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Blog Archive

Graphing as an Exploration

posted by Chris Kruger The difference between an activity and an exploration Exploration based learning may be all the rage, but not every Pinterest post is an exploration. Explorations are intensive, thoughtful investigations into a concept, while an activity is a solitary project, isolated from any surrounding work. In my Pre-K/K classroom, the emphasis is […]

Itty Bitty Problems in Math

Let’s keep them itty bitty. My first thought about this article came from number reversals (Numbers written backwards).  See the picture to the left.  This picture comes from an assignment my kindergartner completed recently.  Reversals are really difficult for him,  however, he is wholly unaffected, unaware of them at this point.  He loves to write […]

Parents: Your Young Child is Struggling with Math – What to Do?

posted by Kate O’Donnell Struggling:  As a parent, there is nothing worse than watching your child struggle.  The awful truth is that every child, including my own, struggles. So, what do we as parents when our child is having a difficult time comprehending Math? Some thoughts:  The help is at home.  It will take some […]

In Math, Slow and Steady Wins the Race.

by Kate O’Donnell Math can be hard, but don’t panic. Not everything comes easy to us.  This is true for all people.  Being an educator for over twenty years, I have worked with many students who have struggled to conceptualize mathematics.  Each individual brings a different story.  While some truly do have issues that need […]

From Misery to Magic: Building the Young Math Brain in Everyday Life

posted by Kate O’Donnell Math really is fun.  It can be misery trying to teach it, but magic when you integrate it into your child’s everyday life.   It’s a mystery to me why some children have a natural affinity for numbers while others show no interest or may even resist them.  It may be […]

Composing Electronic Music Using ButtonBass

posted by Brian Puerling Electronic music is not often considered a vehicle for young children to explore music or mathematics for that matter.  At Catherine Cook School, where I am the Director of Education Technology, I oversee our AV Studio which is equipped with a sound proof recording room and separate editing room.  In the […]

Using Book Creator to Create Scavenger Hunt eBooks

posted by Brian Puerling Young children are usually up for the challenge of an exciting game whether it be a board game, hide and seek, or simply guessing something.  Scavenger hunts provide children with the opportunity, at its best, to develop skills around collaboration, observation, and communication. Taking technology out of the home and the […]

Using ChromaKids to Support Co-Creation of Number Challenges

posted by Brian Puerling In 2016, I had the honor of being an Early Career Fellow for the Fred Rogers Center.  In this role, my charge was to develop a concept for an application that brought art, communication, and language together.  This open-ended application invites children of many ages to create stories independently or collaboratively […]