What's Happening in Special Classes

Specialists met on Monday, November 24, 2014 to review school-wide data and discuss ways that we, as specific-content teachers, can support the core learning of our students.  As part of that meeting we discussed some ways that we already incorporate fundamental reading and math skills in our classes.  Since we weren't even aware of what is happening in each others classes, we thought you might like to know, and might even have some suggestions of some small changes we can make in our classroom activities to be more effective.

As a group we acknowledge that we are not isolated classes.  In the words of Mrs. Usner, "There is no art for art sake anymore."  We see our subjects as the hook, sometimes the highlight of a student's school day.  We understand the power of addressing difficult tasks in new ways to reach different learning needs and we want to be part of that process.  Often we feel as if we don't really know what is happening in the classrooms, so we employ what we know and what we have learned in professional development and try to touch base with classroom teachers to get spelling word lists and math focus concepts to reinforce in our lessons.

It might be helpful to know that ....

• All specials teachers have a list of math vocabulary for K-5 from the GoMath series.
• We incorporate math facts and present math problems to students as it is appropriate to our classrooms.  We might:
• Review flash cards when waiting in line;
• Ask math questions related to behavior chart stickers and goals;
• Sort and group kids in different ways for activities.
• Use geometry and geometric shapes and solids to create modern art.
• We review letter names and sounds in different ways:
• Build letters with our bodies;
• "Draw" letters with jump ropes then follow movement directions;
• Earn letters instead of points. A team wins when they can make a spelling word;
• Get back into a game of tag by identifying a letter or its sound;
• Match letters on a keyboard to their capital, lower case or sounds.
• We have requested letter-size copies of the Journeys word walls so that we can reinforce and incorporate vocabulary, sight word, grammar patterns, literary strategies, writing focus, etc.
• Health teachers are reviewing the ScienceFusion by grade level to identify areas of overlap and collaboration.
• We want to know how you are teaching kids to cite text evidence so we can use the same language when we are reading and using informational text in our classrooms.
• We already talk about measurements, fractions, data analysis, geometry and other math topics.
• We want to work with you to make sure we are reinforcing the right concepts and using the right terms.

As a team of professional teachers we understand our content areas and we know how to teach the skills and strategies that are related.  Often we can incorporate core skills and reinforce core subject matter in very creative ways, but we don't always know what is happening outside of our areas.  Please keep us in mind when you are planning your next project or grade-level activity. We want to support you and we want to support our students.  

Solving Word Problems

One of the discussions that came out of the data-based planning meetings was the desire for a simple, standard procedure for solving word problems.  It was discussed that students often struggle to know where to start when presented with a word problem.  They usually know to look for numbers.  There are a few key words that they understand to mean add or subtract.  They may figure out what the label should be on the answer at the end.  Over the years, we have all taught different processes, tips, mnemonics and rules for decoding a math word problem.  Combined with the multiple strategies and new ways of thinking about math functions, it seems that there are too many options for students and they are getting lost in the procedures.

A suggestion was made to develop a standard problem solving method.  A series of clear and concise steps that all students can use to decipher any word problem regardless of the exact math strategy they plan to use.  A quick search was conducted and we came upon CUBES.  It sounds very much like processes used in different classrooms.  It is most likely already being used by some teachers.  In fact a similar pre-set math poster was found in our VariQuest poster printer software.  It is by no means new and earth-shattering, but as a set of standard language for attacking and making sense of a word problem for all students throughout the building it could be the thing that makes the process click for some of our students.  It could be part of someone's "Aha!" moment.

There are currently 2 poster designs to support the CUBES methodology.  The simple version is located below.  It features the mnemonic, defining statements with graphic representations and examples of math action words for each operation.  A more detailed version that includes a sample problem and list of suggested steps to solve a problem is also available, but there isn't currently a digital image for your review.

In reviewing the posters with teachers, some creative suggestions for using them have developed. The posters are available for display in the classroom.  They can be laminated and used during a lesson with overhead markers.  A flipchart version of each chart will be created to be used with your Promethean Boards during active lessons.  Finally, individual copies can be made on paper or card stock to be used by students at their desks, as a classroom learning and reference tool, in a center or kept in a homework folder for reference.

The goal of standardizing any process like this is to provide our students with a familiar, comfortable process that will aide in their recall.  Using common language and processes will create a school-wide that will help our students build fluency and automaticity in the procedure for solving a word problem, even as they continue to be exposed to new and varied math strategies.

Data-Based Planning Blog

This blog has been set up as a means of collaborating and communicating progress on discussion points, requests for information and suggestions presented at the data-based planning meetings held November 10 - 24, 2014.  The goal of the blog is to provide a means for sharing feedback, ideas, suggestions, celebrations, concerns and opportunities.  Considering that everyone in this building has precious little time to squeeze in new meetings, taking the blog online provides an opportunity keep up to date with the activities of other grade levels and hopefully, collaborate with one another as we see needs and opportunities arise.

Here is a quick recap of some collaboration that has already begun as a direct result of meeting discussions:

• 5th grade ELA teachers are organizing a small group of students to work with 2nd grade readers during their end of the day DEAR time.  The students, identified by their teachers as meeting or exceeding grade level goals, journey to the 2nd grade wing at least once per cycle to listen to students read out loud.  This return of the popular "Book Buddies" program grew directly out of a request for read aloud support from second grade and a creative problem solving.
• Health and PE teachers are currently reviewing the ScienceFusion programs to identify topics they currently cover during their direct instruction.  The hope is that there may be some content areas in primary-grade science that are currently being covered by Health classes.  The collaboration with Mrs. Bressler and Mr. Purinton may result in opportunities for classroom instruction to dig deeper into other areas.
• Specials teachers received a copy of math vocabulary words to use and reinforce as appropriate during instruction.  As a team, the specialist are seeking to support math learning by using and encouraging same language when applying math concepts to their subject areas.

Feel free to comment and add posts to share ways that you are collaborating with teachers in other classrooms, grade levels and/or subject areas to support the learning of our students in new and creative ways.