Kelly Thomson

@RachelVerit @sharemath And sometimes that involves explicit teaching. Far more often than not!

@sharemath That is amazing! Proper instructional methods change lives.

Several years back, one of my 7th graders started the year with the worst case of math anxiety I had ever seen. She sat by herself, wouldn’t make eye contact with me or anyone else, and nervously erased her work as soon as she had done it. As if she was about to suffer for it. Digging into her backstory, I learned that she hadn’t been able to keep up with the whole-group instruction the year before, and had been assigned a one-to-one aide of the hand-holding variety who tended to embarrass the students he worked with - loudly. I tried to reassure her that things would be different this time around, and was expecting a look of relief when I informed her that I had managed to cancel the aide this year, but she didn’t even look up. She didn’t trust me either. I had gotten permission to pilot the example-based “see it, do it, check it” math method that became You Teach You that year, and after trying to work through each of activities I had created with the whole group of students at once, they started begging me to let them work through the sequence of self-explanatory worksheets on their own, and at their own pace. Figuring it would be a true test of the method I was still in the process of creating - and would tell me whether or not I should bother to keep creating it at all - I gave in. When I did, a change seemed to come over her. First she stopped erasing her work so often. Then she started filling her notebook with some of the neatest math you’ve ever seen. Then, without so much as a single word, she started collecting extra assignments off the windowsill at the end of each class period to complete on her own time, and coming into class early the next day to check them against the answer keys. One Friday, after collecting her usual stack of worksheets at the end of the period, she stopped at my desk, looked me in the eye, and spoke to me for the very first time. It was to tell me she was leaving. “I’m moving in with my dad this weekend, and I won’t be coming to school here anymore,” she explained. I started to tell her I was sorry to hear that, but she cut me off: “My cousin will still be going to school here, though, and I see him every weekend,” she said. “Is there any way he can keep getting these worksheets to me?” “Of course!” I said, getting a little goosebumpy over the fact that she had even asked. “I’ll make sure he gets all the keys too!” “Thank you,” she said, again looking me in the eye, and with more than a hint of relief in her voice. And then, without so much as another word, she simply turned around and left. And I never saw her again. Her cousin, though, was a different story. I saw him every Friday afternoon from that point on, like clockwork, when he would stop by my room to pick up the new worksheets I had created that week, along with their keys. The worksheets had been designed to test my theory that students could teach themselves math, to the point of mastery and at a level of detail I'd previously dreamed of, given a self-checking sequence of materials with a pre-worked example for every problem and type of problem. The pilot program that year was that test, and I had put everything I had learned over the course of my career into it - not to mention every hope I had. On the last day of school that year, her cousin showed up out of the blue, holding a Thank You card. I got goosebumpy all over again as I opened it. “I got myself into ALGEBRA!!!!” she had written, in several colors of Sharpie, with no eraser marks to be seen. The words practically screamed at me, which was amazing coming from a kid who couldn't even look me in the eye several months before. She had also written, “I never could have done it without all those examples!” Those words screamed to me too, just as loudly.

@PowellinPrimary Is this activity on your TPT?

Representing fractions greater than 1 multiple ways. #3rdgrade #sbcebobcats

@pwharris 8x70=560 8x5=40 560+40=600

It's time for #MathStratChat! Rules: post your favorite or a clever solution! It's also fun to comment on other's strategies. Tell us about your reasoning. Like/Retweet so others can see! #MathIsFigureOutAble #MTBoS #ITeachMath #MathEd

I'm attending the 2024 Make Math Moments Virtual Summit from @makemathmoments #mmmsummit2024 RT if you think others will find this helpful 🙌 summit.makemathmoments.com #mmmsummit2024

@PowellinPrimary What is a fun way to teach this?

@love2teachmath3 Yes! We go over repeated subtraction as a strategy to divide 😊

The first few days of division look a lot like the first few days of multiplication. 😊 The students can quickly see the connection. #division #multiplication #mathismyjam

@PowellinPrimary Any suggestions on a fun way to teach division with the repeated subtraction strategy?

@Gerry_brooks_p “Volunteer”!

@E_Coronado7 Happy Birthday Naomi!

My beautiful Naomi turned 11 yesterday! We celebrated as a family and spending the next few days enjoying Naomi’s favorite: the beach! There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for my girl! Thank you God for providing!

@PowellinPrimary @GaDOEMath What supplies do I need for this activity?

If you need a new playground for your school… call us! Ss will determine where the equipment should be placed and the area/perimeter of each space. 🛝 #thirdgrade #realworldmath #areaandperimeter @GaDOEMath

@teachergoals Wizard of Oz

Put your response below! 👇

@PowellinPrimary Where did you get your candy bowls with labels?

Tomorrow is the grand opening of our Elapsed Time Theater (where there’s always a wait). Ss will get the full movie theater experience while practicing elapsed time! #thirdgrade #elapsedtime #realworldmath #sbcebobcats

Third Ss @SmyrnaElem_TN were able to experience real world connection today at the @cityofmborotn Waste Water Plant and their PBLs. #STEM #EDP #WaterFilterSystem

@ERobbPrincipal Strength, Power, and Purpose

Have some fun with this! The first three words you see.... stare for a few moments...each word represents you and your priorities right now...Share your words! Mine are: Health, Connection, Purpose.

@MsPowellsOwls Beautiful inside and outside

I wish every school read 𝑰 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝑴𝒚 𝑯𝒂𝒊𝒓! to their students. Students of color need to see positive representations of themselves in text, not just through the struggles of the Civil Rights movement or enslavement. (And yes, this is all my hair! #NoCap🤪)

What do you think would be the best materials to use to create a water filter?

We are planning out our design for the best water filter.

@SmyrnaPrimary @JasonEaton21 @MrsHibdon Well deserved!

Congratulations to @SmyrnaPrimary Teacher of the year, @MrsHibdon! We are so proud of you and the work you do for our students daily! #HuskyExcellence

@letsquitteachin Right on point!

No amount of programs, person or computer interventions, well-rounded curriculums, grants, money, or (fill in the blank) will move numbers from Tier 2 & 3, unless your Tier 1 is a well-designed, learning centered force. Tier 1 is the key. Fix it first.