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CMC 2018

I love having a 3 day weekend, because I can catch up with a blog post or two. Came back last weekend from a wonderful weekend of sunshine, the desert, and math.  Yes…I’m talking about California Math Council’s conference in Palm Springs.  Haven’t been in 2 years so I was anticipating some amazing ideas. First of all, I had the …

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Ten Percent Increase – Pt.2

During the last blog post, I described the circumstances at the beginning of the year (September 2017).  Teachers were fired up about comments made by our superintendent.   As a matter of fact, there were teachers who attended and spoke at a board meeting.  Let’s just say the board wasn’t thrilled by our superintendent’s words.   And this brings us …

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Empowerment

A few months ago, I was invited to come back to my alma mater, Frostburg State University.  You might be saying…Frost who?  Yes it sounds cold—and yes it holds true to its name.  Frostburg State University is a university situated in a small, former coal mining town in the Alleghany Mountains of western Maryland.  Over 100 years ago, FSU used …

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Southern Cali. Kinder Conf. 2018

When you hear “kindergarten”, some of my math peeps will shudder and shake. The idea of teaching “the little people” is an exhausting task.  However, this has been part of my universe for a few years now in thanks to my math partner, Stacy. We have been exploring different conferences with enthusiasm.  We have brought our math story to primary teachers in …

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Reflections 2016-2017

  Teachers are trying to survive the last 3 days of school.  Bulletin boards are being tossed, broken pencils are discarded,  and trash cans all over my district are being filled.   As I sit and watch all the end-of-the-year activities, I can’t help myself but think and reflect on the past year.   And it was a wonderful year. My year …

Where did the numbers go?

Back in January (yes, I’m back logged a few months) I did a professional development for 4 – 6th grade teachers.  I was asked about presenting something that could help with the ever-looming testing in the spring.   My purpose was to introduce them to the strategy of Notice & Wonder while showing them what a numberless word problem was. …

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Calif. Math Council – 2016 (Pt1)

It’s Monday night and I sit here beaming because my weekend was awesome.  I was fortunate enough to attend California Math Council’s Palm Springs conference.   It was a weekend of connecting with fellow math educators, getting inspired, and always learning.  Not only did I get to attend, I got to present—which upped the ante A LOT!     7 …

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Deep thoughts…

Last weekend, I attended a memorial service and a birthday party on the same day.  The range of emotions went from sadness and tears to laughter and smiles –all within hours of each other. Of course during the service, my mind started wondering to all sorts of places.  The deceased was a father of a teacher who had encouraged his children …

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Change happens! Hello 16-17!

It’s a new school year!  And that means a whole new year as math coach! I say BRING IT ON! My district has been in school for the past 3 weeks.  So much change from last year to this year. There is something to be said about change.  Change is good.  Change pushes our practice.  It forces us to question.  It forces …

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Reflections of a 1st year coach

This 2015-16 school year is wrapping up ever so quickly. As I’m doing with my teachers, it’s only befitting that I complete one myself—and that’s my own end of the year reflection.  I must practice what I preach and do my own debrief. My year in review…. I’m on all 8 elementary campuses  This doesn’t sound impressive (I work for a …