2: Week of Aug. 29

This week I had the opportunity to do a lot of teaching. Since I am used to being in elementary school and am now in middle school, I had to change my strategies a little. Many of the activities that the younger students love, I am sure these students would think are stupid. During math, I noticed the students really did not have a good grasp on multiplication. It wasn't just that they didn't know their facts, they didn't understand the entire concept of what multiplication actually is. I went back to my notes from my Math Methods course and found lots of useful things to help them. (Thank you Sarah Selmer :)) Ive taught it in a few different ways now, and I am pleasantly surprised at the gains they have made in such a short time. The thing I am frustrated with the most is that I have yet to see a grade level math book! I have asked for one (not even the teacher's edition, just the student's) and keep being told that they are being ordered. All the other 6th graders have books, but my students do not. It is frustrating to see Special Education students not receiving the same materials as everyone else. My plan after the books come is to see what they are supposed to be able to do, try to work up to it, or "water it down" enough that we can still be doing the same things as the rest of the 6th grade.