Make Math Real!

graphics: red pepper and madscrapper teaches

 Isn't this quote so true.  If you really think about it, math is part of almost everything that we do and any career that we choose.  But as a teacher of young little learners, it has been ingrained in me to focus on literacy.  And while, students must learn to read and it has the utmost importance, we can't put our math instruction on the back burner.

I know that I did.

I always felt like I was not "good" at math.  It did not make sense to me.  I have heard this same statement year after year at conferences with parents.  Because math did not make sense to me, I did not place as much importance and value on it during the first few years of my teaching life. And I think this can happen not only in the classrooms, but in the homes, as well.   Reflecting back now, I was just not taught math in a way that made sense to me and I am sure many parents are in that same boat.

So when it comes to educating our students in math, sometimes we have to re-educate ourselves, as well.

This past week my teammate and I presented at a local conference about the importance of making math REAL to students.  What I mean by this is connecting math to the everyday life around them.  When Jess and I sit down to plan we always start a lesson that will connect them to the Now and make it relevant to them.

When we presented, we decided to take each Common Core domain and share ways that we try to make it "Real."  Then we had the audience share out ways that they do this in their own classrooms.  We listed them on big sheets of paper.

Our hope is that everyone would come away with ideas to make math meaningful to our young students.  So much about our math instruction can easily sway towards abstract.  But if we can make it as concrete as possible, our students will have a better understanding, appreciation, and attitude in the end.

One thing we offered our audience was a graphic organizer with PreK-2 standards listed by domain.  Then there was a section to write down ideas to make each standard concrete and "real."  One more column was added for notes.  This may be where you write down what bombed, went well, or ideas you have for the next year.

 It is a simple tool, but an important one, that can help us to think about our little learners and their need to make connections to the world around them.  If you can use this, please just click on the image above and it is yours :)