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Sunday, September 30, 2012

MATH FEVER


I’m doing the happy dance because I finally finished my math activities for my October website.  Whew!  If I’d known how much time “Dancing with Standards” was going to take I might not have started the project last spring.

Let me be real honest with you.  I was stabbing in the dark with some of the math standards.  I’ve been an educator for over 40 years and I have a Ph. D. in curriculum and instruction, but I was confused with some of the wording and expectations.  I did the best I could to come up with meaningful activities – just like you do your best each day.  However, if anyone has any insight or suggestions, I’m all ears.

A teacher at a workshop years ago said she goes around her classroom and places her palm on children’s foreheads as she says, “I think you’ve got it!”  “I think you’ve got it!”  “I think you’ve got it, too!”  Soon all of the children are asking, “Do I have it?”  After touching all of their foreheads and confirming they have “it” she explains that it’s MATH FEVER!  “Everyone in our room is excited about math and good at math!  That’s why you’ve all got MATH FEVER!”
This story reminds us that attitude determines altitude.  If you tell children that math is fun and that they are good at it, they will believe you!  I hope some of you and your students will catch math fever with the activities on my October website!