A is for Effort!

And so begins another week...

I am very sorry that I was not in school today. It was an unplanned absence, but I am positive that the students did what was expected of them and that i'll receive and outstanding report tomorrow. I do have to attend a Literacy workshop on Thursday, so I will not be in school that day, as well. I am always available to to contact via email, and I do check it regularly.

On another note, the end of the quarter is quickly approaching! I cannot believe that how fast this first quarter is going by. It feels like only yesterday I was meeting everyone for the first time. I am very proud of the progress that each student has individually made, and I could not be more thrilled with how we have progressed as a class. I have noted that some students have not been turning in there work on a regular basis, whether that be homework or classwork. It is important to emphasize to your child how important it is to put their best foot forward and to 'Bee their best everyday'. The children know that I don't expect perfection from them and that mistakes are OK, but what means the most to me is that they just try something and complete it. As I remind students of this in the classroom, it is important that this is reiterated at home by making sure that your child is completing their homework. I greatly appreciate all your help and assistance outside of the classroom!

As you may have noticed via your child's homework, we have been trying a new format of teaching math in second grade. This style of teaching allows for a more student directed approach where the students engage in an educational/academic conversation. It is important to us that we improve the children's math fluency and their ability to quickly identify numbers, answers, and strategies. You can help your child improve this a home by practicing basic addition and subtraction problems with them. This could be as simple as sitting down with them for 5 to 10 minutes each night and reviewing math facts, and asking them to explain how they reached their answer. We are also working to solve our math problems in multi-step word format, that emphasizes the use of diagrams, pictures, and models to reach an answer. To help you better understand this method, I have included a video from LearnZillion. You can set-up a profile for your student on this website to assist in their understanding of concepts within the classroom. Please let me know if you would like me to send you more information in regards to how you can help your child in their road to success!

LearnZillion Math Lesson