This week we have been discussing how to persevere during challenging or new tasks throughout our day as first graders. We took a close look at the book The Little Engine That Could and analyzed how the Little Engine had the traits of strength, courage, knowledge, and joy! She had the strength to continue to pull and pull with all her might! The courage not to give up and to be brave! The knowledge because she knew she was a steam engine and she was built well! She wasn't alone in her journey and had others with her. And lastly, joy because she thought she could and did in fact make it to her destination!
We took our growth mindset of learning and incorporated it into our new math focus of problem solving! We have been focusing on mathematical problem solving and communication, and have been learning the process of not only solving a problem, but showing our work and mathematical understanding. The first graders have been learning a variety of strategies for solving a problem. During math instruction, I have been encouraging students to show different methods for arriving at answers to problems, and this variety of approaches provides the opportunity for students to discuss the merits of each strategy. The students have been embracing an approach that s/he is comfortable using to determine a correct outcome.This process of problem solving and communication helps students gain confidence in their ability to solve problems. Shifting the major emphasis from finding the correct answer (only) and placing it instead on the process and communication of "thinking". As a result, students become more comfortable with mathematical problems when they have a "tool kit" of possible strategies to consider, an understanding of mathematical language, and a belief that their way of solving a problem is just as valid as a neighbor's strategy. Take a look at them in the process!!!
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June 2017
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