Infusing Math Each Day Builds Students’ Math Competency

”In this changing world, those who understand and can do mathematics will have significantly enhanced opportunities and options for shaping their futures. Mathematical competence opens doors to productive futures. A lack of mathematical competence keeps those doors closed.”
-- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)

In her role as executive director of the Northeast Foundation for Children/Responsive Classroom, Roxann Kriete spends a fair amount of time in classrooms where she frequently observes Morning Meetings, a staple of the Responsive Classroom® approach. After one such day of observations, Kriete returned to her office excited to share how engaged students were. She talked enthusiastically about the vocabulary and language development she’d seen happening in their Morning Meetings, only to be taken back when a friend posed a question about her school visit:

Did you see any math going on?

“His question stopped me for a moment as I reflected,” Kriete said. “I had to acknowledge that I had not seen any math in the meetings I’d observed.”

In the weeks ahead, Kriete repeated the question she’d been asked to many colleagues who work with teachers. They related terrific stories of classes collecting, charting, and discussing data about aspects of classroom life. Colleagues also told her of activities that students clamored to “play” that developed fluency with math facts or encouraged deductive reasoning. But even those colleagues had to admit that it wasn’t all that common to see math skills embedded as part of the daily Morning Meeting routine.

Those conversations made clear a need that the Foundation has met with the publication of its latest book, Doing Math in Morning Meeting.

“We know that in math, as in all areas, we are powerful models and our students are astute observers who take their lessons and shape their own attitudes from their observations of us,” Kriete writes in the introduction to the book. “It’s critical that we find ways for our students to see us using math and enjoying doing so.”

In the pages of Doing Math in Morning Meeting, co-authors Margaret Berry Wilson and Andy Dousis have gathered dozens of ideas to create a practical guide that any teacher – even a self-proclaimed “math phobe” – can use to engage students and infuse math into their daily routines. The activities were chosen to match the community- and confidence-building purposes of Morning Meeting. The true beauty of the activities lies in the fact that they

• are brief;
• require few materials;
• are easy to manage;
• are varied;
• emphasize familiar concepts;
• emphasize questions with many correct answers; and
• ensure feelings of mathematical success.

The book’s classroom-tested ideas for incorporating math will help teachers prop opens the doors to math pleasure and math competence among their students, added Kriete.

APRIL IS MATH AWARENESS MONTH

Add a copy of Doing Math in Morning Meeting to your school’s professional development library this month. It’s the perfect gift to your teachers for Math Awareness Month!

TIME FOR SOME MORE 'MORNING MATH'

Morning Math
Principal Larry Davis emphasizes the importance of math by making Morning Math part of his school's morning routine. Two days a week during morning announcements, he poses "Mr. Davis Math Questions" to the students at his Florida elementary school. Now you can do the same in your school! Each week, Davis and Education World present two new sets of math questions for you to use to engage students and build math skills.

Is It Time You Went to Social Media Bootcamp?

Everyone is talking about Facebook and Twitter and YouTube. If you aren’t taking advantage of those resources to tell your school’s stories – and to connect with students, parents, faculty, and alumni – you’re really missing out. Maybe you should go to social media bootcamp!

Administrators and some staff members at The Webb Schools in Claremont, California, recently attended a day-long social media bootcamp, and they’re glad they did.

“The days are gone where people will come to you for information. You have to be where they are, and they’re on social media,” Karen Bowman, the private school’s director of marketing and communications, told the San Bernadino Sun. [read more]

The school’s bootcamp was hosted by edSocialMedia, a company started as the natural evolution of four friends’ conversations about the direction of social media in schools.

Many of the bootcamps that edSocialMedia has led to date involved private schools where contact with potential students and alumni is crucial, said Jesse Bardo, director of edSocialMedia and a former admissions counselor and communications coordinator at Northfield Mount Hermon School. However, Bardo tells Education World, more and more public school systems are approaching the company about training their district leaders in the benefits of using social media to create connections with their wider school communities.

“What we are hearing is that not only are districts interested in facilitating better communication between their schools and parents, they’re also keenly focused on bringing social media technologies into the classroom to enhance and grow portfolio based learning,” said Peter Baron, an edSocial Media partner and founder of AdmissionsQuest.

GETTING STARTED WITH SOCIAL MEDIA

“Social media happens every day, and it is happening with you or without you,” Bardo added. For those who are willing to jump in, he has some practical thoughts and tips:

Content is king. Using social media is not about Facebook or Twitter or YouTube. It is about the content you put up there. Nothing is going to happen if the content is not good.

