It's official...

I love Numicon.

I can't believe that I haven't used it before.

I worked with my lower group today and they TOTALLY understand it and I had them doing sums with 3 numbers in...only simple number bonds to ten, but even so....Wowzers.

They said it was so easy because they could feel the numbers that they were using rather than just trying to hold them in their heads.

I never thought about it like that to be honest.

Come September when I get my new ones, I think I will use it straight away because it was so satisfying for my group today to be able to do something different.

Yes we can move on to make it more complex and eventually to written "sums" if we need to, but for now I'm very proud of my group.

Numicon...tick

Well I did it...I used the Numicon for my maths today.

And the children understood it...I wasnt sure I really wasnt, but it worked.

I worked in small groups so that I could see if there was anyone who didnt get it, but it was all good.

I spent some time this afternoon doing some one to one support and used it with a lot of them to start on number bonds to 10.

I have tried to broach this before, but not got very far, but today they were on FIRE.

I was so pleased...so Im using it again tomorrow.

Using Numicon

Numicon.

I am going to go wild tomorrow and teach using Numicon with my class of Reception children.

Ive had it in my classroom all year, but I havent ever used it before...seemed to complicated to me.

But after having looked on Pinterest...my favourite place to be at the moment, Ive discovered that there are lots of ways to use this resource, and so Im going to give it a try.

Seems straight forward enough...but then its easy to make mistakes.

Does anyone have any good ways to use it that they can recommend?

Always up for any recommendations.

spacial awareness

Mine isnt that good. I know how I want things, but I cant quite make them work as I saw them in my minds eye.

This has become very important as an EYFS teacher, because my classroom needs moving about on a regular basis, and I can see how I want it to be in my head...but when I get into the room and start shifting furniture it doesnt look right.

I follow some amazing blogs by people in EYFS and so if anyone has any photos of their classroom I would LOVE to see them...if YOU know anyone...tell them.

I think I need less table space and more role play space...which is hard to create in a square room with no nooks and crannies.

Will try again tomorrow.

so excited

Yes...very weird...but Im excited.

The school is winding up for holidays soon, and I cant wait to get into my room at home and get lots of things ready for the new term...

Im reading useful (and AMAZING) blogs, and making lists of all the things that I need to make MY things go with a swing.

As I said...very excited.

Its all too much...

News from the hospital is that the whole illness thing with husband was started by Glandular fever.

Apparently it got introduced into his spinal column - from his surgery I guess, and that is what has caused all the problems and illness things that have been going on for what seems like forever.

I am now struggling...everything has focused on him, which in itself isnt a problem, but it has now gone so far that he wont do ANYTHING...not a thing.

He wont help in the house, he wont help with the garden, he wont help with the boys...not a thing.

Im getting to the point where I am now cross...he is just being lazy.

I know that he is struggling with feeling ill and tired, but it has now turned into a giant "feel sorry for me" fest.

I could cry.

And quite often do.