Guided Math Study: Chapter 7

Chapter 7 of Guided Math introduces math conferences into the Guided Math framework.  Math conferences are similar to writing conferences that are used in the reading classroom.  They allow the teacher to interact with students individually.  According to Simmons, math conferences are essential to developing a strong sense of student understanding which leads to more focused and powerful instruction.  I am not sure that this is much of a surprise to anyone.  As educators, we all know that any time spent working with students individually is time well spent!

Just as with the other elements of the Guided Math classroom, it is essential that students understand what is expected of them during math conferences and independent student work time.  The author discusses how this understanding is worth the time and effort it takes to teach expectations.  The author offers some valuable tips for ensuring that classroom expectations are met during Math Workshop and individual conferences:

-survey the classroom to ensure students are on task before beginning

-begin with students who are having a hard time

-crisscross the room instead of going from one student to their neighbor

-have materials readily available

-address problems immediately to help students know that they need improvements

Now that we know how to prepare for student conferences, we turn to the important task of determining what to do during those conferences.  The goal of a math conference is to turn from a teacher centered form of instruction to a student-led sharing of knowledge.  In order to accomplish this, the book provides an architecture for math conferences that has been adapted from those used for reading and writing workshops. 

1)  Research Student Understandings.  The beginning of the conference should start with the teacher asking a broad question that leads the student to explain their work.  The most important aspect is for the teacher to listen intently to understand the thought process of the student.  The goal of the conference should be moving the student from what they can almost do independently to what they can do independently.

2)  Decide What is Needed.  The author points out that during this phase the teacher has three main responsibilities:  identifying and complimenting what students are doing well, determine what to teach to help the student move forward, and focusing on the best way to use their time to ensure the student can retain and apply what they learn. 

3)  Teach to Student Needs.   During this phase, the teacher decides the teaching method to best address the needs of the student.  Guided practice, demonstration, and explaining and showing an example are the most common techniques formed. 

4)  Link to the Future.   Every conference with students should end by restating what students have learned and making connections between what they have learned and how it can be used in the future.  The author recommends for the teacher to have the student restate what they have learned. 

In my own classroom, I spend quite a bit of time working with students individually.  However, I have never really developed a specific framework for doing so.  This chapter gave me an idea of how to structure these individual conferences to best meet the needs of my students.  Most of my individual time with students has also been focused on working with students who are struggling.  This school year, one of my goals is to spend more time working individually with students who are ahead of the game and pushing them even further in their learning. 

Don’t forget to check out the other  posts for this chapter and to enter for another fabulous giveaway!

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Guided Math Study: Chapter Six

Welcome back to our Guided Math Book Study.  I hope you are enjoying the study as much as I have enjoyed learning from it and sharing what I have learned!  Chapter 6 of Guided Math:  A Frameworks for Mathematics Instruction is all about using Math Workshop as a component of Guided Math.  At the very beginning of the chapter, the author discusses how Math Workshop is similar to math centers.  She talks about how math centers are commonplace in the primary grades, but as students grow older, math concepts begin to be taught in a more abstract way.  Being a middle school teacher, I can very much relate to this idea.  While I have not used Math Workshop or math centers before, this chapter gave me all the information I need to implement Math Workshop in my own classroom.

One of the main advantages of Math Workshop that immediately caught my attention is how it helps students learn important 21^st century skills.  Sometimes as teachers, we spend so much time worrying about teaching the standards, we forget about all of the important life skills that students will need as they enter the workforce.  During Math Workshop, “students encounter tasks that not only encourage the development of conceptual understanding, but also the work habits that will lead to their future success” (pg. 185).  Students learn the importance of working independently to solve problems and working collaboratively to communicate and share responsibilities within a group.  These are skills that our students will need as they prepare for higher education and careers in the 21^st century.  Math workshop also makes differentiation easier and provides the teacher with time to work individually with students who are struggling.  

Now that we know why we should use Math Workshop, we need to know how to get started!  In order to implement Math Workshop, the author provides a list of common tasks that are successful:

-review of previous material

-math fact practice

-mathematical games that reinforce concepts

-problem solving practice

-investigating mathematical concepts

-journal writing

-computer-related work

-math-related work from other subject areas

-work from small-group instruction

After reviewing this list, I can already see that many of these tasks are ones that I am already using in my classroom, I just need to make some adjustments to allow for more student choice in what activities they complete and a schedule for when I will use Math Workshop. 

