Where Do We Begin?

I came to may mailbox today and found CMT scores. Lots of scores.

I went to my e-mail and it said the students need to master their facts. Lots of facts.

I attended meetings. Lots of meetings, lots of talking, lots of wishing I was sleeping.

Lunch was good though!

It is a new year though and I am excited to get down to the real business of teaching math, reading, and science.

Stay tuned as we embark on a new journey. These kids are going to feel the wrath of math. I hope they are ready. I hope they have mastered their facts. I hope they get their sleep...

just not in class.

The Head Down Generation...or Decade?

You are standing in line somewhere at some store or anywhere for that matter and you notice something. You start thinking about what you observed. What is happening? Then you look around and it is happening everywhere. What are they doing? Where have you been? What have you been missing? Why is everybody doing this?

You go to another place and you see the very same thing.

At first it was from the young...teens, pre-teens, college students. Then the more you look, adults...GenXers, Baby Boomers, 20 somethings whatever they are, even a few octogenarians.

What is this phenomenon?

People walking with their head buried in the cell phone, smart phone, iphone, whatever.

They are text messaging, e-mailing, facebooking, tweeting like maniacs. Some are not looking where they are going. Some are obviously doing this while driving.

Texting has exploded! It is everywhere. The kid at the checkout at Stop and Shop. The Barista at the coffee shop. The parents whose kids are running wild at the store. Do we hear less phones ringing in public?

I am now on the lookout for some funny and outrageous places where you see this texting going on. Ever see two people collide while texting? Share your stories let me know about funny or ridiculous texting situations.

I'm sure the chiropractors and massage therapists are excited about this.

In the meantime...

Keep YOUR head up!

Bye the way if you are interested, follow the link below to the Kansas Sate Fair Text Messaging Contest.

http://www.kansasstatefair.com/pagedescription.php?id=1069&pages=sf

Common Numbers Everyone Must Know!

As I have been teaching and tutoring throughout the school year and summer for students in varying types of school settings, I have been finding out some interesting information.  Many students do not know some of the common numbers from our daily lives that we were drilled with and tested on every year throughout our schooling.  At some point these numbers are missed.  Maybe these common facts are taken for granted. In lieu of learning these numbers maybe the curriculums tell us to push on and do more complicated tasks.  I feel that "pressure"  to get through what we need to get through.  What numbers am I talking about?  Here is a list.  See if you know the answers.  If not,  find out the answers.  How?  If you are not sure how, e-mail me and I will help you.

1.   How any days are in a week,  year?

2.   How many weeks are in a year?

3.   How many hours in a day?  In a week?

4.   How many inches in a foot, yard?

5.   How many feet in a mile?

6.   How many cups in a gallon?

7.   How many ounces in a cup?

8.   How many ounces in a pound?

9.   How many pounds in a ton?

10. How many days are in each month?    

This is all for now. There are plenty more that need to be committed to your memory.  I will be back again in less than 168 hours.

A New Year: A New Mathematical Journey!

Here we go. The start to a new year. I sure hope everyone has been practicing their facts. Not just multiplication, which is the main focus from third to fifth grade, but division, addition and especially subtraction. Each year subtraction is the slowest and least mastered of all the basic facts. It is so important for students to have these mastered before we can do anything else. But how can this be done? The old fashioned way: PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE! Work on these each day. Write them out, memorize them in order, write them out some more. Say them aloud over and over. Ask a friend, relative, parent to read facts to you and answer them. Try the opposite way. Have them give you an answer to a fact and you give all of the possible facts that could go with it. Mastering the facts will help you become successful and will make your math life so much more positive. That's a fact!

The Beginning

Welcome to my math blog.  This blog will consist of short math observations and ideas.  It may also include other miscellaneous topics.

Thank you!