Posts Tagged ‘elementary’

How should I prepare myself for tutoring an elementary student in reading and math?

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010

Like do I need a syllabus to show the parents what I will be tutoring their child like teachers usually do?
Do i need a “meeting” with the parents?
Any school supplies?
[I'M 15].

And how should I address the school that I want to tutor a student of theirs?

Character Education: Elementary Vs. High School

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

Character Education: Whose Job Is It? While elementary and middle school teachers often work with students on critical but non-academic issues of Character and Values education, such as getting along, behaving appropriately, being respectful, honesty, cooperating, and so forth, high school teachers have a tendency not to work on these issues.

According to Dr. Andrew Milson in the Journal of Research in Character Education (Vol. 1, Number 2,2003), many elementary school teachers feel that values and character based teaching should be combined along with subject-oriented teaching and learning. High school teachers on the other hand, tend not to have a strong sense of self-efficacy in relation to teaching character education. They often feel that they don’t know how to “do” character education and if they did try it, they feel they probably would not have a real impact on their students.

Milson (2003) cites studies which indicate that high school teachers who have only had character education pedagogy during their pre-service training, or who only have university-delivered character education training, feel less confident about being able to teach character development. In contrast, teachers who have attended conferences or had staff development sessions on character education express a greater sense of confidence about being able to teach these critical skills to their students.

It makes sense, then, that schools and districts attempt to provide sessions on character education in the form of staff development, in particular focusing on strategies and programs that address issues that teachers are currently experiencing in their classrooms, rather than theory or abstract ideas.

Teachers can also benefit from learning how to incorporate elements of character education through their regular curriculum. Character education can contribute to a psychologically healthy classroom environment as well as increased achievement among students. It can also set the stage for mutual respect in the classroom. This respect can reduce the amount of time usually spent on disciplinary issues, and focus the class time back on learning the curriculum.

When teachers get practical information on how to incorporate character education into what they already do, they can become more confident about following through and reaping the benefits of character education.

Hal Urban, a successful teacher in a multiethnic public school for 35 years shares the importance of character education at home and in the classroom. He begins his presentation by quoting Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.”

Urban states, “The best news of all is that we now have solid research to prove that schools with an effective character education program promote higher academic standards. Yes, this even means higher scores on standardized tests. The reason is simple: an environment of mutual respect results in a better place for teachers to teach and a better place for students to learn.”

Utilizing an integrated character education program that emphasizes modeling and incorporating character education throughout the day is the best way to teach the students the value of character. Just as important is a support system for teachers that included staff development training and sessions that focus on specific implementation strategies, demonstrating how character traits can be integrated into the curriculum.

Marilyn Etzel is a volunteer for Building Good Citizens for Texas. Find out how “Building Good Citizens for Texas” can easily implement an integrated Character Education Program in your Elementary or High School by visiting Texas Character Education.

South Park Let’s Go Tower Defense Play! (Level 2, Elementary School)

Saturday, January 23rd, 2010


Complete walk through of level 2, subscribe for more! I will be posting up every level + challenge for this game. … tutorial south park arcade game Let’s Go Tower Defense Play! level elementary school help guide stage

Elementary Math Success Using Base Ten Blocks

Saturday, January 16th, 2010

I’ve been a teacher for over a decade. When I became a teacher I was eager to teach kids differently than I had been taught. So much of how I was taught as a child was motivated by results, scores and performance. If I did well on the standardized test that proved that I was learning. Filling in the right bubble proved that I understood the question and the answer. Sadly, this was far from the truth, because I missed out on understanding what happened in between the question and the answer. I couldn’t tell my teacher why choice “D” was right. I needed teachers who could show me why my answer was correct. I needed teachers who knew about math manipulatives.


Elementary School math can be a challenge for students. This is especially true when kids are taught how to get the right answers to problems, but aren’t taught why their answers are correct. That’s why math manipulatives are a fantastic tool for teaching the basic mathematical operations in a way that makes sense to kids. Place value, number sense, addition, subtraction, multiplication and long division are just a few examples of mathematical concepts that can be better taught, and understood, using a hands-on approach.


Hands-on math tools are a “must have” for anyone who’s trying to teach elementary school math. Without an understanding of the mathematical processes involved in problem solving the correct answers are meaningless. A teacher should try their best to help kids understand their answers. Math should make sense.


Some parents and educators don’t know where to begin when it comes to teaching kids what to do with a math manipulative. Luckily, this is a hurdle that is easy to get over in today’s information age. Activity books, guides, lesson plans and practical application for hands-on math are readily available. They help guide any teacher though many activities that can accompany great hands-on resources. All the work is already done for you. All you need to do is round up the materials, copy the lesson plans and worksheets and follow the instructions. You’ll be amazed at how quickly kids begin to understand how to get the right answers. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to teach math better than you were likely taught.


