Lessons With Coffee

Happy Summer! As a math teacher I am often looked to for advice for what parents should do for their children in the summer to "give them an edge" next year or "prevent summer slide."  I love the idea that parents want to help take such an active role in their child's education, and am willing to try to give my best advice.  I do not have children of my own right now so the I can only say what I would do IF I did have children.  I was recently contacted by Personal Creations who asked if I could write a blog entry for student motivation, engagement and projects over the summer.  Personal Creations is pretty much THE source for anything...well...personalized.  They personalize pretty much anything from picture frames,  to Christmas ornaments, and tote bags to wine bottles!   They have a bunch of teacher stuff that is really cute: and I would be remiss to not feature this one:  Even though my first name is Jameson....

This was a really fun project that I did with my 7th graders when we were working on ratios, Rates and proportions that I never got a chance to post this past year, and I will not be teaching 7th grade again! (sort of sad...but not really.) To introduce the topic we started with a review of ratios.  Below you will find the worksheet that went along with the project.  You can see this student was using her worksheet to help her think of a topic idea!!  LOVE! She also was not very careful with her worksheet.  Sorry for the wrinkles.  As you can see the students had to pick a topic, draw or represent (i told them they could use stickers or glue objects to their poster) 20 objects, then on a second sheet of paper complete 10 questions relating to ratios from their poster and reflect.  Here is what this student came up with! If you have had any questions about using art or projects in a math class here it is, Directly from the ...

Dear friends and readers I have some wonderfully fantastic news. My girls increased their multiplication fact fluency from 18 percent measured on February 17th, to 88.3% (and yes....they deserve that dang .3 percent!!!) on Friday March 28th! As it stands now the boys have a final total of 64.6% (they also deserve the .6% ☺ ) I am so dang proud of them.  All of them.  Even the boys.  hehehe It started in 2nd hour.  2 hour is my co-taught special education class.  I have 37 girls in there 15 of them have ieps and 9 504 plans.  Ironically the rest of the girls are all labeled GT.  It is one of the most difficult sets of students that I have ever had to differentiate for!  The girls came in on Friday ready to take the test...ready to kick the boys butts.  I asked if they wanted me to explain the homework first or if they wanted to take the test.  THEY ALL SAID TAKE THE TEST. Three minutes on the clock. Pencils up.... 3.....