Friday, June 21, 2013

Chapter Overview for Go Math

Hello!  This summer I am really trying to organize my student's data so that I can speak seamlessly at parent teacher conferences about their growth.

For math I created these documents that will help me keep track of every day that I teach the skill and how they did.  My plan is to make a place on the board that let's them see what they should be filling in that day based on their exit slips.  Since their exit slips are usually just 3-4 small questions, I can grade them on the spot.  These pages align with Go Math!  The Houghton Mifflin Math program we are using at my school.

I hope that this will help parents see what their children are doing well in and what they need help with.  At our school we don't have standards based report cards, so our parents usually see just a letter and some comments form the teacher without knowing how their children received that grade.

On a side note, if you have any other ways you keep track of data I would love to hear about it!


Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Fraction Task Cards

I wanted to share the fraction task cards that I used this year.  They were very helpful because my children loved to play teacher.  They could use the cards to teach each other on the slates, and at the same time they were reviewing skills they needed to be ready for the DC-CAS.  Let me know your thoughts!



These are great like I said for working with kids.  You can even use the document below to help the students keep track of the cards they completed and the cards they still need to work on.  I would suggest laminating them and putting them on a book ring so that you can have them in one easy location.


Best,

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Preparing for Next Year

So I have decided to share with you all my summer reading plans as well as my goals to prepare me for next year.  I will be teaching 5th grade again, but inclusion to the same students I had in 2nd and 3rd grade (the gang's all back!).

Over the summer I plan to reflect on not only best reading and math practices, but how to push myself to be the best leader.  I have been at my school for 6 years and we have a decent turn around, making me one of the most veteran teachers in the school.  As someone who has been there, I try every day to be a great leader, but sometimes I get caught up in the moment.  Below are the books I plan to read to help me reach that goal:

1- Leverage Leadership
2- How Children Succeed
3- Word Nerds
4-Common Core Mathematics in a PLC that works
5- The CAFE


I have not decided on a theme this year, but I plan to keep it short, sweet, and to the point.  I plan to use my summer creating data binders like this one I found here.

As soon as I can I will show you my math binder that I have started to work on in preperation for next year.  Last year we started Go Math! which was a great math program, but did not help us bridge the gap for our students, most of whom were not ready for the rigor it expected in each lesson.

Well, I am sure I will be back with more great stuff later today!

Best,

Sunday, June 9, 2013

My Top 5 in 5th Grade

Hey everyone and welcome to my blog!  I wanted to start a showcase of the work my wonderful children do in 5th grade, here in Washington D.C.  I will start by sharing a little bit about me and why I came to teach in D.C. as well as my goals for next year!

I am a 5th grade teacher in Washington D.C. who came down here about 5 years ago from New Jersey.  My boyfriend (now fiancee) went to CUA Law School and I needed a job. I went to a career fair and my school strongly recruited me.  I had no idea at the time what a Charter School was and was very interested in finding out more.  I was hired in April (before any of my friends) and move down to D.C. in June.  I have been at the same school for the last 5 years, and have taught 2nd, 3rd, and 5th grade Math.  Next year I will be teaching the 5th grade inclusion classroom with my children that I had when I taught them in 2nd and 3rd grade- so it is going to be so much fun to reunite with them!

My Top 5 in 5th Grade

Top 5 Teacher Bloggers
1- Charity Preston:  The Organized Classroom
2- Angela Watson: The Cornerstone for Teachers
3- Pinterest:  My Boards
4- The Sisters:  The Daily 5
5- Laura Candler:  Teaching Resources

Top 5 Teaching Books:
1-  The End of Molassess Classes, Ron Clark
2- How Children Succeed, Paul Tough
3- Leverage Leadership, Paul Bambrick-Santoyo and Doug Lemov
4- Teach Like a Champion Field Guide, Doug Lemov

Top 5 Personal Books
1- Twilight, Stephanie Meyer
2-The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins
3- The Stephanie Plum Series, Janet Evanovich
4-Something Borrowed, Emily Giffin
5-Pretty Little Liars Series, Sara Shepard


Top 5 Stores
1-The Loft
2-C Wonder
3- JCrew
4-Toms
5-Express

Top 5 Vacations
1- Disney World ( I actually got engaged there!)
2- Cruise to the Bahamas
3- Miami
4-Las Vegas
5- Punta Canta


There is just a little bit about who I am.  Next year I plan to post everything my children are working on to share with teachers.  Because of bloggers like the ones I mentioned above I have become a better teacher and want to be able to bring even more to the world of teacher bloggers.  I hope that you enjoy my blog and can share with everyone you know!

Best,