Guided Math - A Plan of Action

Thanks for stopping by.  We have made it to chapter 6 in our book study on guided math.  As we move along, I am getting more and more excited about my journey this year.  It will be a big change for me, but it is a much needed change.  So let's get started.

Within each of these components there are various options.  

When we last me, we discussed grouping and assessment.  That logically leads into our lesson.  We cannot create our lesson if we don't have the other two in place.  We first need to know who needs what.  Once we have that, we start designing the lesson.  

Today's topic is the framework for the guided math lesson - in other words - we can't go in blind, we have to have a plan in mind.  When thinking about that plan, we need to keep a consistent framework in mind.  The suggested framework has three parts, and is as follows:

• Presenting the mini-lesson
• Student practice
• Share time

Within each of these components is where teachers can differentiate by need.

Question One:  Because I have not taught a guided math lesson yet, I am pretty open right now.  I have looked at many different templates for lesson plans, but have not selected one yet.  I think I am going to have to take some components from various ones and create my own.

Question Two:  Well, I have taught lessons at each of the different levels depending on my students' needs.  With each one I first try to draw on any prior knowledge or help build some.  Students need to make some type of connection to the lesson or concept.

With concrete lessons it is vital to have some sort of manipulative that students can put their hands on.  This summer I ran across a wonderful product on TPT from Ashleigh's Education Journey.  She has created some hands-on math units for third grade - just what I need!!!  They are connected to the Common Core too.She has them broken down by unit, or you can get them in a big bundle.  Well, guess which one I bought???

These are amazing.  She uses them as centers / stations, which is how I think I will be using them.  If you want to take a peek, she has a couple of them as freebies:  

3.NBT.1 Place Value & Rounding

3.NF.1 Fractions

The pictorial stage is just a little above the concrete.  Students are working with pictures to represent the problems - just like it sounds.  Many times I have used task cards or even Smartboard activities to do this.  both activities give students the opportunity to see a visual representation of the problems, as well as the opportunity to move if you have set it up that way.  Anchor charts are also a fabulous way to provide a pictorial representation for students.  

Finally, the abstract lessons.  These are mostly the traditional lessons.  They could include basic worksheets, verbal problems, anything that does not include a visual representation.  I think it is important to include these because that is ultimately how students will have to face them on standardized tests, and they also let us know if the students know the concept at a more in depth level.    Wow!  This type of lesson sounded so boring!!  I assure you, it is more in how I described them more-so than how they have to be.  You can be just as engaging at this stage as you can be with the others - and it is important to do so.

Here are some task cards that I created that are more abstract to practice or review the skill of rounding.  

There it is in a nutshell.  Be sure to stop by the other blogs to see their thoughts on guided math lessons.

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Balanced Assessment

We are back again today to discuss chapter 5: Balanced Assessment.  This chapter is amazing!  It is by far my favorite chapter.  There is so much information packed into this one chapter, that I know I will be referring back to it often.  I have marked it with so many stars, underlines, question marks, etc.  that it will be the one place I have to do quite a bit of self-reflection on to get myself where I need to be.  

The whole idea of balanced assessment is constantly looking at the students in multiple ways.  It is not limited to the end of chapter / unit assessments.  There should be surveys, pre-assessments, interviews, anecdotal notes, conferences, observations, self-reflections, quizzes / tests, etc.  And it is not enough to just have the assessments, we need to do something with them.  We need to use the information to know where our students are, where they need to be grouped, what do we need to do to get them where they need to be?

Throughout the chapter, the author connected assessment to the five elements of mathematical proficiency:

• conceptual understanding
• procedural fluency
• strategic competence
• adaptive reasoning
• mathematical disposition

Making that connection really opened the flood gates for me.  It really justified the reasons for all of the assessment, and gave them purpose.  I know I have heard teachers in my school talk about how we test students too much.  In some ways we do.  Much of the assessments that the students undergo are often state or district driven, and not often valued, so they go unused.  The assessments discussed in this chapter allow us as teachers to gain so much information, but allows us to go on with instruction and student learning.  Not only are we as teachers able to use it, but the students can as well.  I know one of my goals this year is to better use the mandated assessments we have to give, and pull the positive out of them.  

An important aspect that I got from this chapter is the fact that the ongoing / balanced assessment is crucial not only for obtaining information about the students themselves, but on how effective the groups' work.  We use the assessments to place students into effective groups and enable us to move them fluidly where they need to be, but to do this we should have a plan in place that is a continuum of instruction for the unit.  I have always had this "plan" in my mind in the past when doing the whole group instruction I have done.  This is how I was able to differentiate for those upper and lower students.  But the importance of having that plan down on paper and maybe having multiple groups at a similar level just really hit home with something I will change this year as I move into guided math.    

OK, how many of you have given those end of chapter / unit tests and then just moved on?  I know I have been guilty at times.  I do try to go through a mental error analysis as I grade them, but I don't tend to do much with my students.  I might mention an overall with the class, but that has been the gist of it.  We have done goal setting, but even when doing that I really did not delve into the assessment with the students like I should have.  It was not because I  did not know that I should have, I was always just pushed for time.  What a big red flag for me!!!!!!  Fix this!!  

I will end my thoughts on the chapter with the teacher check-in that Dr. Nicki Newton provided.  This is one of those pages that has a big flag sticking off it.

