February newsletter
TECHNOLOGY ISSUES
I apologize for the lapse in newsletter updates for January and February. Our tech department is in the process of switching all computers over to new servers. This has left me without continuous, dependable computer access since the first week in January. I am very hopeful that all the bugs will be worked out soon and I can make regular updates once again.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY
Although February is fast coming to an end, here is a brief summary of the skills we've been practicing. Naturally we are hitting the basic facts hard. Memorization is key! Second graders are expected to have memorized all their addition and subtraction facts to 20 to be ready for multiplication in third grade. I shared a flashcard technique at conferences that makes flashcards much less frustrating. If you would like to know about this technique, called Incremental Rehearsal, stop by anytime. It takes just a minute to share. Second graders have been working on place value, reading numbers in the thousands, and breaking numbers into hundreds, tens, and ones. Most classes have been spending a great deal on adding and subtracting two digit numbers with regrouping. Any additional practice with this at home is helpful as this can be a difficult concept to master. In spot checking various classes, I am finding that many students are still struggling with telling time (to the nearest 5 minutes) and counting change. If you have any spare change, it is great practice to have your second grader count it for you!
PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES
Thanks to everyone who stopped by during Parent-Teacher Conferences. I always enjoy the opportunity to visit about two of my favorite subjects; math and your child! Stop in anytime! Congratulations once again to our Estimation Jar Winners: Grade 1 Parent Winner: Amanda Clark, Grade 1 Student Winner: Macy Kraft, Grade 2 Parent Winner: Margie Martinez, and Grade 2 Student Winner: Sevanah Couser! The number of conversation hearts in each jar were: Parent Jar - 252, Student Jar - 89. Thanks to all who participated!
I apologize for the lapse in newsletter updates for January and February. Our tech department is in the process of switching all computers over to new servers. This has left me without continuous, dependable computer access since the first week in January. I am very hopeful that all the bugs will be worked out soon and I can make regular updates once again.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY
Although February is fast coming to an end, here is a brief summary of the skills we've been practicing. Naturally we are hitting the basic facts hard. Memorization is key! Second graders are expected to have memorized all their addition and subtraction facts to 20 to be ready for multiplication in third grade. I shared a flashcard technique at conferences that makes flashcards much less frustrating. If you would like to know about this technique, called Incremental Rehearsal, stop by anytime. It takes just a minute to share. Second graders have been working on place value, reading numbers in the thousands, and breaking numbers into hundreds, tens, and ones. Most classes have been spending a great deal on adding and subtracting two digit numbers with regrouping. Any additional practice with this at home is helpful as this can be a difficult concept to master. In spot checking various classes, I am finding that many students are still struggling with telling time (to the nearest 5 minutes) and counting change. If you have any spare change, it is great practice to have your second grader count it for you!
PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES
Thanks to everyone who stopped by during Parent-Teacher Conferences. I always enjoy the opportunity to visit about two of my favorite subjects; math and your child! Stop in anytime! Congratulations once again to our Estimation Jar Winners: Grade 1 Parent Winner: Amanda Clark, Grade 1 Student Winner: Macy Kraft, Grade 2 Parent Winner: Margie Martinez, and Grade 2 Student Winner: Sevanah Couser! The number of conversation hearts in each jar were: Parent Jar - 252, Student Jar - 89. Thanks to all who participated!