Make connections and develop relationships. Creating good content is all about finding the right people willing to tell the right stories. Reach out and find those people on campus who are enthusiastic about social media and willing to share stories worth telling.

Don’t inundate. If you choose to use Facebook, post something new just three or four times a week. When you do post, be concise.

Show it rather than tell it. Whenever possible, let images – photos, art, or video – tell the story.

Don’t try to do it all. There are dozens of tools out there to help you connect with your wider school community. Instead of trying to use them all – YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Blogger, and the list goes on – and spreading yourself too thin, choose one form of social media and become good at it. Do what you do best and then branch out from there.

Involve your fans. It is vital to involve your fans if you hope to create an authentic reflection of – and buzz for – your your school! If you are able to create authenticity you will experience the “fireworks effect” – those little bursts of attention that follow after you send out the initial big plume.

Highlight all that’s good about your school. Just because the football team is having a great year doesn’t mean that every post should be about the football team. Do that and you’re missing a huge opportunity to connect with everyone else.

Make time for social media. Don’t think of social media responsibilities as “one more thing” on your plate that’s already piled high. Instead, think of it as simply adding one more short conversation to your day, except that this conversation is taking place online.

Don’t be afraid. You know you need to do this! Being afraid of social media just means you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to build enthusiasm within your school and engage people outside its walls.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Social Media Bootcamps
edSocialMedia’s full-day workshop provides an in-depth introduction to social media technology for school leaders and administrators, complete with an opportunity for them to create content and get their hands dirty.

Designing Your Social Media Strategy
Social media strategies are not “one size fits all.” This webinar explores how to utilize popular social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Flickr to build a successful social media strategy as unique as your school.

The Conversation Prism
This dramatic visual illustrates some of the social media tools that are available for use. The graphic is already out of date as new services evolve and emerge.

More Schools Make the Move to Recess Before Lunch

Has your school joined with others that are putting recess before lunch? Principals who have done this say kids are calmer when lunch comes after recess, they throw away less food, and they return to their classrooms more ready to learn.

A growing number of elementary schools in Colorado’s Douglas County School District have jumped on the bandwagon and are seeing good results.

“Our decisions are always driven by what is best for our kids,” Principal John Guitierrez told the Denver Post last week. A recess-before-lunch pilot program at his school, Cougar Run Elementary, has helped teachers get kids back on track after lunch. The practice is resulting in an average of 10 minutes additional teaching time each day. [read more ]

Katie Bark, a dietician who is director of Montana Team Nutrition Program, told Education World that her group devised a recess-before-lunch program that was piloted at four elementary schools in the spring of 2002-03. Baseline studies showed that when recess was held before lunch, plate waste -- the amount of discarded food -- went way down and milk consumption went way up.

The team also noted that when students came in from the playground, the noise level in the cafeteria was high. Then they settle down. "And if they had a dispute on the playground, they tend to forget about it when they get to class," Bark said. [read more]

MORE BENEFITS FROM PUTTING RECESS FIRST

Dr. Melinda Bossenmeyer, Ed.D., founder of Peaceful Playgrounds, is another fan of recess before lunch.

“The playground is an essential part of any school and every community,” Bossenmeyer says. “Children spend many hours of their day occupying themselves with what the playground has to offer.” To that end, Peaceful Playgrounds offers a kit that can be used to transform school, church, or park playgrounds into colorful arrangements of games kids love to play. [learn more about the program]

The benefits of recess-first are many, Bossenmeyer adds. Among them are the following:
• Improved cafeteria behavior
• Calmer, more relaxed students in the cafeteria
• Students return to the classroom calmer and ready to learn
• Students eat more, drink more milk, and throw away less food
• Fewer discipline problems are encountered
• Fewer visits to the school nurse are recorded

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Recess Before Lunch Can Mean Happier, Healthier Kids
Recess follows lunch almost as predictably as four follows three, because it always has been that way. Principals who have put recess first, though, have noticed children eat more and behave better after lunch.

Peaceful Playgrounds: Recess Before Lunch
The Peaceful Playgrounds website shares what principals and the research have to say about recess before lunch. Included: Information about the organization’s Peaceful Playgrounds Program Kit.

