RELAX

        Do you know about the RELAX strategy?  I heard about it from a good friend of mine who learned about this strategy from . . . are you ready?  Pinterest.  Shocking right?!?  You know what the really shocking thing is that just a few years ago Pinterest didn't exist.  Anyway, back to the strategy I have included a picture below and the link to a pin (although I am not sure if it is the original post or not).  

 

I hope that this is helpful, whatever works, right?!?

Charlie Brown Moment . . .

        Let me first say that I love Charlie Brown!  I love the comic strip, the movies, and everything Charles Schultz-y.  However, what I do not love is when it appears that I am teaching and have somehow transformed into Charlie Brown's teacher.  You know when she talks the audience hears "wah wah wah wah wah wah."  Yes, unfortunately this is what I must have sounded like for a majority of my students during math today. 

       Wait!  Let me start at the beginning by first saying that we do calendar math every morning and we have been collecting one cup a day to fill a quart jar.  This has been part of the daily routine for the past nine school days.  So this has been building up all through the month of February setting the stage for today's math lesson.

        Then today came and it was time for math.  We were learning about fractions greater than one.  We looked at pictures and named both the improper fraction and mixed number and we did SEVERAL together (5 problems).  Then the students were sent to go and work with their math partners and YIKES I don't know what happened?!?  It was as if for the past nine days and even during the mini lesson all they had heard was "wah wah wah wah wah wah."

         I say all of that to ask, no plead and beg for your assistance.  How do you teach mixed numbers and improper fractions?  I am hoping that you have a trick you would be willing to share. 

       

        

Kids Say the Darndest Things :)

        Have you ever had one of those days where you thought, really?  Didn't I just say that two seconds ago? Or 500 times previously? Or something along those lines . . . well some days are like that.  And some days are just plain hilarious!  Over the past couple of weeks the kids in my class have said some very funny things.
        A couple of weeks ago one of my students was out of school for a few days.  When she arrived back at school I told her that we had missed her and were glad that she was back at school and I asked her why she had been absent.  She very politely told me that she had been absent because of politics.  I very hesitantly asked her what she meant.  She said you know I am allergic to that yellow stuff that is everywhere, you know politics.  She had very innocently combined the two words pollen and allergic and said she was out because of politics.
       Then two weeks ago it some how came up in conversation with another teacher that there was not anyone in our class would purposely hurt someone else's feelings.  She said, really?  I asked one of my students to vouch for me when the student said "Yeah, Mrs. Corbitt has brainwashed us.  We are better for it but she brainwashed us."  (This is apparently the reason why they are nice to one another according to this little boy anyway.)
        Finally last week we were talking about reading and creating timelines to document the important events in our lives and for the umpteenth time my students asked me if I had any kids.  My response was, not yet.  Then one boy said, "Don't ever have any.  They are aggravating!" 
        I hope you enjoyed the moments that made me giggle over the past few weeks.  Life is short so laugh hard and enjoy the funny moments in life :)

Wooden's Wise Words

        Yesterday in Sunday School I was reminded of some very wise words once said by former basketball player and coach John Wooden.  He was quoted as saying, "Don't let what you can't do stop you from doing what you can do." 
        I am currently making a plan for the rest of the school year.  There are many things that my students can do and some things that they can't . . . and now is the time to focus on what we can do and use those skills as the building blocks to help them reach the things they cannot YET do. 
       For the intermediate teachers out there preparing for "The Test" I hope that these wise words help push you forward and endure what can be the most stressful part of the year.  We can do it!