Everyday Math

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Home : 2004 : August : 22

Everyday Math
By Amy

Just as an aside, I had EM training several times over the past 7 years that I have been using the program. One of the best ideas I got was to have homework partners. When students arrive to class, (or when math begins),
my students take out their homework immediately and begin comparing answers together with their partner. (sometimes a group of 3 if someone was absent) - Since it was homework, I don't grade it. Many of my kids have very hands on parents who "did" the homework with the child, so grading it wouldn't give me anything. After a few minutes (and you will really be delighted with most of

the math "talk" going on!) I ask if there are any discrepancies. This is the word the presenter used! The kids sometimes have one on a page they need help with - this means that one of them got it wrong and the other couldn't make him/her understand why. So it was a discrepancy and they couldn't work it out. So I rather than spend 20 minutes going over homework that many got just fine, I spend a minute or two on the one everyone missed! Much more productive use of math time. This allows me to jump right into the lesson from there! Works really well for me!