Time flies...

     Wow!  Where has the year gone?!?  Here we sit at the end of the 3rd nine weeks! I have been working hard with my students to fill in gaps they have in their previous learning, aid them in their current learning, and prepare them for the next grade level.  I have taught reading strategies, test-taking strategies, practiced fluency (reading and math!), worked through countless word problems and comprehension questions, and coached students to be confident, active learners!!  I am having a blast!  I hope the students feel the same way! :)

     A big hurdle many students face is being unsure of themselves...especially if they struggle with reading.  Students must read in every subject, to include Math.  So even if your child is great at math, if reading is a struggle, as they get older this may affect them in the Math classroom as well.  Word problems have become a main form of assessment (in other words, not just computation...students must be able to figure out which operation(s) to use and then solve it correctly).  For the upper grades, multi-step word problems are common.  Many of my students feel overwhelmed just reading the problem.  I work to help them pick out key words and break it down.  What is the question asking you to find?  How can you find it (which operation(s) do you need to use)?  Then work carefully with the numbers and check your work!

     Please encourage your students to read carefully, work carefully, and then show them they can be confident that they have done their best. As a parent, I know that the skills your children are learning in school may not be familiar to you. PLEASE ask questions, write a note to the teacher, ask your child to teach YOU!! All of these things show your child that you care, that education is important, and that it is okay to ask questions and get help. This can be a major bonding time for you and your child!!


     Feel free to contact me, through this blog, at my email sajohnson@liberty.k12.ga.us or by phone 876-3959, even if your child is not one of my students!!  I am here to help!