Acceleration....

Here's What:
Last week I decided to base my mathematics teaching around the acceleration strategy that we had learnt about in our recent professional development.

The keys from our reading "Jump-starting students who are behind" by Suzy Pepper Collins was to 

• make learning experiences relevant (real-world relevance)
• rich vocabulary experiences
• hands on experiences

The learning in the classroom is fractions, decimals and percentages in every day life focusing on students being able to use a range of additive and multiplicative strategies with whole numbers, fractions, decimals and percentages.

I attempted to achieve this by creating a learning experience where students could use the current Warehouse mailer to go shopping for easter eggs for their family, and buy something for themselves with a budget of $120. What fraction of the money would they spend on themselves? What fraction of the money would they spend on easter eggs?

So What?

As a teacher I enjoyed teaching/guiding students in this lesson. I was thrilled to hear rich mathematical conversations among students. The barriers of grouping and ability was removed and all students engaged in the learning.

Have a look at our blog, to see first hand students enjoying the relevant, hands-on learning experiences ...      Room 13 - Easter Challenge

Now What?
I would like to implement more learning this way. As identified in assessment data, the students in my class need the most support in learning Addition/Subtraction.
I wonder how I can incorporate this learning in a relevant context for my students??

Accelaration : Jump-Starting Students who are behind

Acceleration : Chapter 1 by Suzy Pepper Collins

Coffee & Blogging

Another great start to the year with our staff coffee & blogging. We meet on Wednesdays at 8 am for a techie time for learning skills to use our blogs more effectively.

Sam's journey ...

A week later and Sam is already making significant progress with his iPad. One of the most exciting changes is that the iPad is enabling Sam to become part of the class learning. 

This week he has accomplished the following:-

Creating images using PicCollage to record the day of the week, and the weather for the day.  In the future we are hoping to collate these images into an iBook (with support of his teacher aide).

Using Write About App, Sam has produced some independent writing. In addition he completed a short piece of writing about a summer barbeque experience. This is the first time that Sam has joined in a class writing task! 

Sam used emoticons to add to his writing.

Using the Matific App, Sam worked with the support of his teacher aide to complete fraction maths activities.

My HIGHLIGHT...

Sam has started working with other students in the class.

Sam's journey ..Part 1

Today I have been setting up a new iPad for a student in my class who has special needs. Sam (pseudonym) has been given an iPad from the Ministry of Education (MOE). Sam has an intellectual disability, as well as epilepsy and ADHD. He has social, learning and behavioural issues and he is learning at approximately 4-7 years old (Level 1 of the New Zealand Curriculum). The students in my class are in year 7 & 8 and level 3-4 of the curriculum.

With the support of Special Education, myself and a teacher aide (0.3) we are exploring the possibilities of using ICT to engage Sam in learning. 

My next steps: 

• set up appropriate apps from my current knowledge of apps
• explore new apps / sites that could benefit Sam
• learn more about "Clicker Docs" an app that has been installed by the MOE