need this foundation before they can build upon and develop more complex skills. For example, they need to master simple addition skills before they are asked to multiply. Exposure to different topics in math may benefit students without memory issues, however, it may cause confusion and frustration with students that have memory issues.

Chapter 3

Children with working memory issues are likely to show difficulty with multiple step word problems. Once they have figured out the first part they may have forgotten to do the next steps. Many of our staff members have created problem-solving steps reference sheets and general math reference sheets. It would be great if we could bring them all together, share them and make some of them consistent from grade level to grade level. If we start using the same steps from the first grade on then children will be familiar with and will have over-learned the strategies and steps by the time they get up to the upper grades.

I think we in first grade do many good things that provide support for those struggling with math skills and poor working memory. My question is how do we accurately assess these students? Our current report cards says "S" is satisfactory with or without support. Does this mean we allow students with poor working memory to use visuals during common math assessments and if so, does this accurately portray how each individual is doing? Another example of this is a portion of our report card is "recognizes and counts coins". If I am allowing such students daily visuals to help them remember coins and their worth, are they allowed to use these for any assessments I report? It also goes back to what Allison said in her post about not allowing these supports during MCAS testing.

There are also parts of the Everyday Math that I think pose problems for students with poor working memory. There may be one lesson on Monday on telling time to the half hour but then not again until a week or two later. I feel that the math boxes alone do not provide enough reinforcement of the skills; especially with money and telling time. Perhaps this could be where the math specialist could come in. Having a math specialist working with a small group could really help these students.

Math...what works...

Students need to understand and use the proper vocabulary for each math unit being instructed. Without the understanding of these mathematical terms, it will be very difficult for students to progress and meet the standards. A math journal is useful for recording and storing this information. I provide a typed list of new words with their definitions for each chapter. The students keep this list in a sheet protector in their binder. They are tested on these words and incorporate them each day both orally and in writing. Math games are a brain booster in learning new concepts. These games energize motivation for learning in a healthy, competitive fashion. For example, I Have...Who Has...? Multiplication and Division is a great whole class activity. Math Noodlers is another creative, talented mathematical way for students to express themselves while problem solving.

Mastering multiplication facts is difficult for many. I have found some success in having a "math buddy." This buddy guides the student who needs additional support through each table. They use flashcards, counters, and dice to determine and master the correct products. Students are relaxed, and are learning in positive climate.

Manipulatives and real life experiences are more appealing than just utilizing the text book. Students are able to "see" the big picture and understand the process in problem solving. Acting it out. drawing a picture, and talking it through are just a few techniques in promoting understanding at higher level and critical thinking.

Chapter Three

In third grade, students learn that there are many different ways to solve multiplication and division problems. Each time a new strategy is discussed, I have seen teachers list the name of the strategy on the board or chart paper (as well as an example) so that students can refer back to it when needed. Many students have a preferred way of solving a multiplication or division problem, but if another student is sharing the strategy they used to solve the same problem, it is useful to have this list and an example to refer back to so that students listening can understand what is being discussed and have a visual to refer back to. It also helps students to continually see that there is more than one way to do math and encourages them to think about other ways to solve problems if they have finished solving a problem in their preferred manner.