Math Mondays with Tanner

March 25, 2024

Build Math Minds

"Alternatives to Math Tests" - Episode 140

As teachers, it's our job to know what our students know. Being able to pinpoint their learning gaps helps us provide intentional reteaching. Stop and think about the way you measure your students' level of understanding on a daily basis. Do you always use paper and pencil tests? Is everything graded with a rubric? Does every student always receive a red, yellow, or green dot in Mastery Connect or a 1, 2, 3, or 4? What does assessment look like in your classroom?

As an early childhood education major during undergrad, Winthrop taught me that there's nothing like the power of an observational checklist. I graduated thinking that was going to solve all of our problems! Teaching third and fifth grades quickly taught me that standardized tests were no match for my checklists. The reality is that there are so many ways for you to gather data about your students. In this week's podcast, Christina mentions student interviews, math chats, and even math running records which are a checklist of math processes and behaviors that students utilize. Each of these less formal assessment methods can be personalized to the lesson you just taught (hint: use your learning targets to break a standard down into tiny skills).

Stop and think about how you can strategically incorporate some of these less formal (yet so informative) assessment methods into your math classroom! Chances are you will get all kinds of data and be able to go into tomorrow with an intentional plan - without having to grade a single test.

DreamBox Classes of the Week

These classes had the highest number of average completed lessons for their grade level last week. This weekly reward comes with 10 extra minutes of recess. Thank you for prioritizing DreamBox and for helping our students close gaps and engage in enrichment opportunities!

Because of YOU

No, no, not the Reba and Kelly Clarkson song my brother and I used to duet when we were little. I'm talking about YOU! When you look at the schedules for all 27 homerooms, we have three really competitive chunks of time for math instruction. When I'm engaged in a coaching cycle for weeks at a time, it makes it hard for me to stop by and see the good things so many of you are doing in your classrooms because I'm with one of your colleagues. This makes me feel so out of touch with certain teachers and grade levels at times. Thank you for opening your classrooms last week as I did walkthroughs. I was able to visit and give feedback to almost 80% of our math teachers. Thank you for being so willing to let me into your rooms to learn. I am a better coach because of YOU.

Friday's District PD

On Friday, all elementary teachers attended district PD at South Pointe. During the hour and a half with literacy coaches, teachers worked through new standards. During the hour and a half with math coaches, teachers looked at grab and go resources to use ahead of MAP and SC Ready. Be on the lookout for an email at some point this week with these math resources. I plan to do a very brief video overview of the PD session and link some of the resources and the slide decks for you to use in your classroom. They were genuinely well received during my first and fourth grade sessions.

Spring FastBridge Window is Open

It seems like we just did this, but the spring FastBridge window is now open! It will close on Friday, April 12. If you need any help testing your students or if you have any questions, let me know!

SC Ready Essential Skills Check-Up

If you are a third, fourth, or fifth grade math teacher, please be aware that these skill check-ups will begin the week we return from Spring Break. Review the information below if you have questions.

Who: all third fourth, and fifth grade students

What: take brief check-up quizzes to cover Q1 and Q2 essential standards

Where: quizzes will be located on Mastery Connect

When: during morning work, bellwork, or DreamBox time on eight Tuesdays and Thursdays between Spring Break and SC Ready

Why: to allow math teachers to know what gaps exist from skills that were taught earlier in the year and to provide targeted reteaching lessons with the goal of pushing our "approaches" kids to "meets," our "meets" kids to "exceeds," and so forth

How: Tanner will create these quizzes and will help all math teachers break apart data to help create some realistic high-leverage groups

Tanner's Schedule for the Week

As a coach, my schedule is flexible. Please realize that my schedule will change based on what is included below. This gives you a rough idea of when I will be out of the building, in coaching cycles with teachers, or in meetings. If you need anything, reach out and let me know how I can help!