Schools Say Recess Before Lunch Helps Kids Focus on Meals, Learning
This Denver Post article details how a growing number of elementary schools in the area are scheduling recess before lunch, a policy the district has been encouraging since 2006.

Recess Placement Prior to Lunch in Elementary Schools: What Are the Barriers?
A study published in The Journal of Child Nutrition & Management provides useful information for school personnel and parents to consider.

The Benefits of Recess Before Lunch
This printable brochure concisely describes the benefits of recess before lunch and offers tips for making it happen in your school.

ANOTHER LUNCHROOM TREND TO WATCH

Kansas Schools Try Separate Lunches for Sexes
Middle school lunch periods can be a free-for-all of teasing, rough-housing, and flirting among boys and girls trying to impress or intimidate. But what if schools had separate lunch periods for boys and girls? That is not a hypothetical in Wichita, Kansas, where three middle schools have gone to single-sex lunches. Principals say the new lunch system has reduced misbehavior and helped students focus on eating.

Groovin’ Groceries Combines Music, Nutrition Education

• Two-thirds of K-8 teachers say students in their classes regularly come to school hungry and 63 percent say the problem has increased in the past year, according to a survey released last week. [read more]
• In Maryland, state lawmakers are considering legislation that would require public schools to publish calorie information for all school-lunch menu items. [read more]
• In Spring Lake Park, Minnesota, one teacher is leading the effort to provide healthier snack choices in the school’s store and vending machines. [read more]

Nutrition is certainly in the news -- and it isn’t only because March is National Nutrition Month. Statistics about America’s childhood obesity epidemic make headlines every week. Meanwhile, Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative is drawing needed attention to the issue. And schools are helping to lead the way when it comes to making nutrition education a year-round focus.

GROOVIN’ IN THE GROCERY AISLE

As Lori Cook wandered the grocery aisles with her 3-year-old son Nate, she was struck by the fact that he was already responding to cartoon characters on product packaging. “I didn’t realize it started so early,” Cook thought. “Then I wondered why there weren’t advertisements for healthy foods that would get kids equally excited.”

One of Cook’s first thoughts was that memorable cartoon characters combined with catchy music could help get positive nutrition messages out to kids. That’s when Cook -- an award-winning lyricist -- teamed up with two-time Grammy Award winner David Blamires to create the characters and songs that comprise the timely and very affordable Groovin’ Groceries program. (Recognize Nutrition Month by giving each of your teachers a copy of the CD! They are sure to find ways to work it into their classroom curriculum.) The Groovin’ Groceries characters sing and dance their way to lessons about the five basic food groups that are part of the USDA food pyramid. The program’s cast of characters includes

• Bobby Broccoli and the Hip Hop Crops (hip hop music);
• Banana Jamma and the Fruity Party (reggae music);
• Betsy Bread and the Grainiacs (country music);
• Max Milk and the Disco Dairy (disco music); and
• Fiona Fish and the Lean Machine (R&B music).

Take a look -- and a listen!


Of course there are temptations addressed by characters such as Junk Food and the Sugar Monster (blues music) as well as a tune about the importance of exercise called Stinky Shoe – Peeyew! that gets kids plugging their noses and dancing about the room.

In addition to a music CD, the Groovin’ Groceries program also offers print materials, including stickers and -- soon to come -- a scavenger hunt perfect for a grocery store field trip and a Groovin’ Groceries placemat.

“Kids need help when it comes to making smart eating decisions,” says Lara Field, a pediatric dietitian who has endorsed the Groovin’ Groceries program. “Groovin’ Groceries is a fantastic way to promote healthy eating in a fun, entertaining way. The approachable reminders of how to make healthy choices in this well-designed program are a great way for kids to learn foods to choose and those to avoid.”

LEARN MORE

Groovin’ Groceries Program
Groovin’ Groceries Characters and Songs
Groovin’ Groceries Products

K-5 Students Celebrate 1 Million Books Read

Students at New York City’s Harlem Success Academy had a big reason for celebrating last week. The banner unveiled in the school auditorium that day tells it all: 1,000,000 Books Read!

“Our scholars and their families have been reading up storm,” said Eva Moskowitz, CEO and founder of the schools that comprise the Success Charter Network. Scholars at those schools have been reading and logging books read outside the classroom since 2006 -- and the one-millionth book was logged earlier this month.

“Our goal is that all our scholars love reading, think deeply about the books they read, and are able to debate topics,” added Moskowitz.

As part of the celebration, three fifth graders presented mini-essays about books that had the most impact on them. Individual honors were awarded to other scholars for “Going Beyond Z,” which refers to a phrase from Dr. Seuss's On Beyond Zebra. In that book, Seuss urges young readers to think what possibilities may lie beyond the letter “z” if they work hard enough, are creative enough, and are open to what might not immediately meet the eye.

The reading program at SCN schools gradually increases scholars’ reading stamina, according to Moskowitz. For example, kindergartners read 10 minutes a day at the beginning of the school year and eventually work their way to 30 minutes of independent reading. Fifth graders begin reading 30 minutes a day and ultimately read for one hour at a time on their own.

Harlem Success Academy 1, located at 34 West 118th Street, is the flagship school of the Success Charter Network. It is the number one public charter school in New York City and has been ranked in the top one percent of all public schools in New York State for two consecutive years. Excellence in education and inspiring children to love learning are the mandates of the Success Academies. They believe other schools can accomplish their goals by
--- focusing on ensuring children love to read by helping them choose the right books for their level and interest;
--- focusing on comprehension and critical thinking;
--- using data to individually assess students’ progress;
--- informing parents of their children’s progress and partnering with parents to have them play a key role in their children’s education; and
--- setting high expectations for everyone in the school -- teachers, students, parents, and administration.

“There is nothing more important than reading,” stated Moskowitz. “By far, making reading our top priority is the best bang for the buck that we see in our schools.”

MAKE READING A FOCUS AT YOUR SCHOOL

These articles from the Education World archive share stories of principals whose students are achieving reading success because of programs put in place in their schools.

Getting Kids to Read by Keeping Their Eyes on the Prize
Educators know that children who read and are read to are more likely to become life-long readers. That's why many schools are using reading incentives -- from reading honor rolls to "prize patrols" -- to encourage kids. And they're reading more as a result.

Principals' Feats Fuel Fabulous Reading
What would students do to see a principal camp on the roof, become a human sundae, kiss a pig, or get slimed? Turns out they will do a great deal -- of reading! Many principal are capitalizing on students' desire to see them do wacky stunts and build reading skills.

Principals Make Reading a School-Wide Goal
Students pledge to read thousands of pages. First- and fifth-graders buddy up for reading. Those events and others are part of school-wide reading programs at two Minnesota schools. Included: Additional activities help make reading a school-wide goal.

Reading Fun
Are you looking for a special project that will excite your students about reading? You’ve come to the right place! On this page, we have gathered dozens of Education World articles that offer unique lessons and ideas for teachers of reading at all levels. Make every week Book Week with these fun and "novel" reading lesson ideas.

Red Carpet Readers
It was "A Night at the Oscars" and many of the students and nearly all staff members donned formal attire for the event that highlighted the connection between reading and the silver screen. The celebration was the latest take on the school's annual "Family Reading Night," and its theme was created by the students themselves.

School Makes ‘Community Read’ Its Own
A local library’s community reading program has given rise to a month-long family reading program at Meadow Glens Elementary School in Naperville, Illinois. The program, which is focused on family literacy, has been a big success.

Program Hauls In Huge Catch of Reading
Challenged to create a program that encouraged young students to read in school as well as at home, Betsy Lepak created "Hooked on Books." Classes kept track of every book they read in exchange for the privilege of caring for two fish in a bowl.

Literacy Efforts Over the Long Haul
When staff members at one Maryland school discovered that students' reading scores weren't improving as hoped, they took action to motivate the students to read and to get parents involved. A continuous focus on literacy is helping the school make the grade.

‘Reading Buddies’ Pair Up for Literacy
A "Reading Buddies" program at an Illinois school pairs education students from North Central College (NCC) with fourth and fifth graders. Each twosome reads an assigned book and works together to create a final project to share with the entire group.

‘Together We Can’ Motto Spurs Columbia Elementary's Success
Columbia Elementary School's motto is "Together We Can!" Together principal Lori Musser and staff members have adopted initiatives such as after-school clubs and intensive reading instruction to help students achieve.

Principals’ Classrooms Visits Help Build Better Readers
When principals and literacy coaches understand what students are learning and teachers are teaching -- and participate in literacy lessons -- they set a positive tone for the school that can lead to improvement in reading, says author and educator Dr. Beth Whitaker.

