With less time to teach more, the pressures of standardized testing and evaluations based on student performance, there has never before been a more stressful time for teachers than the present state of education. This creates a problem in our current classrooms where reading takes precedence over all, math gets what is left over and science and social studies....wait, what are those again?
When there is no time teachers are "lead to emphasize procedural fluency over conceptual understanding and to use worksheets rather than problem-solving activities." (Sammons, 2010) This has never been more true as it is today when teachers feel like they need quantity over quality. The need for enough points to float a grade overrides the chance for authentic learning.
Since we can't change everything we'd like to change, we ought to focus on the things we can control. So how do we buy more time in math class without "robbing Peter to pay Paul"? Here are a few tips.
* Assessment
formative, summative, formal and informal
"Much [of this formative] assessment occurs through the observation of students as they work and through conversations with them as they discuss their work." (Sammons, 2010).
There are great graphic organizers for teachers who want to make note of their observations of students while they work. This type of formative assessment saves time for many reasons. Teachers aren't grading papers. Teachers aren't making copies. Students aren't working with more than 1-2 math stories. Basically, less is more.
* Small group
Group discussions give teachers the chance to stop student misconceptions before they become habits. Because of the nature of small groups, a teacher can see a mistake and address it immediately. Bad habits take longer to break than teaching good ones! Small groups discussions also give those quieter students the chance to speak up, giving the teacher more accurate data on what they know and can do.
* Quality over quantity
Students don't need to spend 30 minutes completing a worksheet with 20 math problems. They need to spend 15 minutes working through 1-2 problem-solving situations with the teacher and a few peers, which is much more valuable. Teachers could reclaim some time in the classroom if they were able to do a few authentic problems with the students.
Discussion Questions:
Q1: What are the other students doing while you are working with a group? Is your current plan effective? If not, what could be changed to fix it?
Q2: What types of manipulatives do you use with your small groups? Have you ever considered using "Take Home" bags for students to use with an activity at home?
Q3: What are you currently preparing to use with your guided math groups?
Q4: What are you continuing to do?
Q5: What are you going to stop doing?
For next week:
Read chapters 6 & 7. Then we'll be done! Remember to that the final project is to record yourself teaching a guided math lesson (either whole group or small) for your reflection. My suggestion is to record the one you feel less comfortable with so you can work on it!
See you next Friday!
Q1: What are the other students doing while you are working with a group? Is your current plan effective? If not, what could be changed to fix it?
ReplyDeleteThe only time I am able to work with small groups is when the kids are doing math tubs. I have pulled an official math small group only a handful of times. Many times, I am working in the math tubs with the kids, making sure they play the game correctly (one knows the rules, one does not, bickering ensues!!). Is my current plan effective - NO, and I am aware of it. I would love to be able to pull a small group each day for math, but with all we are doing during the day and the time and attention my kids need does not allow for it. I have often thought that a "dream setup" would look something like this - Mondays and Wed - half my class goes to computer lab with a para, the other half stays with me - 4 go on computers in my class and 4 work with me for 15 minutes, then those 2 groups switch. Tuesdays and Thurs same thing with the other half of the class. Keeping 4 busy on a computer for 15 min AND being present/attentive with a small group of kinders would be the best possible scenario (limits "teacher, I need you!!" and keeps other stimulation to a minimum - so my math group kids focus on what we are doing, not the fun math tub some other kid is doing)
Q2: What types of manipulatives do you use with your small groups? Have you ever considered using "Take Home" bags for students to use with an activity at home?
Manipulatives - we use cube counters, 2 sided counters, shapes (2D and 3D), various animal and people counters, printed and laminated seasonal counters, bean counters, number cards, quantity cards, dice, dominoes, ten frames - and anything else I think will help during teaching/learning. Take home math bags - great idea. I did a take home bag years ago in pre-k (both math and ela concepts). Lots of extra prep for me - and constantly refilling with missing pieces, printing out pages, making sure it was brought back on time, hunting down those that were not. Considering my biggest complaint is lack of adequate time, this is not something I see hapeening for me in the near future.
