The Hot Seat

Bailey's birthday :)

Like, I've said before, this class has REALLY impressed me how quickly they picked up addition. As a former 2nd grade teacher, I can really appreciate the fact that they know their facts - :) And I know they are all going to knock the socks off their future teachers!

We have been playing a game called "The Hot Seat." Stacie Farr, aka Mrs. Farr - a former kindergarten and 2nd grade teacher at CAE now turned Kain's "nanny" (the best you could ask for!) - orginally came up with the game and then I just made a few slight adjustments. Anyway, basically two kids sit in a chair facing me. They each have a dry erase board, marker, and eraser. And they boy have a line behind them that is their team. I call out a math problem and then they have to write the answer on the board. I make them write it because I won't give them the point if their number is backwards... besides I think it is good to write it. Whoever, gets it right first gets the point for their team. They can use any strategy - their fingers, drawing a picture, setting up the addition sentence, etc. I also love to have the dry erase boards because it helps me their thinking process... it is a great informal assessment tool.

The first time we played the girls won. The second time we played, we played against Ms. Montez's class. We won again! I was so impressed!!

So, parents good job -- because it shows me that you are to blame for their wonderful math skills because you work with them at home. So, thank you for your hard work :)

Now, if we could just get those number reversals under control... :)