Speaking of schedules, I am curious as to how other upper-primary and middle school teachers use Math Workshop.  Do you have particular days for Math Workshop, like once a week? Be sure to share how you use Math Workshop in the comments section and enter to win this week’s giveaway!

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Guided Math: Chapter 5

 This week, our book study is over chapter five of Guided Math:  A Framework for Mathematics Instruction.  This chapter discusses the use of small group instruction in guided math and is by far my favorite chapter of the book.  Small group instruction is what you might call the “bread and butter” of my mathematics instruction, as I use it on a daily basis in my classroom.  According to Simmons, the intimate setting of small group instruction “allows teachers to target students’ instructional needs and is conducive to exploration, conversation, and discovery” (pg. 180). When using small group instruction in my own classroom, I have noticed several advantages:

-       Differentiation of lessons is easier as students can be grouped by their ability level or understanding of a concept.

-       Students that are normally too shy to ask for help feel more comfortable in a small group setting.

-       Manipulatives  are more easily managed which allows for more hands-on learning opportunities with students.

-       The level of scaffolding used can be specifically tailored to student needs.

-       Formative assessment takes place more naturally in the small group setting and allows me to determine which students might benefit from individual instruction over a specific topic.

A large part of the chapter was devoted to the importance of grouping students.  For my mathematics classes, students are already grouped into classes of similar abilities.  Acuity scores, teacher observations from the previous year, standardized test scores, and grades are used to determine which class students are placed in.  Therefore, each year, there is an A group and B group.  When making decisions about which students to place in small groups within these classes, formative assessments are the determining factor for which group I place a student in.  In addition, my groups are often fluid as student understanding can vary greatly from unit to unit. 

The book also suggests using the same basic plan or layout for small group instruction lessons as what is used for whole group instruction.  This is definitely an area where I could make some improvements!  For the most part, I am very organized when it comes to planning and preparation, almost to the point where it isn’t normal.  However, my small group instruction time tends to be less formal and more “on-the-fly.” More often than not, I may not even decide what group I will be working with on a specific day until the students get into the room and I have done some quick formative assessments.  (I know, sounds terrifying, right?!?!)  My plan for a day looks more like this:  students who are ahead will be doing this, students who are on level will be doing this, and students who need extra help will be doing this.  After reading this chapter, I can see that I need to make some adjustments to this plan.  Luckily, I have another month of summer to get to work on it. :)

So, how do you use small group instruction in your classroom?  What data or information do you use to group students?  Please share your information in the comments section and make sure to sign up for a chance to win this week’s awesome giveaway!

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KWL Charts for Math Problem Solving (Inspired by Guided Math)

As most of you know, I am participating in the Book Study for Guided Math:  A Framework for Mathematics Instruction through the Primary Gal this summer.  The previous chapter discussed whole-group instruction in the mathematics classroom.  If you didn’t read it, be sure to check my blog post over chapter four out here. 

One idea that stood out to me in the chapter was the use of KWL charts in problem solving.  In fact, I loved this idea so much that I decided I wanted to use it as a tool for my students when introducing problem solving next school year. 

So….I did what any crazy teacher would do and immediately started making up materials for it.  If you have been following my blog, then you know I use a flipped mathematics classroom.  (If you haven’t been following my blog, why not?!?!)  Last night I made a video lesson for using KWL charts in problem solving.  The video follows the same format as most of my videos:  introduce topic, examples, OYO (On Your Own) problems. 

Click on the image to go to the video

Be sure to check it out in the Mastering the Middle TpT store!

Guided Math Book Study: Chapter Four

Chapter 4 of Guided Math:  A Framework for Mathematics Instruction by Laney Simmons focused on whole-class instruction.  The author discussed how whole-class instruction is an essential component of Guided Math, but the key is in using it effectively.  Unfortunately, in many classrooms, whole-class instruction takes up the bulk of instructional time. I think that many teachers believe whole-class instruction is the best use of their time because it allows for more students to be instructed for a longer period of time.  However, because students are rarely at the same level and hard to keep attentive for long periods of time, it actually ends up wasting more time than it saves. 