Q3: What are you currently preparing to use with your guided math groups? I have planned (but honestly, only used with 2 groups) a differentiated shape activity. 2D for my low group, 3D for the others. Basically I roll a die, kids name shape and color on their page. (**using names of 3D shapes a struggle for my kids, so this seemed like a good activity. Low group needs to be firm with 2D before I move them to 3D). A folllow-up activity is similar, except that instead of using 2D/3D die, have cards with pics of 2D/3D shapes in the enviroment, kids identify the 2D/3D shape and color it on page.
*****MY PROBLEM IS NOT PLANNING OR HAVING SOMETHING TO DO WITH A GROUP OF KIDS, IT IS TIME AND ABILITY TO WORK WITH A SMALL GROUP****
(story from last weeks math tubs, as I am playing a roll and cover game with some kids, I see another partnership, playing another game using math cubes. I look up to see one of my very special angels with 2 cubes in her mouth - mouth closed, unusually large - due to the fact that not one, BUT 2 MATH CUBES WERE IN HER MOUTH!!!. I was sitting on the carpet less than 5 feet from her. Gross, yes, but, the real reason I include this anecdote is to paint a picture as to why I can not always be focused on one group across the room)
Q4: What are you continuing to do? I am continuing to work in the math partnerships with my kids. Making sure they know how to play the games and are being kind to one another. (I am hoping a little more prep of this will help me be able to pull groups more consistently in 2nd semester)
Q5: What are you going to stop doing? Nothing at this time. I have to keep moving along, working with kids and carving out minutes when I can.
I like the way you differentiate your shape activities for your kiddos. It seems that 3-D shapes are difficult for them but it's great the way you provide an opportunity for those who understand to proceed with that piece of K curriculum while continuing to support those that need it.
ReplyDeleteCD
Q1: What are the other students doing while you are working with a group? Is your current plan effective? If not, what could be changed to fix it? While I am pulling small groups the students are in their math centers. As far as being effective- I feel like that is a yes and a no. Yes, because I am able to pull a group while kids are doing their centers. Of course there are kids who I have to deal with due to behavior, not following directions, computer issues, etc. But for the MOST part it does run effectively. Now the reason I say it is also not effective is because I use math center time to pull my math RTI group (and any other kids who struggled that day with skills)..which means I don't get to see my on level or above level kids. There are just not enough hours in the day to have it work ideally the way it should. I am always looking for ways to improve anything and everything so perhaps there will come a day where I can figure out how to manage this better. :/
ReplyDeleteQ2: What types of manipulatives do you use with your small groups? Have you ever considered using "Take Home" bags for students to use with an activity at home? As far as manipulatives go, I use the ones we are currently using at that time to teach the skills- counters are a big tool for them, ten frames in a plastic sleeve, whiteboards, number bonds in a plastic sleeve..it varies depending on the task at hand. I have never considered doing a "Take Home" bag with all the kids. I have in the past sent home mainpulatives for certain students who needed the extra assistance. I also created a new section in my student's hmwk folders this year- a sleeve that has the current skill we are working on (number bond, or double ten frames, etc). I am hoping the kids are using it at home.
Q3: What are you currently preparing to use with your guided math groups? Currently, my group is working on missing addends and how to figure them out using multiple ways. The other kids in their centers are doing Reflex on the computer, an app on the tablets that gives them a sum and they have to click on different numbers to make that sum, adding 3 addends, and a game that has them match the two numbers that make ten(that are on one card) to the 3 addend problem..I added in my own part to that game where they have to solve it in their journals.
Q4: What are you continuing to do? Like Connie, I am working on math partnerships as well. Kids sometimes get sidetracked and don't focus on the task at hand so we have constant reminders to focus and get their work done. I also feel like I have to review the centers most days before we do them which is supe frustrating. I have even tried writing out directions but that doesn't always work either.
Q5: What are you going to stop doing? I don't think there is anything that I will stop doing. If anything I will just continue to build upon everything that I am already doing and work to make it the best possible.
Can I have more time in my day ?? LOL