Hi teacher,
There was a time when I couldn't wait to jump into new content.
After all, we had a curriculum to cover.
The sooner I started Unit 1, the better... right?
Not exactly.
It took me a few years to realize I was making a big assumption:
I assumed my students remembered what they had learned the year before.
Some did.
Many didn't.
And a few had forgotten things I thought everyone would know.
The problem wasn't that they hadn't learned it.
They'd simply had a summer.
Now I look at the first week very differently.
Instead of trying to move as quickly as possible, I slow down just enough to answer one important question:
Where is everyone starting?
A few review activities tell me far more than I could ever guess.
Sometimes I discover students are ready to move on.
Other times I catch misconceptions before they become bigger problems.
Either way, I can teach with confidence instead of assumptions.
Try this during your first week:
Choose one skill from the previous grade that students absolutely need for your first unit.
Spend ten minutes reviewing it.
The results might surprise you.
You'll either gain confidence to move ahead-or catch a gap before it causes frustration.
Either outcome is a win.
Have a wonderful week!
Enrica
P.S. This is exactly why I created my Back to School Math Review activities. They're designed to give students a confidence boost while giving teachers a quick snapshot of what students remember before diving into new content.
Back to School Resources
PS. If you have a colleague who could use a ready-to-go math activity right now, feel free to forward this to them.
Stay connected 👇
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