The internet is another valuable resource when it comes to figuring out how to teach with math manipulatives. A simple internet search will uncover lesson plans and valuable suggestions that incorporate hands-on tools for teaching mathematics. You’ll also discover a wide selection of products including Base Ten Blocks, math games, fraction circles, Cuisennaire Rods and much more. A simple search will open up all the possiblities you can explore when using these, and other, hands-on math resources.


When I was a child I was lucky if my text book included an illustration for the mathematical process being taught. Now, the materials available for understanding the mathematical processes are excellent and varied. We can teach so much more than our math teachers taught us when we use math manipulatives.


If you’re trying to uncover the best way to teach elementary school math you want to invest in some good math manipulatives. This investment should include the best possible resources. My favorite hands-on resource for teaching elementary math is a set of Base Ten Blocks. So many math concepts can be taught efficiently and easily with the investment in this inexpensive, easy to use set of materials. You’ll use them all year long and for many years to come. They’ll make you a better teacher. They’ll make learning easier and more meaningful for your students.


When learners have the chance to understand basic mathematic priciples they will experience greater success when it comes to computation and math reasoning. You’ll get real results that reflect true understanding. Check out the ways you can teach math better using hands-on materials. Explore the possibilities with an eager mind that’s ready to learn. It’s an investment you won’t regret.

Alisa E. Clark, an educator for over 10 years with a Master’s Degree in Reading Education, reviews and consults with companies and schools districts about the latest tools and programs to enhance student learning. Her web site is at http://www.basetenblocks.com.

Using Chess to Teach Math in Elementary Schools

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

Using Chess to Teach Math in Elementary Schools

 

Frank Ho

 

Founder of Ho Math and Chess™ Learning Centre, Vancouver

Canada certified math teacher

 

 

Chess has been heralded as a miracle to help children develop their math skills. How true is it? After my over 10 years of research and teaching of math, I think the answer is not a simple yes or no, rather it depends on how chess instruction is delivered. If chess is delivered as a pure game and taught in a way that it has nothing to do with math then the impact on math learning is minimum. On the other hand, if chess is integrated into math worksheets then the effect is more significant. This is proven from my own teaching observation and also the USA research data collected in Illinois (visit http://www.thechessacademy.org/Math_Data.htm for details.).

 

A simple minded approach to use chess to teach math in the elementary schools is to have chess lessons in a math class and chess in this case is treated as a separate project or as a part of problem solving set. For those children who do not like to play chess, this could present problems for them since the benefits of playing chess can not be delivered to those who do not necessarily play chess. In this model, math worksheets have very little to do with chess and chess benefits on computation is very minimum.

 

The more robust approach is truly integrating chess into math curriculum such that when children work on math worksheets, they directly work on math and chess integrated worksheets. The trouble is how to truly mesh or integrate chess into math worksheets? At Ho Math and Chess™, we have successfully in truly integrating chess into math using our invented innovative technologies, namely they are listed as follows:

 



Geometry Chess Symbols

2.    Ho Math and Chess™ Teaching Set

3.    Frankho Chess Mazes

4.    Frankho IQ Chess Math Brainpower Workout

5.    Math and Chess Integrated Workbooks

 

Our research and experiment at Ho Math and Chess™ has found out that the marriage of math, chess and IQ math puzzles has significant in improving children’s math ability. The combination of math pure number crunching problems, along with chess puzzles, word problems, and IQ puzzles give children the opportunities to expose an array of problems of pattern, table, diagrams, symbols, equations, and figures. Children tend to get involved more in their thinking process with integrated materials. It is this kind of deep thinking process which truly raise children’s math ability. The truly integrated worksheet of math, chess, IQ puzzles also is more challenged for children. Most of children like integrated worksheet more than pure computational style worksheets.

 

To get the true benefits of using chess to teach math in elementary school, it requires the key which links math and chess. I have found and discovered the key which links between chess and math and by using the key, I have created over 20 math and chess integrated workbooks. Not only these math and chess integrated workbooks can raise children’s math marks at their day schools, they are also fun to work with and provide entertainment and challenge for children.

Frank Ho, a Canadian certified math teacher, coined the learning centre term Math and Chess and he also founded the world’s first math and chess learning centre by creating the world’s first math and chess integrated workbooks for elementary students in Vancouver, Canada. He invented Frankho Symbolic Chess Language, intriguing Frankho Chess Maze, and also an unique new chess teaching set. He published math and chess teaching theoretic basis in a Canadian math journal. The USA Illinois research data has shown statistically significant that Ho Math and Chess teaching method increases children’s math marks and also improves children’s critical thinking skills. The Ho Math and Chess Teaching Set can improve children’s memory by playing half-blind chess. More details, please visit www.mathandchess.com.

I want to be an elementary school art teacher. What route should I go? I have a BFA, but no teaching education

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010

I have a BFA degree (graduated 1996) but no education classes/credits. I would like to find a school that would guide me to getting a multisubject crediential degree AND help me get student teaching/job placement AND has a creative arts focus. could there be such a heaven? I just moved to Venice CA, so I don’t know the school options here.

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