Since I began using a flipped mathematics classroom, the time that I use for whole-class instruction has significantly decreased.  The video lessons act as the whole-group instruction for my students.  The videos I create for students follow a similar framework as the one suggested in the chapter for mini-lessons:  making a connection, teaching point, active engagement, and link to student work.  

Most of whole-class instruction time in my classroom is used in one of three ways:  discussing OYO (On Your Own) problems from the previous evenings lesson, review/test prep, or games.  Reviewing the OYO problems helps me to see which students need further instruction on the skills taught during the mini-lesson.   This short formative assessment allows me to determine who to spend time with individually or in small groups.  Most whole-group review/test prep happens close to testing time in the spring.  (While I don’t feel that it is the best use of class time, it is one of the necessary evils that go along with preparing for state standardized testing.)  We also spend a significant amount of whole-group time playing games that relate to the skills or concepts being taught.  To see an example of how I use games in my classroom, check out my post on integer games. 

Another idea that really stood out to me from the chapter was the use of an anticipation guide to begin a unit.  I love the idea of building up students’ curiosity for the unit and allowing students to go back and see what they actually learned.  (Look for some anticipation guides for 6^th grade math standards to start popping up in our Mastering the Middle TPT store this summer!)

The other idea that intrigued me from the chapter was the use of KWL charts for problem solving.  Our school improvement team has been discussing how to engage students in problem solving throughout our building instead of students just encountering it in their mathematics classrooms.  I am loving the idea of using KWL charts for problem solving and think that it is a simple enough process that teachers of different content areas could easily work with and adapt it to fit their needs.   I started researching this idea a online and found some great information.  Below is a short video tutorial I found on using a KWL chart for problem solving.  

Another week, another giveaway!  Be sure to enter to win and check out the other great posts over Chapter 4 in the Guided Math Book Study for more chances to win. 

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Summer Planning

Well, it’s that time of year again.  Summer, the time when teachers put away their school materials and spend lazy days relaxing with school the furthest thing from their mind…

Wait, WHAT?  That isn’t what teachers do in the summer?? 

Like most teachers, summer is the time when I work on the majority of my planning for the next year.  I know, doesn’t have quite the ring to it, does it?

Last summer, I completely redid my science curriculum.  It was very time-consuming, but it completely paid off throughout the school year.  This summer, I decided to focus on math.  This past school year, I began using a flipped classroom model for my mathematics classes.  I also decided last year when I was redoing my science curriculum, I wanted to completely eliminate textbooks from my classroom.  As a result, I wrote iBooks to be used for science.  In the spirit of this decision, I am working this summer on completing math iBooks. 

To write my iBooks, I use iBooks Author.  It is very user-friendly and I highly recommend checking it out if you have never tried it.  For each unit, I am including the new Indiana Mathematics Standards, a video lesson, a short interactive quiz, and screenshots of problems from our old textbooks.  My thought behind doing this is students will have all of their video lessons in one place instead of on their Google Drive, which is what I used last year.  Hopefully, this will make it easier for them to view lessons at home and to come back to if they need extra help later on in the school year. 

My other goal for improving my mathematics instruction is to continue to develop more hands-on activities and projects.  The best thing about the flipped mathematics classroom was it produced ample time for these types of activities during class. 

Now, it’s your turn.  What are you doing this summer in preparation for next school year?

Guided Math Book Study: Chapter 2

The second chapter of Guided Math:  A Framework for Mathematics Instruction by Laney Sammons focuses on creating a classroom environment of numeracy.  As educators, we are all familiar with the idea of creating an environment of literacy and, as a mathematics teacher, I have to be honest, I often covet the Language Arts classrooms in my building.  I am jealous of their comfy reading chairs and shelves upon shelves of interesting books. Yes, I have cutesy decorations and learning quotes on the wall, but in my heart, I long for a comfy reading spot! Thankfully, this chapter of the book gave me plenty of ideas for creating en environment of numeracy in my classroom.

Is this a trick question?  In chapter two, the author identifies the foundational principles of guided math:

-       All students can learn mathematics.

-       A numeracy-rich environment promotes mathematical learning.

-       Learning is a social process.

-       Learning mathematics is a constructive process.

