So maybe I do know how to teach math.

I have always said that third grade math is the highest I would ever go in terms of teaching. In some smaller schools, 4th-6th grade is departmentalized. Many people have said that in terms of math they know what they are doing, but having to teach someone else to do it is just hard. I have to agree. There have been several times this year when I have known why an answer a student got was wrong, but I just didn't know how to explain that it was wrong. Luckily, my dreams tend to show me how to explain it. Weird I know, but my brain is constantly trying to figure out a solution and it lets me know in my dreams.

Anyway, this year has been extremely difficult for me since I teach 6th grade math. Yes, that's right -- 6th grade math. I have struggled to help kids see the why, because when I was in school it was always, "This is how you do it." I finally realized this year why an improper fraction is really the way it is. But that's for another day.

Why am I front-loading (an education term)? Because of the information that came in from our latest testing, and while I don't know what they scored exactly I do know if they passed or not. Out of 50 students that took the test, 2 didn't pass. Yeah - that's right 2! 96%. Also, the other thing the district is looking at is Commended Rates. To be commended a student basically has to miss no more than 2 problems. I had 80% of my sixth graders commended! WHOO!HOO!

So maybe I do know how to teach sixth grade math.