Check out these AWESOME blogs by teachers:

Cathleen Paredes

Jaclyn Mueller

Kendra Benedict

Delicious.com

I am now saving links to my favorite websites using Delicious.com.
It's easy and simple to use and allows me and you easy access to websites I have found helpful and usefull in lesson planning, as well as websites for student use to improve classroom knowledge and skills.

My Delicious.com address is:  https://delicious.com/#staciled

Music in the Math Classroom

It is not uncommon for students to struggle in math.  The more trouble a student has with math, the more likely he or she will be to withdraw from class and stop trying.  One way I've found to keep students interested in math, and help them to understand and retain important information, is to use music.  Students are more likely to get involved when they are active participants.  By teaching them math songs and dances, students are actively engaged in the lesson, and once they master the song, they have usually mastered the concept.

 

When using music in the math classroom, remember to use a variety of musical styles to appeal to the students' differing tastes, and play the songs in class as often as possible, even multiple times a day.  This will add to their mastery of the song, and hence, their mastery of the concept being taught.