Bedtime Math is awesome!

Wow! A great way to help our kids get better at math... check it out: www.bedtimemathproblem.org

Bedtime Math is the brainchild of Laura Bilodeau Overdeck.  Laura has no professional training in teaching, but she does know something about numbers.  As a kid she sat and memorized perfect squares for fun, back before it was cool.  As a mom, she (along with her husband John) started giving math problems to their two older kids; when their 2-year-old started hollering for his own math problem, they knew they were onto something, and Bedtime Math was born. 

This is a great way to help them with the new common core state standards of math in a deeper level. 

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An Extensive Collection of Math Resources!

Sometimes when you are looking at Tweets and following people on Facebook you stumble upon a website that you can put to use right away. One such site that I found today is http://www.k-5mathteachingresources.com/

This site provides an extensive collection of free resources, math games, and hands-on math activities aligned with the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. 

Their math printables are suitable for use in math centers, small group or whole class settings. Instructions for each activity are presented in large print on a task card in child-friendly language to enable students to work on tasks independently after a brief introduction to the task. 

I found several for my exceptional education students whereby we can improve their numeracy skills, their counting, and general overall learning of math. Please check them out and leave a thank you in their comments section, too. After all one does like to see how far information can travel in the digital realm. 

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Education Blogs for Parents

On Sunday, August 5, 2012 Katie Lepi posted a list at Edudemic.com of the "25 Education Blogs Perfect for Parents (and Just about anyone else)."   I found these to be of great help and have recommended some of them to parents with or without children in schools.  They are all written well and serve as resources for parents (and just about anyone else).   Check out her listing:
25 Education Blogs Perfect For Parents (And Just About Anyone Else)

Differentiated Teaching Resources

Edutopia.org has a great set of resources on Differentiated Teaching strategies and resources.  The website is part of the George  Lucas Educational Foundation and offers videos, articles, blog posts, and practical ways to use differentiated teaching on a low budget.

Check it out HERE.

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The Top 10 Challenges of a Special Ed Teacher

The Friendship Circle blog is a great resource for parents and educators. As we begin the school year 2012-2013, let's take a look at the top ten challenges which face Special Educators around the country.   Click HERE to read the blog entry from "The Friendship Circle" and learn how you can be ready to meet these challenges. 

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Math & Alice In Wonderland?

That's right! Math in the great children's story Alice In Wonderland.

Alice in Wonderland got its start as a simple story, told by a mathematics professor to a colleague's daughter. It's a strange and scathing satire of the new-fangled math that the professor was seeing invade his area of study.

Now you can understand the math in Alice without needing to be a math whiz. 

Check out Esther Inglis-Arkeu's blog posting about "A Math-Free Guide to the Math of Alice in Wonderland."   

Check out the article HERE. 

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The Resource Room

The Resource Room

Tools, Strategies, and Structured Explorations for Interesting Learners

Click on folder tabs for: Lessons, ideas, articles and links for multi-sensory learning for people of all ages.Resources for people who learn differently, or have learning difficulties or learning disabilities such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, or dyscalculia.

Teachers, home educators, curriculum developers, tutors, students, parents, Orton-Gillingham trained specialists, and other curious souls welcome!

What's New at Resource Room

Why Can't Students Get the Concept of Math? 

This article from Spring 2011 Perspectives (shared with permission) describes typical misunderstandings that middle school level students have, and explains that this is going to make it harder to keep moving forward. It's not limited to students with learning disabilities, either.

Camtasia explorations in math... exploring integers. 

Check it out in the MATH section (If Salman Khan and his Khan Academy confuses you... )

Joyce Steeves' Very Good At Everything: Social & Emotional Ramifications of Dyslexia and Other Atypical Learning Styles and Patterns

Adding Fractions with Different Denominators: using motor memory. (It works, by the way!)

Sue Jones' blog! Links and comments and who knows what else?

Word Part : Di .

Building Vocabulary in Remedial Settings: Focus on Word Relatedness reprinted with permission from the International Dyslexia Association

Teaching Study Skills and Learning Strategies to Therapists, Teachers and Tutors: How to Give Help and Hope to Disorganized Students by Diane Newton www.resourceroom.net

New Mathwire.com website is available...

These strategies support active student participation in math lessons and allow teachers to assess the developing proficiency levels of all students in the class by walking around to monitor student responses. These strategies are especially effective during the Mental Math part of an Everyday Mathematics lesson.

http://mathwire.com/strategies/is.html

Top Ten applications for iPAD or Tablet uses in Elementary Schools

The top 10 apps for use with elementary-school students:

1. Google Earth: (all ages) Take a virtual field trip to anywhere through this app that uses global satellite and aerial imagery with a swipe of a finger.

2. DoodleBuddy: (all ages) Students and teachers can use this across all content areas as a whiteboard equivalent to paint, draw, sketch and write.

3. Story Buddy: (K-2nd) This app allows kids to create, read and share stories that they create with the iPad.

4. Stack the States: (2nd-6th) An animated, game-based way to learn state locations, capitals, shapes, abbreviations and nicknames.

5. Geocaching: (3rd-6th) In this global treasure hunting game, participants hide and seek containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share their adventures online.

6. Numberland HD: (PK-1st) Twin heroes teach numbers using the Montessori Method.

7. Corkulous: (2nd - 6th) This app allows students to collect, organize and share ideas through notes, labels and photos.

8. iThoughtsHD: (3rd-6th) This mind-mapping tool can be used to sequence ideas, write mind-maps, organize thinking and assess interrelatedness.

9. Coin Math: (K-3rd) Students learn both sides of a coin, how to add them and how to pay for something with the correct coins.

10. StarFall ABC's: (PK-1st) Students learn to recognize letters and develop skills as they begin to learn to read.

For more information, see Bennett's research website: http://kbennett.net/ 

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Test Preparation Help

TEST PREP HELP

The web sites listed will help you with test preparation, homework, class work, and offer study tips.

·  www.actstudent.org - ACT test preparation

http://www.testprepreview.com/act_practice.htm - ACT test preparation

http://www.kaptest.com - Kaplan Test Prep

·  www.collegeboard.com - SAT & PSAT test preparation, practice tests

·  www.petersons.com - test preparation, practice tests, etc.

·  www.princetonreview.com - test preparation and lots & lots of college information

·  www.careervoyages.gov - careers and the pathways to get there

·  www.schoolnotes.com - local teachers class notes, homework, & other helpful information

·  www.algebra.com - helpful links to answer questions for students regarding Algebra

·  www.how-to-study.com - helpful hints on how to improve study skills

www.library.nashville.org - Nashville Public Library

Thank you to the following for your assistance:

Wendy Cornelisen, Tennessee State Government
Gloria Coleman, Metro Public Library
Nancy Armstrong Mr. Juliet Public Library
Alesa Burnley, Lebanon Public Library
Pam Moore Wiggins,Watertown Public Library
Ester Hockett, Mt. Juliet High School Library

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Thanks to the Mt Juliet High website for their original posting!  http://mjhsbnn.com/mjhs/test_prep.php

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