If you can't beat them... (and conferences)

JOIN THEM!  :-D  (Hopefully no one read that like I wanted to BEAT them.  lol.)

We have been switching for math classes- which means I have students from 5 different classes in my room.  It is tough because I have these kiddos 5 days a week for an hour each day.  At the beginning of the year we all have the honeymoon period that you are getting to know your students and they REALLY get to know your rules and procedures.  My "homeroom" class has many of the rules and procedures down.  I just have to give them "that" look and any chaos is typically under control. 

Now with my math class... I don't have the time to practice the routines over and over.  They know how I get their attention and the "hands and eyes" trick.  (AHH- LOVE whole brain teaching!)

My math kiddos are good kiddos but boy are they super silly and talkative.  I finally got to the point this week and said- "If I can't beat them... join them!"

All of the teachers in my district just received SMART Tablets.  These are super sensitive and I am having trouble and am making the mouse jut around the screen like crazy.

We use Everyday Math and we are at the point that we start discussing The Story of Money.  The goal is to get the students to look at the coins and introduce them to identifying features, including the presidents on the coins.  I had to pull a penny to the bottom of the screen and my not so stellar SMART Tablet skills were getting the penny stuck behind the nickels.   My students of course were giggling.  I decided then and there- join them but control it and make it educational.

I started saying, "Thomas!  Mr. Jefferson- let Mr. Lincoln through!"  etc.  We talked all about the two presidents the entire lesson.  I can tell you, today when the students came in for math- they were still talking about Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Jefferson and on our worksheets all but 2 of my students (low group) were able to count nickels and pennies correctly!  :-)

I think adding a lot of silliness (I add this anyway to my "homeroom" class.) to my math group but in a controlled way is the way to go!  Hopefully my principal will agree!  :)

On another note...

I  am uploading some conference paper choices online to TPT that you can download for free.  :)

Have a great weekend!