Think of how many things we count over the course of a day - plates to set the table, how many apples to buy when we’re grocery shopping,  everyone’s backpack lined up ready to go to school . . . it comes so naturally for us that we tend to take that skill we learned back when we were 5 or 6-years old for granted.

Sometimes it’s hard for our youngest learners to hear the subtle differences in the pronunciation of numbers.  Take 15 and 50 for example.  It’s not that uncommon to hear first graders counting like this . . . 13, 14, 15, 51, 52, 53 . . .  Imagine the impact on your life with that kind of misconception.  Counting money?  You would think you had more than you really did! 

Helping a child understand place value, number sequencing, and visual differences usually clears up the misunderstanding in a very short time, and the look of amazement on a child’s face when he or she “gets it”—well, that’s the highlight of any teacher’s day!

One of the missions of the Math Lab at Pond Cove is to identify and untangle some misconceptions like that. 

Generously funded by CEEF, the Math Lab provides extra instruction and practice with specific concepts on a short term basis for K-2 students. Building on that solid foundation, their math skills expand with a deeper understanding as they move into more complex mathematical ideas.

Of course, our students don’t know that’s the real reason they come to Math Club—they view it as a fun math playground, where they play games, use the SmartBoard, and gain the confidence that they can do anything!

 THANK YOU CEEF !!!!!

 --Debbie Butterworth

  Pond Cove Math Lab teacher