Number Sense Chapter 2

Our district really supports CGI math and expects all teachers to use it in their rooms. In my training for CGI I watched a teacher working with a group of children subtilizing. I have to admit that I did not understand at all why this was being used. I just didn't get it. And sadly no one explained to us why this teacher was using this in her room. I get it now. This activity that seemed to be play really had so much meaning that would have been great to understand. 

This quote was from the section where the kids were skip counting around the circle. I am so excited about this idea. This practice that appears to be a game is meaningful practice. It gives the teacher the ability to differentiate for all of their students through the questions that they ask. Think about this with our youngest learners, or our ELL students. These children are still working to Put everything together. A simple count around the circle by ones gives the teacher the opportunity to see where a child's understanding stops working. And at the same time enrich the above grade level student by asking what number would Susan have if we keep counting. One of the common core standards has us counting forward from any number (K.CC.2- count forward beginning at any given number within the known sequence instead of having to begin at 1). How cool is count around the circle for this activity!!!

And you know the kinders will love this because it feels like play. I think this will be something I start the first day of school with...counting to 20. I expect that there will be plenty of children who will not get this and will benefit from the counting practice..

This is just a part of the math goal that I have for this year. To creat routines that are comfortable and predictable so that my students will want to take chances and grow I their number sense. I also thought that it was important to remember to listen to the children. These routines are not just for routine sake... These are learning experiences and if you change the numbers thinking that they should get this and yet they don't, listen! The kids are saying that they have memorized a sequence of numbers but they really don't have the skills needed and should be given more practice with that counting sequence. 

I really am enjoying this book and a shocked at how importInt this is not to have been discussed in any of the math training that. I have been too.