"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." Thomas Edison

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."

 ~Thomas Edison

Word problems are not easy.  They have become even more difficult in the last couple of years with the introduction of the STAAR test in Texas.  Children from Kindergarten all the way up - solve word problems or story problems.  In 3rd grade it becomes a critical year because children go from learning to read (2nd and below) to REALLY focusing on reading to learn.  The students have to read the problem, figure out a plan of action and follow through with the plan.  Sound easy?  

As an educator, my job is to teach children how to think for themselves.  How to reason through these problems.  This isn't as easy as it sounds.  Yesterday and today - I found a tool that can help me.  On the class iPads, we have an APP called "Screen Chomp."  Screen Chomp can be used with any subject area - today we used it for math.  We used it to take a picture of the word problem (saving the kids time because they didn't have to write it out- and paper because no printing was involved), and we put that on the screen as a background.  Then, we were able to use the different colors and tools at the bottom of the page to help us solve the problem.

The children even got to go to different parts of the room and "record" their movie of how they solved the problem.  The recorder will record the movements they make on the ipad and their voice.

Here is an 2 minute example.
http://www.screenchomp.com/t/Tiu6RcGgxm

This is not the BEST video ever.  BUT - it will show you the thinking process of this child as she goes about solving a math problem.  She shows you more that speaks - but you can SEE as her thoughts unfold.  How can this be a tool in the classroom?

• It makes the kids feel important because they can think about their work, make a plan, record, and then play it back.  They can enjoy watching their own process and seeing their plan worked. 
• IF another child had a difficult time on the problem - THEY can watch the video to see where they might have done something differently.
• Videos can be shared with students at home.  Kids who are ill or absent could work a problem and then see a solution (one way to work the problem) from a peer OR teacher.

This is a good APP.  This APP, along with others may not teach math specifically - but it can be a tool that I use to encourage work from my students.  I was amazed to hear today - during indoor recess that the kids were ASKING for math story problems to take pictures of and use on screen chomp.  They are - right now- working together to solve math problems.  It seems to be because they found a "COOL" new way to solve them.  Really, the methods that we use are the same.  The difference is the tool.  Who knew that something so simple (like a FREE APP) would turn my children from kids who were afraid of story problems (or didn't like to attempt them) to ones that would request them during free time??   I have for the time being - hidden what they thought to be work and dressed it up to look like a challenge they would like to rise to.

There are many more things that I will be using with math.  Screenchomp is just the first of many.