We will begin a math block this week with more stories of Tennessee Turtle and Sunny Frog. I received feedback from some of you that many of the children are complaining of not understanding division as well as the other processes. It really is the most difficult to understand and I have also noticed the need for more practice. We will be doing extra division practice in this block rather than moving on to borrowing. It is said that in the first year a concept is introduced, the second year it is practiced, and by the third year they are able to master it. They now very much understand the times tables and I believe will gain a deeper understanding of division and carrying by the end of this block. Borrowing will be introduced at the end of the year.
If you are looking for ways to help at home, cooking and chores are a great way to incorporate math into daily life. Here are some examples:
“We’re making 48 cookies, but we can only fit 12 on a tray. How many trays do we need?”
“If we have 6 people in our family and we need a fork, spoon, and knife at each place setting, how many pieces of silverware is that all together?”
This is not necessary by any means, but can be a nice way to practice and to help out the family! Finding ways for them to be helpful to others can help them not get stuck in the sometimes self centered attitudes that can pop up for 8 year olds. Something that I am working on in class (per Mr. Payne’s suggestion) is NOT telling them “good job” when they do something. Rather, I will say, “It really helps the class when you clean the desks, thank you.” Or, “I can tell you worked hard on this drawing.” This sort of praise affirms the action of what they have done rather than the outcome. Children that hear “good job” too often can sometimes have trouble later. They may only choose to do things that they know they can do easily rather than really putting forth the effort. This is just one of the golden nuggets that came from Kim John Payne’s visit and literature. If you are interested in knowing more, reading Simplicity Parenting is a good place to start.
Upcoming Events
No School for Spring Break- April 18th- April 22nd
Second Grade Parent Evening- Wednesday, April 27th at 7:00 pm
Second Grade Camping Trip- Wednesday, May 11th- Friday, May 13th Look for details about this soon. Want to help in some way? We will likely need some people to prepare food. We will also talk about details at the April 27 Parent Evening. If your child is nervous, I encourage you to have them sleep over at a friend or cousin’s house to show that they can. You could also host a sleepover at your home.