So you may have seen or heard some of the crazy math that older grades are doing now... this is because things are constantly being shaken up and reassigned to different grade levels. Just a few years ago for instance, some 7th grade level material was reassigned to 4th graders (say what?! yep, true!). 2nd grade got some stuff that was once taught in 4th, 1st got stuff previously taught in 2nd and 3rd... and on and on. Totally crazy, right! Now teachers weren't cool with this, so some changes have been made to help bridge the gap and are still being made... however, it doesn't lighten the work load for the content expected to be taught in that grade level. It's mega important that we teach everything that is "in our lane" because the following year the next grade level will be building a High 5 over that lane, and without understanding the previous year kids will miss the exit ramp to get on the High 5. Math builds on itself. Teachers call this spiraling (where we go deeper into a concept. like a drill bit spirals). Why did the content get shifted you ask? Well I'm not really sure... that's a question/ comment/ concern for your representatives in the State of Texas (none of which are educators). However, as an educator and an educated person actively involved in my community and helping to mold 21st century learns here's my guesstimate of why things have shifted so...
The world is changing.
That's it. Expectations for mathematical thinking in the world around us are so changing! What once was OKAY and ENOUGH to get by on is now not at all enough (say "ohhh scary"). We are developing kids that are going to be part of a high-tech world with complex math and problem solving-type situations and the world that is developing around us is becoming even more mathematical and problem filled... As a teacher and an educated, observant individual it's my opinion that these shifts in when we teach things is due to keeping up with and preparing kids, as best as we can, for said changes in the world. After all, in order for the public education system to be a success, we have to produce successful, independent, contributing members of society. If society is changing then we too must change our system (basically).
So, how in the world does this apply to kindergarten?
Answer: We aren't just playing.
Things that were taught in 1st and 2nd grades are now being taught in KINDERGARTEN. (Let me pick your jaw up off the floor mom and dad.) Don't freak out though because your kids can do it.
Say it with me: YES THEY CAN!
Kindergarten is all about the expectations and pushing kids. It's instilling a drive to work and question things, and a want to find the answer!
Say it with me again: YES THEY CAN!
That is you mantra now, from kindergarten, all the way to their senior year of high school (and higher education should that be their path).
How can you help at home? The first and foremost thing for your child's mathematical success in the remainder of their academic and adult career is having a good understanding of numbers. Here's how you start with 3 easy steps:
1. Rote memory of what the numbers look like- Can they recall the name of the number? Can they recall it when in order and scrambled order? Can they write the number?
We LOVE Jack Hartmann's videos for learning our numbers, letters, calendar, etc. Here's his YouTube link https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVcQH8A634mauPrGbWs7QlQ .
Jack Hartmann has a lot of math videos, just go to the playlist tab and find his counting playlist of videos. Every video has some sort of movement with it as well which helps them memorize.
Websites: ABCMouse, StarFall, ABCYa
Apps: Splash Math Kindergarten, Preschool and Kindergarten Learning Games, 10 Frame Fill, Friends of Ten, Animals Counting Writing Game Free, Number Rack, Count Sort, Number Sense HD, Virtual Manipulatives!, Sushi Monster, Aahh! Math Zombies, Math Ninja.
2. Ordering the numbers/ Counting with 1-1 Correspondence- Once we know their names we need to be able to put them in order and say which number comes before and after a number. They need to be able to do this first with numbers in front of them and then be able to do this from their memory. For example, driving down the road, they don't have numbers in front of them to manipulate. You see the number 10. Ask them what comes one before 10? One after 10? etc. Counting with 1-1 Correspondence means they can count in number order (1,2,3,4,5,6,7) and touch 1 object at a time, giving that object the number name and NOT miscounting or touching an object more than once.
Putting the numbers in order and using 1-1 correspondence to count them would be like this video has done:
Here's a video explanation of 1-1 Correspondence
3. Subitize the numbers- Subitizing is when we can see a set of items (like the dots on playing cards/ dice/ dominoes) and quickly tell how many are there. When they get it with regularly patterned dots, move onto randomly placed dots. They love this game! You can also have them subitize with their fingers. A big part of subitizing is the discussion. Ask them how they know it is that number. This is when they will explain to you how they saw it for example if there are 7 dots they may tell you it was a group of 2 and group of 5 or group of 3 and group of 4. Subitizing is when kids start to build their basic math facts because they can recall those simple facts quickly.
Here's a great video explanation of what subitizing is!
These are the skills I want you to focus on at home this year with your child (unless otherwise told based on your child's independent needs). Please do not have them working on other skills like adding and subtracting number sentences, greater than/ less than (unless they are right near each other on the number line), fractions, place value... these are way out of our lane in kindergarten!
Here is another teacher with some great overall math tips!
No comments:
Post a Comment