Author visits Lincolnview Elementary

“Can I work alone on this?” is a question that one might often hear in the classroom setting. Is it meaningful to work in a group or is group work only good for giving students the opportunity to talk with their peers? The students in fourth grade math give a resounding, “Yes!” to both of those questions.

Working together with peers is worthwhile as it allows students to not only give ideas to the group, but it also gives each student the opportunity to defend their answer, if needed, which is a very important skill to develop not only in math, but in life. Working in a group setting also provides the students the time to reflect upon their own thinking and deciding whether it is correct or incorrect, which is another important skill to learn in school and in the real world.

So when the question, “Can I work alone on this?” surfaces, we feel, in fourth grade math, that you may certainly work alone, but it can also be very beneficial to collaborate with a peer.

Author Loren Long visited Lincolnview Elementary on Thursday, October 18, to talk to the students about his experiences being an author and illustrator. Mr. Long talked with the students about his famous “Otis” book series and his latest book The Hole in the Log on the Bottom of the Lake. Students had an opportunity to speak with Mr. Long and get books signed. Mr. Long’s visit was sponsored by the Lincolnview Parent Teacher Club.