Confessions of a First Year Teacher - Week 3

Whew week 3 was crazy.  How is it possible that a short week can feel so much longer than the regular week. So much stuff happened this week! I'm entering week 2 of my first cold of the school year. That's been super fun.  Some of the other happenings this week I can't elaborate on because of privacy issues and because it's just not really something I feel that should be shared. Let's just say this particular event added a layer of stress to the school day for not only the teachers and staff but the kiddos as well. However, we are figuring out what needs to happen to make it work. I love my team! Working together for the kids and helping each other. I seriously do not know what I would do without them.

In the classroom we are learning strategies to help us solve math problems. I made these little signs with different strategies for my kids to reference. They are particularly fond of using objects, drawing a picture, and counting on fingers to help them. I introduced them to number lines and how to use them to solve addition problems, I think with a bit more practice some of them will really like that strategy.

We are also studying doubles facts at the moment, as you can see by the mini posters hung up next to my strategy posters. My kids really love the hands and spider doubles. :P

I found this game called race to the board. It is meant for number recognition but I made it an addition game. Two teams, each member of each team takes a turn finding the sum of an addition problem I have written on a card. They have to figure out the sum and then find the answer on the "board" before the other team. The kids absolutely loved this game. I plan to use it for subtraction and add more numbers when we move into sums within 20 as well.






I pulled an activity from my time with Mrs. Benson during student teaching. Rainbow to 10. I had my kids fill in their paper and glue it into their math journals so we can reference it when needed.

I also gave my first test Friday. One of my team members helped me create a clicker test. The questions are displayed on the smart board like a power point and the kids have clicker remotes they use to answer the questions. They seem to feel like its a game and I don't have to sit at my desk grading 65+ test papers because the program grades and scores each student for me, all I have to do is print the report.

My kiddos blew my socks off! They did really well overall. I do have some that will need some small group instruction but I was anticipating it. Another successful week in Mrs. Ogier's class.