Graphing in the Real World

To get the students to analyze data - real data, I thought I would first show them a line graph comparing the July 2012 temperatures with the July 2013 temperatures.  We have had such a cool, rainy summer this year! It would look like this:

Ask the students what observations they can make from this graph.

Then show this graph which shows what is the average temperatures, and have the students make more observations:

What questions and insights might the students make?  Would there be a conversation about what "average" means?

Counting and Place Value

My rant is over - for now.  Now is the time that I need to start focusing in on what the kids need and what the teachers need to help them meet their needs.

After mulling this over for a few days, this would be the professional development I would give to the teachers the first week of school.

Objectives:
1. Understand the skills necessary to count.
2. Understand the relationship of each place in a place value chart.
3. Understand the importance of teaching using the sequence:

Concrete  - Representational - Abstract

Although they have heard this many times, I don't think they understand the importance - especially when it comes to counting and place value.

1.  If I have a lot of time, I would spend time teaching the "funny numbers" from Kathy Richardson.  This is teaching different names for the numbers 1 - 7.

1.seeze

2.nudge

3.jingle

4.drift

5.ramp

6. groan

7. quiver

The purpose is to get the teachers to be put in the place of the students.  They have to learn unfamiliar vocabulary and attach the numerical value to that vocabulary.  Teachers are asked to come up with statements such as "I have quiver and take away drift, so I have jingle left."

The teachers are then introduced to nonsense symbols related to words ~ This helps them feel the frustrations that the students may be feeling as they are trying to learn sequence, vocabulary, value, and symbols at the same time.

This is excellent, especially for kindergarten teachers who may take for granted that the children know the counting vocabulary and the numerical value of those words.

2.  (This is probably where I would start with the entire staff) Introduce counting in base 5 - done with a document camera.  Teachers would have a similar chart and around 30 counters/unifix cubes.  The finished chart would look like this:

1	2	3	4	10
11	12	13	14	20
21	22	23	24	30
31	32	33	34	40
41	42	43	44	100

Questions to ask:  In the number 32(5) , how would you determine the value of 32(5) in base 10? Can you prove it?

Anticipated Answers:
Teachers will show the 3 groups of 5 and the 2 ones to show 17. 
Some teachers may opt to count on the chart to 32.

Tie in to Teaching:  How did the chart and the manipulatives help you understand base 5 numbers?

2.  Now would be a good time to introduce the place value chart for base 5, asking the teachers to come up with the value of each place:

		25	5	1
			3	2

 Question to ask: What is the relationship between the value of the places?  Can you extend the chart?

At this point, you may be asking yourself, "Isn't this much ado about nothing?  What value is it to learn to count in base 5 or learn the place value of base 5?"

Too many times teachers say that this is easy and they can get through this quickly.  Then there are still fourth and fifth graders that are struggling with place value. 
This is like a professional basketball player telling a six-year-old that making a jump shot is easy.  Of course it is, if you are 7feet 5 inches tall.  It is not that easy when you are 3 feet 4 inches tall!

A 30 year old teacher has been working with place value for at least 22 years.  Of course it should be easy to the teacher!

The finale for this day would be to have the teachers count to 25 using the binary system, and then having them explain the place value of each digit in the binary system.

The exit question/card would be SO WHAT???  What have you learned while working in different bases that helped you?  What manipulatives were useful?  What will you do in your classroom while teaching counting and place value?

Manifesto Continued

Actually, since I have 17 days until I return to work (even though I have done something work related every week since school got out) and 24 days until the teachers return, I will have a lot of time to continue this.

You know how after a confrontation, you always know what to say after the other person is gone?  I felt like that after I finished the last installment.

4.  I needed to add a charge for teachers who come up to me and tell me how other people (including me) should do their job better.  Here are  a few examples:

I think the librarian (or any other resource personnel) should ______.
The cafeteria monitors should _______.
The testing schedule would be better if you (rearranged everything you already worked on for a week).

I heard a speaker say one time the difference between advice and butting in is one is asked for.

Perhaps a $25 fee should be added for every time someone wants to give unsolicited advice, maybe doubled if the teacher does not have all of their work done/ all of their students are not making gains.

Maybe the question posed would be "How soon before Mr. and Mrs. Jaeger can go to Disney World?"

Manifesto Continued

As for walking into a class to help and being expected to take over - I think I will charge $45 for each hour that happens.

3.  Missing planning meetings -  I think that will be at least $25, that's what they charge at doctor's offices for a missed appointment.  Why not with me?   The principal tells the teacher that they are supposed to plan with me, I prepare to plan with them, and then they are a no show.

I got home at 3:30 one day (the school day is officially over at 2:55 for teachers) and my husband asked me if school got out early that day!!!  There is no excuse for not seeing me either during or after school.

So now, I can make great real world math problems for the teachers.  It would look something like this:

Mrs. Jaeger's Fees (not covered by the school board)

Description	Fee
Uttering "These children can't, won't, don't, etc." in Mrs. Jaeger's presence	$1
Expecting Mrs. Jaeger to take over the lesson without previously planning with her to do so	$45
Missing a scheduled planning meeting	$25

The question to pose to the teachers would be, "How long will it be before Mrs. Jaeger has enough money to go to Walt Disney World?" and the extension question would be "How long before she can also pay for Mr. Jaeger to join her?"  Or even better, How many people can Mrs. Jaeger pay for by December?  How many people can she pay for by June?

Now the question is, how much trouble would I get in if I posted this in my office, or showed it to the teachers during the first week of school?  

Maybe if I put this next to the poster:

Maybe.

My 2013 - 2014 Manifesto

Last year was a journey that was filled with much too much drama.  This year's journey is going to be much better!

After contemplating the SOL scores for this previous year, I have decided the following things

1.  Any teacher who comes to me starting a sentence with "These children can't [or don't know]" will have to pay me a dollar for each occurrence.  For Example

TEACHER:  These children can't do math.  ME: Teach them.
TEACHER:  These children can't read.  ME: Teach them.
TEACHER:  These children can't walk down the hall in a single file.  ME: Teach them.
TEACHER:  These children can't sit still.  ME: Teach them.

The contract they signed says that they are a TEACHER - in fact, a highly qualified teacher, so that is my expectation of them.

Also, I remember when I first started teaching and my supervisor equated training my children to training a dog.  I was horrified!  33 years later, I have come to agree.  If I can train a dog to obey, certainly I can train a brilliant child to obey, also.

This video proves it:

Why should I expect any less from my students?

2.  When I show up to a classroom, I WILL NOT teach the entire lesson without previously sitting down and planning with the teacher.  I am so tired of hearing "Oh good!  Your here!  You can teach the lesson!"

This will take A LOT of restraint on my part.  I always want to jump in and take over!