Photos courtesy of Success Charter Network

School Wellness Policies Are Making a Difference

Valentine’s Day parties looked a bit different this year in New Canaan (Connecticut) Schools. In the past, the party menu would have included cupcakes and brownies, but this year carrot sticks, fruit slices, and other healthful treats were the snacks of choice.

The change in menu is all part of the district’s new Wellness policy, which aims to ensure that students are getting the same messages about nutrition and physically active lifestyles from the lunchroom to the classroom as well as in the gym and at home.

“There's a call in this to everyone who works in the system to be role models," Deputy Superintendent Mary Kolek told the New Canaan Patch. “We made this commitment because experts and experience tell us that sound nutrition and physical fitness are important factors connected to readiness for learning and other school and life activities.” [read more]

Aside from party choices, the cafeteria menus in town have changed, too. Lunch is prepared fresh each day and local produce is used whenever possible. In the gym, elementary students are learning the basics of yoga, and all high school gym classes begin with stretching exercises aimed at improving flexibility and reducing the potential for injury.

Wherever possible, New Canaan’s efforts involve local community groups, businesses, and the town’s recreation department. An “Open Gym” is held each Sunday at the high school.

The state of Connecticut requires all districts to provide student fitness test results on a yearly basis, but New Canaan’s wellness plan calls for those results to be sent home in order to educate parents, too. The FitnessGrams sent home to parents of students in grades 4, 6, 8, and 10 report the child’s fitness in four areas: aerobic capacity, flexibility, muscular strength, and muscular endurance.

GEORGIA SCHOOL FIGHTS OBESITY WITH WELLNESS PROGRAM

FitnessGrams are also sent home to students as part of the wellness program at Friendship Elementary School in Buford, Georgia. Principal Berry Walton hopes his school’s program will eventually become the program of choice in all the district's schools.

The fact that Georgia has the second-highest childhood obesity rate in the country -- about 24 percent of third-graders are obese -- was one of the motivating factors behind the program. “Our goals are to focus on childhood obesity, nutrition, and academic performance,” Walton told the local school board this month. [read more]

Friendship Elementary’s program was developed last summer by a school-wide committee that researched best programs and practices. The program includes opportunities for the staff to get fit; about 20 staff members work out with a fitness trainer twice a week. And Pilates balls have replaced desk chairs in some classrooms. Such “active sitting” helps develop muscles and keep students alert and focused, Walton explained.

READ MORE ABOUT SCHOOL WELLNESS POLICIES

Principals Launch School-Wide Wellness Programs

Schools Where Wellness Is a Way of Life

Wellness Policies Promote Healthy Choices

Some Schools Replace Desk Chairs With Ball Chairs

Teachers Trade Space, Traditional Fixtures for Fitness

Schools to Shine Spotlight on Reading On Read Across America Day, March 2

            There are so many books that you find ’round here.
            Don’t know which one to choose – I’m confused, I fear.
            The shelves are really full – the message is clear
            Just Read It! Just Read It!

This Just Read It! video parody of Michael Jackson’s Beat It! was created by students and staff at Indian Pines Elementary School in Lake Worth, Florida. I'm sure you will agree that this video display of the students’ collective enthusiasm for reading is contagious -- and especially timely too, since Read Across America Day is just around the corner.

Each year on March 2 (which also happens to be Dr. Seuss's birthday), students across America share their love of reading with special events and activities. Sponsored by the National Education Association (NEA), 2011 marks the 13th year for Read Across America festivities. The NEA provides plenty of resources, including certificates, poems, and booklists to help schools plan special celebrations. Perhaps all the students in your school can gather to take the Reader’s Oath. Or maybe you will plan special activities, such as these offered on the Read Across America website:

Have your mayor, school board, or legislators issue a proclamation. You can use this sample proclamation or create your own.

Ask your local radio disc jockey to read or even broadcast from your school.

Invite parents and students to don their pajamas and snuggle up and read in an overnight readathon.

Put reading on parade or hold a book lovers' ball.

Invite local authors and illustrators and showcase their books and characters in style.

Contact your local sports team for guest readers and invite high school marching bands to welcome your students.

Whatever you do, don’t miss this opportunity to put the spotlight on reading in your school!

MORE IDEAS FOR READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY

Reading Fun
Are you looking for a special project that will excite your students about reading? On this page, we have gathered dozens of Education World articles that offer unique lessons and ideas for teachers of reading at all levels. Make every week Book Week with these fun and "novel" reading lesson ideas.