Tuesday, August 19

BASIC FACTS/HOMEWORK

Over the next several days I am going to restructure the blog so that there is a link for each of the different operations (add, subtract, multiply, divide) with some ideas about how to work on increasing basic facts over on the side bar.  In the meantime, please check the "Math Timings" sheet in your binder to see what you need to be practicing.  Students need to have 90+ facts in 5 minutes to be "fluent".  For right now, just scroll down to yesterday's post and read the "Homework" section.

Students will get 10 points of EXTRA CREDIT for every 20 minutes they spend at home practicing their basic facts (maximum 100 points).  For students without internet access, I can print worksheets or you can purchase a set of flash cards.  Again, just document the 20 minutes and turn in a note for the points.

Just like we can't read fluently without knowing our sight words or our letter sounds, we can't develop our math skills with complex numbers, fractions, or algebra without knowing our basic facts.  Having mastery of basic facts is a goal that all students should achieve before our first parent-teacher conference in November.

PARENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

I really need several parents to volunteer 30-60 minutes per week helping students learn these basic facts.  You would be pulling one student at a time and simply working on flash cards with them for about 5 minutes.  You do not need to be "great" at math to help in this capacity!

I also am looking for one or two parents who are consistently available for one hour on Friday morning to work with our "advanced" math students.  It would be helpful if you were confident with your math skills.

THANK YOU!