1. Have I set up scaffolded lessons for this unit?
2. Have I set up tiered center activities?
3. Have I given formative assessments this week?
4. Do I know where all my students are in the learning process?
5. What is the evidence of where my students are?
6. Wh os struggling and what am I doing to help them?
7. Thoughts about this unit....

How is that for self-reflecting?  I thought is was quite amazing!!!!

  When I was in special education, I did a lot of different types of assessments with my students.  I examined the tests, quizzes, assignments, and other work given to me from my collaborative teacher. I talked to and interviewed the teacher and the student.  I took lots and lots of anecdotal notes.  I reviewed benchmarks. And on and on and on.  The assessment never ended.

Now to my current 3rd grade placement.  Shame on me!!  I stopped doing many of these - at least on paper.  And - I don't have a good reason for not continuing them.  I have been doing some pre-assessments for chapters, but not constantly.  I am always making observations, but not putting enough on paper to document.  As Dr. Nicki mentioned in the chapter, we tend to do what we should in reading instruction, but not necessarily for math.  I am guilty of this.  And the sad thing about it,  I think to do it in math would be easier.

This chapter really hit me in the face - and I needed it.  I need to get back to what I know and apply it to my current setting.  I know the biggest thing I will carry from this chapter is to do more self-reflection, because when I do, I tend to move in the right direction.

I am really curious to read the other posts this week.  I'll probably even be taking notes.  I think assessment is really where my heart is going to be with this change from whole group to guided math workshop.  Make sure you stop by and visit the other bloggers who are participating.  And, be sure to come back and visit again on Sunday for chapter 6.

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Managing Math Workshop

Welcome - and thanks for joining us with the Guided Math in Action Book study.  Today we will be discussing chapters 3 and 4.  If you missed my previous post, you can go there by following this link:

Chapters 1 & 2

To visit our hosts for this book study - Adventures in Guided Math, simply click on the image above to visit their blog.

 Chapters 3 & 4 are all about getting started.  Not unlike everything else we do in our classroom, we need to establish our procedures and routines with our guided math and math workshop.  Students need to know what it is supposed to look like, sound like, feel like, etc.  It is imperative that we spend our initial lessons developing and practicing what we expect.  Remember - If you want it - teach it!!!

We want our students to be able to be independent.  There will be days when we aren't going to be there, and everything should run as smoothly as if we were.  So that means practice, practice, practice.

Some of the things we need to consider include:

• schedules - Are you using a workshop approach?  What about rotations?  Will you have various stations / centers? How many groups do you meet with each day?
• locations - Where is everything taking place?  Do you have a table where you are holding the guided lessons?  Are you meeting students in their groups / desks?  Where are the centers / stations located?  Will they work on them in a specific area or at their seats?  Will you have an area for whole group instruction, or do students just return to their seats for this?  There is a lot to consider...
• teacher toolkit - This is everything you need for your guided math lessons. How do you have yours organized?  What kind of tools do you have included in yours?
• flexible grouping - What kind of data are you going to gather?  How often do you examine your groups?
• record keeping - Do you have a system that works for you?  What data do you keep?  What kind of planning sheets do you use?

 Question one:  I do have a toolkit, but it is not as organized as I would like it.  It never fails, part way through the year it is a complete disaster.  I am in the process of reexamining how I will keep things this year.  This sounds like a future blog post!!!!

Question two:  My students do not have individual toolkits.  I have kept things centrally located.  When I have tried to have each student keep individually, often things get lost or broken.  I have found that by having things in one are for students to get, they take better care of the tools and we have them when needed.

Question three:  Routines / expectations are established starting on day one and are continually practiced throughout the year.  Those first few weeks are important.  The more time spent at the beginning of the year means less time is wasted later.

 Question one & two:  Prior to this coming year, I have taught primarily whole group.  I have pulled those students back who have really need the extra help or students who have specifically requested to work with me, and yes, those have been fluid - based on the specific task we were working on.  I am excited to be doing small group work this year.

Question three:  When I was in special education my records were much more in depth than what they have been the past couple of years.  Since becoming a third grade teacher my records have been very basic.  Each year they have improved and are looking much more like the detail I used to put into them when in special ed.  The Common Core has also forced me to keep better records.

I must say that these two chapters have really made my mind start spinning.  Tomorrow I am going to be able to start going in and organizing my classroom.  I have some ideas I need to test out for the arrangement.  The information from chapters 3 & 4 will help me start off on the right foot.

Don't forget to stop back by on Wednesday for Chapter 5.  Please be sure to visit all the other bloggers and read their posts.

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Guided Math in Action Book Study Getting Read to Kick Off!!!!!

I am joining Sarah and Courtney at Adventures in Guided Math for the Guided Math in Action book study.  I am so excited to be part of this book study!!  I am going to implement guided math this year.  I have been thinking about it for some time, and now it's about time I get it into action!!!  I have my curriculum map, and the beginning stages of planning.  I really need to get my pre-/post- tests and my work stations/centers figured out for each skill.  So much to do, so little time - only a month to go and I'm back to school.

Today we are kicking things off - getting the information out there.  If you don't have your book yet, you can get one from amazon - either a kindle version or the book itself.  

We will be discussing chapters 1 & 2 on July 16th.  Below is our schedule for the remaining chapters.  

Be sure to visit the other blogs participating in the Guided Math in Action Book Study.

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