Upcoming This Week
Monday, 11/18 1st Day of Session II Specialties
Tuesday, 11/19 Book Fair, NNAT Testing, Kinder & Grade 5
Wednesday, 11/20 Early Dismissal, 12:30 pm
Thursday, 11/21 2nd grade Field Trip, Student Coalition Meeting, SDMC, 3:30 pm; Family Night at the Book Fair, 5:30-7:30 pm
Friday, 11/22 NTB Book Talk, 11:30-12:30
Just Around the Corner
Monday, 11/25
Tuesday, 11/26 Field Day
Wednesday, 11/27 THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
Thursday, 11/28 THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
Friday, 11/29 THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
Tuesday, 12/3 3rd Gr Musical Rehearsal Begins, 3:30-5:30
Wednesday, 12/4 School Tour, 9:00 am
Friday, 12/6 PTO Meeting, 8:10 am
Numeracy or Automaticity?
Educators often have strong views about approaches to teaching mathematics (well, strong views about how to teach most things I suppose). Many educators believe, and there is research to support, that developing strong number sense is critical. Everyday Math does a really good job of giving students opportunities to understand the base ten system, and gives them exposure to basic principles of numbers that make moving into algebra a little easier. You will see that your children have many strategies for mental mathematics and can easily use variables when solving problems. They may also have learned some nontraditional methods for double digit multiplication and division. All of this work is designed to help students understand the components of large numbers.
Other mathematics programs focus on rote mathematics, with memorization of facts (addition or multiplication) at the core. They encourage the use of traditional algorithms to solve problems and design the work to develop automaticity. I am sure you remember the continued practice of your multiplication facts and the structured way you learned to multiply big numbers, or work through long division.
Everyday Math is designed so that after students develop understanding of the number sense they learn the traditional models for multiplying and dividing. It encourages the use of the commutative property of addition and multiplication (a+b=b+a or a*b=b*a) for flexibly solving problems, and encourages the use of fact families for finding the answer to division problems. Fact Triangles help students learn the reciprical nature of multiplication and division.
We find though that if we wait until students develop number sense, we often don't spend enough time on automaticity. If we want children to understand how numbers work, and also work efficiently, we need to develop both numeracy and automaticity.
Automaticity takes time. It requires regular practice, as does any skill we want to improve. If you haven't built in time each day to practice addition flashcards, or multiplication flashcards, it is something that can greatly improve your child's mathematics skills. Use the fact triangles provided by your child's teacher, or make a set of flashcards at home. Capture a little extra time by practicing in the car. It will make the ride home a little more fun, and may make errands go a little faster!
What is NNAT?
NNAT (Naglieri Non-verbal Ability Test) measures nonverbal reasoning and general problem solving abilities. Directions are simplistic and the test assesses without regard to language ability. There is no published review for this assessment. This assessment is used by HISD as one component of the G/T identification matrix.
Kindergarten and 5th grade students will be administered the NNAT on Tuesday morning. It is essential students are at school on time, and are well rested with a good breakfast.
Monday, 11/18 1st Day of Session II Specialties
Tuesday, 11/19 Book Fair, NNAT Testing, Kinder & Grade 5
Wednesday, 11/20 Early Dismissal, 12:30 pm
Thursday, 11/21 2nd grade Field Trip, Student Coalition Meeting, SDMC, 3:30 pm; Family Night at the Book Fair, 5:30-7:30 pm
Friday, 11/22 NTB Book Talk, 11:30-12:30
Just Around the Corner
Monday, 11/25
Tuesday, 11/26 Field Day
Wednesday, 11/27 THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
Thursday, 11/28 THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
Friday, 11/29 THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
Tuesday, 12/3 3rd Gr Musical Rehearsal Begins, 3:30-5:30
Wednesday, 12/4 School Tour, 9:00 am
Friday, 12/6 PTO Meeting, 8:10 am
Numeracy or Automaticity?
Educators often have strong views about approaches to teaching mathematics (well, strong views about how to teach most things I suppose). Many educators believe, and there is research to support, that developing strong number sense is critical. Everyday Math does a really good job of giving students opportunities to understand the base ten system, and gives them exposure to basic principles of numbers that make moving into algebra a little easier. You will see that your children have many strategies for mental mathematics and can easily use variables when solving problems. They may also have learned some nontraditional methods for double digit multiplication and division. All of this work is designed to help students understand the components of large numbers.
Other mathematics programs focus on rote mathematics, with memorization of facts (addition or multiplication) at the core. They encourage the use of traditional algorithms to solve problems and design the work to develop automaticity. I am sure you remember the continued practice of your multiplication facts and the structured way you learned to multiply big numbers, or work through long division.
Everyday Math is designed so that after students develop understanding of the number sense they learn the traditional models for multiplying and dividing. It encourages the use of the commutative property of addition and multiplication (a+b=b+a or a*b=b*a) for flexibly solving problems, and encourages the use of fact families for finding the answer to division problems. Fact Triangles help students learn the reciprical nature of multiplication and division.
We find though that if we wait until students develop number sense, we often don't spend enough time on automaticity. If we want children to understand how numbers work, and also work efficiently, we need to develop both numeracy and automaticity.
Automaticity takes time. It requires regular practice, as does any skill we want to improve. If you haven't built in time each day to practice addition flashcards, or multiplication flashcards, it is something that can greatly improve your child's mathematics skills. Use the fact triangles provided by your child's teacher, or make a set of flashcards at home. Capture a little extra time by practicing in the car. It will make the ride home a little more fun, and may make errands go a little faster!
What is NNAT?
NNAT (Naglieri Non-verbal Ability Test) measures nonverbal reasoning and general problem solving abilities. Directions are simplistic and the test assesses without regard to language ability. There is no published review for this assessment. This assessment is used by HISD as one component of the G/T identification matrix.
Kindergarten and 5th grade students will be administered the NNAT on Tuesday morning. It is essential students are at school on time, and are well rested with a good breakfast.
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