Guest Blog Post - Small Group Instruction

Rachel Lynette from Minds in Bloom invited me to write about small group instruction and I was so excited! Click here to check out the post about small group instruction !

   

Click picture below to see my PowerPoint solution to managing small group instruction!

 

Math Workshops - The Center Based Classroom

How do you teach your math block?
As you probably know by now, I am all about small group math instruction.  :)  I can not say enough good things about teaching small group math!  In fact, I blogged about small group math and my Math Stations at the beginning of March but when I ran across a blog post on The Center Based Classroom, I just had to share!

My new bloggy friend, Michaela, over at The Center Based Classroom explains her math workshops in a clear and concise way! In her 80 minute math block, she starts with a 20 minute whole group lesson and then has small groups rotate through 4 math centers (computers, teacher led group, math games and practice work).  It is the perfect formula and she does a fantastic job of explaining how each of her centers works. 

If are on the fence about trying small group math, you need to hop over to her blog and read all about it, she even has a link to an excellent article from Scholastics which will give you more ideas and some excellent reasons to try teaching math this way!  I call this small group math, Math Stations and Michaela calls them Math Workshop but whatever you call it, IT WORKS!  Students are engaged and learning for the whole block and I feel less stressed as a teacher because I know I am reaching every student's math needs everyday!

Thanks for sharing, Michaela!!  Happy teaching everyone!

Math Center Ideas Linky

I love math centers!  As you might know from my previous post, I have small group math everyday!  I could not do it without having a bunch of engaging math centers for my students to practice with everyday!  So, when I saw this linky party over in Miss Martin's Classroom, I just had to link up!

Here are a few of my favorite math centers from my TPT store, but please hop on over to Miss Martin's Linky to check out tons of other great math centers!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Small group math

How many of you are already teaching math in small groups? I made the change 2 years ago and don't think I could go back now. I love teaching math in small groups.
 
Basically, I begin math each day with a short whole group lesson that either reviews a previously learned skill, or introduces a new one. Then we move into math stations which rotations us through 4 stations in a 60 minute block of time. Each station lasts for 12-13 minutes with a 1 minute clean up time between each station. 

Station 1 is guided math with me.  We review the whole group lesson and do a follow up, or exit card together. Doing this allows me and to see what each student needs and I can continue to reteach or provide enrichment.

Station 2 has targeted games that provide students with the opportunity to practice previously learned skills. I typically keep 3 or 4 games in that station box so students have a variety of choices.

Station 3 is a computer station and students are able to go to practice math on various websites. AbCya  is one of my favorite choices for them because it has so many targeted games at each grade level. Last year I only had 1 student computer, so station 3 was full of games as well but I made sure those games had follow up worksheets with them so students would have a more accountability. 

Station 4 is my math journal station where students work independently on one page of their journal at a time.  They bring their journal to my when they come to station 1 and I review and give them immediate feedback.   Math journaling is new for my class this year and it has been a great addition to Math Stations.  When they finish their journal page they can read one of the math books that is in the station 4 box.

I created a powerpoint slideshow to help me keep my center rotations on time each day.  The slideshow is set up with my student groups and automatically rotates the groups through and has a special sound alerting us when it is time to clean up and change to the next station.  I have 2 different math station slideshows available in my TPT store; plain and monster themed.   If you like those, please check out my guided reading powerpoint slideshows as well!  They are great for orgainizing your reading language arts centers and will even work for a variation on the Daily 5!

Monthly math journals are also available in my TPT store, so feel free to jump over there and check them out as well.

 

 

These are my math station boxes!  I have one that has a number 3 on it but I don't use it this year because I have 4 computers in my room and that became station 3!  These boxes are a great way for me to organize the games and keep everything together. You can also see my monthly math journals here.  As mentioned above, when students finish their journal entry they go into the station 4 box and read a math book.

 

 My friend over at Carrie’s Classroom has written all about small group math instruction and even has a great unit to get you started. 

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great weekend!!