New Year

Welcome back!  Students have been working hard with fractions. It’s still very important for your child to know his/her math basic facts, especially when it comes to multiplication. I cannot stress this enough. Students often stumble on the 7’s, 8’s, 9’s, and 12’s, so focus on those. Even those students who are fluent can practice by taking it a step farther. Quiz them with identifying equivalent fractions. For example 4/5 = 16/20, so ask, how many twentieths is equivalent to four-fifths?

We are finishing up the 2^nd quarter. Report cards will be going home the week of January 19^th.  We just finished a science and a math assessment this week. 

Your student may have mentioned that I’ve been video recording my math lessons this week.  These videos are only for my eyes!  (Although, I may have mentioned that if a parent would like to see how his/her child behaves in class, I could certainly share. J)  I’m using the videos to watch my instruction, asking myself how I can improve my instruction, how can I get ALL students to be fully engaged in the learning, and so on.  It’s been very enlightening.  I learned that I am a FAST talker, among other things.

As a former middle school teacher, I understand what the future looks like for your 5^th grader. Mrs. Curry and I are working hard at helping your student become more and more independent. This includes being responsible for personal items, organizing homework folders, desks, and lockers.  We will continue to help prepare him/her for what lies ahead at West Middle School. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask!