I was also recently introduced to VoiceThread and the many ways it can be used with teaching. I created my first VoiceThread last night. Here is the link to listen to it: http://voicethread.com/#u747302.b895880
I tried to make a comment on your voice thread but it would not let me make a comment. I too find that my students do not know their multiplication facts. I teach 6th grade and it is so hard for me to do higher level math concepts if they can not simply multiply or divide. It is hard and frustrating.
I was unable to comment on your voice thread as well. I think you have not enabled the comment feature on your voice tread. You must go to the "create" page on your account and click on the "publishing options" at the bottom to enable this. I spent more time trying to figure out how to use voice thread than any previous application. But now that I have the hang of it, I think I like it. I hope this helps.
In regards to your problem, I wish I could help. I am a 7th grade math teacher and many students come to me not knowing their math facts. I don't have time to work on these anymore. The problem is that students are allowed to use their calculators on all standardized test from 7th grade on. This makes students dependant on their calculators. They are nice tools that help many students score higher on tests, but I think they are missing concepts.
I agree that the use of calculators has probably enabled our students to not have to memoerize math fact, similar to computer usage and remembering ANYTHING. I know when I was in elementary schools, memorizing math facts was a big part of what we did.
I also could not find a place to add this to your voice thread post itself. Our 5th grade teachers have the students take and retake tests on the multiplication tables until they have passed all tables through 13. This unfortunately is incredibly boring. I have had the misfortune of quizzing them during intervention time. (I teach art but go into classrooms for launguage arts or math interventions.) However, the library media teacher and myself found a game that we used to play with the kids during free time after they had finished their work. It's called Math Mayhem and is a part of the Learning Planet website. Here is a link:
To be honest, it's fun for me as well as the kids. You race to complete multiplication facts faster than the people you are playing with. It was a great motivator for the kids to try to beat me. (Even though I teach art, I have a mathematical mind and can calculate math in my head fairly quickly.) I actually had one 5th grader beat me a few years ago. The kids love it and it's a lot of fun. Hope this helps.
I tried to make a comment on your voice thread but it would not let me make a comment. I too find that my students do not know their multiplication facts. I teach 6th grade and it is so hard for me to do higher level math concepts if they can not simply multiply or divide. It is hard and frustrating.
ReplyDeleteI was unable to comment on your voice thread as well. I think you have not enabled the comment feature on your voice tread. You must go to the "create" page on your account and click on the "publishing options" at the bottom to enable this. I spent more time trying to figure out how to use voice thread than any previous application. But now that I have the hang of it, I think I like it. I hope this helps.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to your problem, I wish I could help. I am a 7th grade math teacher and many students come to me not knowing their math facts. I don't have time to work on these anymore. The problem is that students are allowed to use their calculators on all standardized test from 7th grade on. This makes students dependant on their calculators. They are nice tools that help many students score higher on tests, but I think they are missing concepts.
I agree that the use of calculators has probably enabled our students to not have to memoerize math fact, similar to computer usage and remembering ANYTHING. I know when I was in elementary schools, memorizing math facts was a big part of what we did.
ReplyDeleteThank you for all of the comments, I will keep them in mind!
ReplyDeleteI also could not find a place to add this to your voice thread post itself. Our 5th grade teachers have the students take and retake tests on the multiplication tables until they have passed all tables through 13. This unfortunately is incredibly boring. I have had the misfortune of quizzing them during intervention time. (I teach art but go into classrooms for launguage arts or math interventions.) However, the library media teacher and myself found a game that we used to play with the kids during free time after they had finished their work. It's called Math Mayhem and is a part of the Learning Planet website. Here is a link:
ReplyDeletehttp://members.learningplanet.com/act/mayhem/mayhem.asp?type=mul
To be honest, it's fun for me as well as the kids. You race to complete multiplication facts faster than the people you are playing with. It was a great motivator for the kids to try to beat me. (Even though I teach art, I have a mathematical mind and can calculate math in my head fairly quickly.) I actually had one 5th grader beat me a few years ago. The kids love it and it's a lot of fun. Hope this helps.