Early Math

Today I noticed that some of my little's could not count one to one up to ten.  They would get lost around number 4 and just point at the air and keep counting.  It was amazing.  I know I shouldn't be amazed by this, but I was.  You see, my own children were counting one-to-one very early, definitely before age 4.  We just worked it into everything we did.. from the pea's on our plate, to the coins we gave the clerk at the store. 
Soooooo... this little information will bring us to what I call, "The Very Beginning!!" I will have to begin at the beginning with this group this year.  Today we worked on counting to 10, and one-to-one correspondence.  Something I haven't had to really work with until this year.  My little's are usually a little older, this happens to be a very young group this year, so it isn't that this behavior is not developmentally appropriate, I'm just not used to having to teach it from the beginning.  I have reviewed and reinforced the skill, but never had to start fresh.  I am up for the challenge though :)

 

I would call out and show a number and the students had to find the number on their number line and cover it with a counter.  It was actually much harder than I thought it would be.  If I'd known I would have started with the numbers 1-5 instead. 

 

Some of the students were able to count with no problem to find a number that they didn't recognize, but most of them could not, so they would continually be covering the wrong number (especially after 5)  I am excited to say, that with loads of help and repetition they were getting the hint to actually TOUCH each counter as they counted so they wouldn't lose their place... whoa was I sweating ;) but they got it and we will continue this game all week to transfer that information into the long term memory slot :)

 

 

MY #happyclassroom for today...

 

Although it is sometimes hard to keep the negativity out of your day or away from yourself... I didn't allow a bit of information to consume me with negativity.  I went with the flow and realized that it was not something I could control and I can only control myself and how I react to any situation and I definitely handled it well!!! 

 

Have A Great Day!!!

#happyclassroom

I have wanted to get back to blogging and thought I needed a little push to get started!!  So I am joining my good friend, Greg, from The Kindergarten Smorgasbord and his #happyclassroom journey!!  Let's find something happy each day and blog about it... I have put it off, put it off and put it off!!  As of today, I am blogging!!!  Ok, maybe not everyday, butttttt.... I will try!!! ;)






So...
Today... I am happy because I got a day off from school!!!!  Thank you Rosh Hashanah!!  Although I do not actually celebrate this Jewish holiday, I did take time today, in my uncharacteristically quiet house, to reflect on myself and how I could challenge myself to become a better person.  I think that it was a wonderful way to spend my afternoon; and I came up with a few realistic ways I could be a better me.  1)  I can't take things so personally or seriously  2) Smile  and 3) Do the best I can every single day.  That's it... I let you know how I do.