-       Modeling, think-alouds, and opportunities for problem solving create a learning environment where mathematical understanding grows.

-       Students are responsible for their learning.

I can’t help but think the answer is ‘none of the above.’ I don’t think that any one component is more important than the other.  When considering this question, I can’t help but think of the Artistotle quote, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”  Each component is important to the overall result and would not have the same impact individually. 

If you asked me this question before I read chapter two, I would have answered with a resounding “YES!”  However, once completing the reading, I may or may not feel like the most horrible math teacher to ever teach math.    Luckily, this chapter gave me ample ideas for creating a classroom environment of numeracy that can easily be adapted to meet the needs of my classroom.

One of the ideas that stuck out to me from chapter 2 was classroom arrangement.  The text discusses how classroom arrangement should compliment the Guided Math approach by having spaces for students to meet and should facilitate movement within the classroom.  I will openly admit that I absolutely hate the arrangement in my classroom.  Since I teach in a middle school, all of the seats and desks are the traditional connecting chairs and desktops.  They have an awkward slant, which makes it almost impossible to complete any activities on them.  In addition, they are very hard to arrange in anything but rows.  To top it off, gaining access to a table in our building is comparable to finding the Loch Ness monster.  All of these factors have left the arrangement in my room less than desirable and made classroom arrangement at the top of my to-do list for the 2014-2015 school year.  

There were many more ideas throughout the chapter that I would also like to implement the use of in my classroom such as:  math journals, graphic organizers, and student-made posters.  All in all, this chapter left me with a ton to think about as I make preparations for next school year.  Now, it's your turn to take time and think about how you have created (or not created) a classroom of environment of numeracy in your own classroom.  Feel free to comment with below.  Also, don't forget to enter to win the giveaway to get some free, great product from my fellow bloggers!

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Guided Math Book Study: Chapter One

After reading the first chapter of Guided Math:  A Framework for Mathematics Instruction by Laney Sammons, I could immediately see a parallel between my own classroom and some of the ideas in the book.  As teachers, a huge component of being successful is our ability to look at our own teaching and identify what is effective, and often times, what isn’t.  Knowing that something simply wasn’t working has lead to big changes in my teaching over the years.  While reading Chapter One, I immediately began visualizing the ways I was successfully, and not so successfully, using the instructional components of Guided Math in my own classroom. 

Guided Math is a framework for math instruction that includes the following components:

-       A Classroom Environment of Numeracy

-       Morning Math Warm-ups

-       Whole-class Instruction

-       Guided Math Instruction with Small Groups

-       Math Workshop

-       Individual Conferences

-       Ongoing Systems of Assessment

The components of Guided Math work in unison to provide students with a variety of instructional interactions with their peers and the teacher, as well as a chance to be engaged in individual discovery.   While teacher-centered learning is a component, it is only one component of the entire process.  I think the author described Guided Math best when she said it “offers all students opportunities to develop their mathematical skills at increasingly challenging levels of difficulty with the ultimate goal of helping them gain the ability to function independently in the world of mathematics” (Simmons, 2010, p. 17). 

This year, in an effort to move my mathematics classroom from teacher-centered, I began using a flipped mathematics classroom.  During previous years, I always knew that I needed to provide my students with more hands-on instruction but struggled to find the time in a 50-minute class period. The main advantage of the flipped classroom was the flexibility it provided me in using those precious classroom minutes.  Since students were watching their lessons at home and competing OYO (On Your Own) problems, I could easily identify which students were struggling with a particular skill.  It also freed up time for many of the components of instruction that were discussed in Chapter 1, especially small group and individual instruction.

Small group and individual instruction takes up the bulk of my instructional time.   If you walk into my classroom during a mathematics class, you will likely see students working in groups completing an activity or working on an assignment, while I am working with a small group or individual.  I have found that the use of small group and individual instruction allows me to provide the extra support that my struggling learners need, while allowing my students who were ready for the next level to work independently on activities or assignments.  For me, the most rewarding part of working individually with students is the exact moment when I see a student “get it.”  Both the student, and myself, leave the interaction knowing that we really accomplished something. 

Chapter One of Guided Math also helped me identify areas of my math instruction that need some work.  Hey, no one’s perfect! ;)  Fortunately, I still have nine chapters left from which to learn, reflect, and grow!

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