[Ashlee S]

Anyone attending CAMT (Conference for the Advancement of Mathematics Teaching) in Dallas?

I am going to attend and am super excited about energizing my math teaching.

utdanacenter.org/camt

[mel]

I went a few years ago when it was in San Antonio on the river walk. Is it your first time? I really loved the exhibits because there were so many good things to get!

[pinktxteacher]

practically my entire campus is going so it will surely be fun

[tweet]

Maybe... a couple of us have talked about going. But as usual, it's a money thing--registration, gas (we're 2 1/2 hours away). I've never been. Would love to go. Our goal for this year is to raise TAKS scores in math. We've been exemplary for 4 years (3rd grade only on campus) but our math scores hover around 90 (91-93 usually) while our reading scores are 98-100%. We want to boost math toward the higher 90s. So the 5 of us are always looking for something new to try. Know I would get good ideas at CAMT.

[jessram]

You will love CAMT! It's a great conference and so affordable. I suggest you take any of the Creative Mathematics workshops, especially Kim Sutton. She will change your outlook on math and energize you for the new year. Have a great time!

[Ashlee S]

Thanks for the advice. I will definitely attend one of the Creative Mathematics sessions.

I am even more excited now!

I don't have to sign up for individual sessions right?...I just show up to what I want to attend????

[mel]

We are also a campus that only goes to third grade. We are always exemplary. Our reading and math scores are so similar to yours!!! I really contribute the lower math scores to the fact that is a math test and there is more room for error. Reading is so black and white. The answers are there and if they are not there is a clue. You kind make so many small mistakes on math and not even realize.

[jessram]

Yep - You just show up , but you should know that the Kim Sutton one's fill up fast. Be there early to get in. Another hint ... take a camera with you! She has a ton of stuff that she will let you take pictures of and it will help you remember what went on.

[tweet]

I agree with the silly mistakes thing!--not including all 4 sides on a perimeter problem is my biggest pet peeve!! Or not noticing the word NOT in a problem like "which of these does not show 1/4 shaded?"

We are hoping to "reach deeper" this year in our teaching of math and strengthen the foundations. For example, kids come to us in 3rd still not knowing their addition and subtraction facts, so of course, we have to spend too much time on that. Our principal has decided that ALL of us will have an RTI period this year to target the at-risk kids at all grade levels. The principal told one of my co-workers that we were pretty much doing the intervention that she wanted in 3rd, but in order to get the lower grades to do it, she mandated it for all of us.

It's not just about the TAKS test. We have a hard time getting kids tested for Sped. help due to red tape. The RTI period is supposed to help us identify kids earlier that need more help, not just sending them on to let the next grade level worry about them. Our principal has given us some rough guidelines to follow, but has really left it up to us as to how we implement the extra tutorials (for low kids)/enrichment (for the high ones).

Hope I can go to CAMT so I can hear some more good ideas that I could use!