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Monday, August 22, 2016

Homework and Xtramath.com

Welcome to the first full week of school! We certainly are going full-steam now in our classrooms. We are reimagining the way math instruction is delivered in 1st and 2nd grade this year. Last year we developed our version of what we call "the guided-math workshop-model." We're taking this further this year by moving away from isolated subjects and going towards STEM instruction. Because we value the thought process and critical thinking as much as (or perhaps even more than) the outcome, math homework will be limited to fact practice- at least of the time being. It is very important that this is done at home because very little time is spent in class on rote memorization of facts. We are using Xtramath.com again this year as part of your child's homework. They will need to log on every day. The program charts their progress and adapts to meet their individual level. For example if "Suzie" keeps missing 5+3, she will be given that problem more often until it is mastered. All students will start with addition facts until mastered and eventually graduate through division.

Today your child will come home with their homework packet; packets are due Friday. Students' words for the week are sight words that do not follow a particular pattern or they follow a pattern the children haven't learned yet. However, they at least need to be able to read these words by sight to be fluent readers. The theory is if they practice spelling the words, recognizing them to read by sight will come naturally. 

This tutorial will help you connect your child's account to your email so that you will receive updates on their fact practice progress. 


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