Kendra PeoplesTuscaloosa, AL"I am an educator who goes above and beyond to ensure you reach your goals."
To build expertise in teaching elementary math across K-6, I focus on foundational strategies and developmental progressions that support students at every stage:
Number Sense and Counting: For the younger grades (K-2), I emphasize building strong number sense, including counting, recognizing numbers, and understanding quantity. Using manipulatives like counters or base-ten blocks helps students visualize numbers and develop early math concepts.
Basic Operations: As students progress, I introduce addition and subtraction, and eventually multiplication and division. I teach strategies like skip counting and grouping for multiplication, and sharing for division. I encourage mental math strategies and pattern recognition, which build problem-solving skills and confidence.
Math Facts and Fluency: I make math facts practice engaging with activities like timed challenges, flashcards, and math games. Regular practice builds fluency, so students can recall basic facts easily, which is essential for tackling more complex math problems.
Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking: I introduce word problems early, guiding students through steps to understand, plan, solve, and check their answers. Using graphic organizers like the "CUBES" strategy (Circle the numbers, Underline the question, Box key words, Evaluate, Solve) helps students approach problems systematically.
Geometry and Measurement: In every grade, I incorporate hands-on activities for geometry and measurement. Using tools like rulers, measuring cups, and shape manipulatives helps students grasp concepts practically, making math feel relevant to real-life situations.
Fractions and Decimals: For the upper grades, I focus on fraction and decimal concepts. I introduce fractions through visuals like fraction bars or pie charts, and relate them to everyday contexts, like sharing food. For decimals, we use place value charts and connect decimals to money to solidify understanding.
Interactive and Visual Learning Tools: I use
