Calendar Math

Each day a student is given the classroom job of being the calendar helper. The calendar helper is responsible for teaching their classmates, with the teacher's assistance as needed, calendar for the day. The first few weeks of school I modeled asking questions about the calendar such as "What is today's day of the week? What was yesterday? If today is Thursday, what will tomorrow be?", etc. The students now ask those questions of their classmates and then move the calendar pieces to reflect the answers. Before moving the calendar, the calendar asks the class "Is it correct?" and the rest of the class gives a thumbs up or thumbs down as feedback. We do this to practice constructive feedback. At the end of the calendar lesson, the calendar helper calls on one student to give a rating (a number from 1-5) to give feedback on how they did. If the rater gives less than a five, they have to provide constructive feedback on what can be improved. We do this to learn how to accept feedback without getting upset. The calendar helper then calls on at least three people to be affirmers. Affirmers give the calendar helper one specific compliment about something they did well during the lesson. Raters and Affirmers is a part of our school's discipline and guidance plan through Capturing Kids' Hearts.