iste and guided math ch. 3

 

Hi everyone! I have fallen behind on the Guided Math book study. It's amazing how quickly you can be 3 chapters behind. I do have a good reason, though. I spent the last week in San Diego at the ISTE 2012 conference. It's a huge technology conference that is held for 4 days. It covers topics of all sorts and there are workshops, lectures, vendors, and model lessons. I learned a lot about using ipads in the classroom and will post on all I learned about in a few days. I will include some cool apps and links for you, too!

So, onto chapter 3 of Guided Math. I had considered not posting for chapters 3 and 4. It would be so easy to just skip over them and go onto chapter 5. But, I struggle, a lot, with not finishing things I start, so for the sake of personal accountability, I am going to post for these chapters, but I am going to make it short and sweet.

1.  I love the idea of Math Stretches in the morning. I am definitely implementing this! Last year, we did personal calendar folders but since I am moving to second grade, I like the idea of math stretches first thing. This will give my students a chance to independently work while I am taking care of morning issues.

2. So love the students taking responsibility for math talk (p. 130). This is hard sometimes because it takes longer than me telling them what they should know:) But so important!

3. I also like the rotation of math stretches. It keeps a routine, but for me, I can see this as being able to do something different each day! I have a really hard time with things being the same day after day after day!

4. How cool to incorporate math current events. How come I didn't think about this?

5. Calendar...does anyone besides me not like calendar? I know it is so important, but goodness, it drives me so crazy. I am going to have to reread this chapter again and figure out how to incorporate it, make it meaningful to my students, and do it in a way I can be excited about calendar every day!

Well, I am going to stop here. I really learned a lot about this chapter but I really need to start reading chapter 4. Talk to y'all soon!

Guided Math Ch. 2

 

Thanks to 3rd Grade Gridiron for hosting Ch. 2 of Guided Math! This chapter is all about numeracy and creating an environment in which all students are immersed in the language of mathematics.

In the past, my plans of having a classroom that exudes literature, reading, and writing, hasn't always happened the way I've wanted it to. However, this coming school year, I am moving to a new grade, in a new classroom, in a new school district! So I already have visions of being able to start fresh and create the classroom I want. This will, of course, include a numeracy-rich classroom! I am seeing Math word walls, calendar on my new Smart board (yeah!), and lots of math talk and journals! 

Some of my thoughts from this chapter...

Last year, after reading Math Work Stations by Debbie Diller, I spent a ton of time reorganizing and labeling my math manipulatives. Since I'm going to be in a new school, I am going to have to do that all over again, but it will give me the chance to have the manipulatives accessible to the students so they can use them when they need to. 

I have had my students complete individual calendar journals for the last few years, but they always take a long time to complete. I am going to have to think about that this summer and decide how I want to do this. This will be a great time to change this if I want to. 

Explicit vocabulary is an area I definately need to work on. I have had a math wall, but I haven't always used it consistently. "Word walls are created with students as new words are identified..." (p. 89). Creating with students is a change I will need to make. 

I especially like the idea of truely integrating the subjects; writing about math during Writer's Workshop and writing during math time. Yes, this is kind of a 'duh, why didn't I ever do that?" thing for me. 

So...I've been really nervous about starting the new year...but now, sure wish I could get into my new classroom and start planning! This book is giving me a lot to think about, but lots of great ideas to look forward to!

  

Guided Math: Ch. 1

I am linking up with Primary Inspired for the Guided Math book study. Last summer, I read Math Work Stations by Debbie Diller. I incorporated a lot of her ideas into my math block but have continued to struggle with how to meet the needs of all my students. I am looking forward to this book giving me some direction about how to meet all my students' needs while incorporating all that is needed during math instruction.

In chapter 1, I found the statistics from the Dept. of Ed. to be disheartening but not really surprising. I would like to know what the statistic is for how many adults are not able to make change without a calculator. I bet it's up there, too. In the Forward, I marked the statement on pg. 14, "Indeed, many people perform mathematical calculations without understanding the underlying principles or meanings." So, many of the adults that can compute the interest paid on a loan, calculate miles per gallon on a trip, and calculate a 10% tip, probably can't explain the "why" of those computations.

Even knowing that teacher-centered instruction is not always the best way to teach math, I find myself resorting to it often, simply because it is easier. Planning for different groups takes time, something I find myself with very little of. Add to that the time it takes to make activities for math work stations and it gets even harder to teach small groups. But...I know in my heart it will be better for my students.

I like the Review and Reflect questions at the end of the chapter...

Think of the way you currently teach mathematics.
1. What aspects of it are successful? I have been successful in not rushing the curriculum. I would rather spend time on a skill and give my students a chance to really know it before moving on. This has lent itself to my students being able to explain "how" and "why" we are doing particular things in math. This year I was better at using the correct math terms...I would explain to my firsties that since they were so smart, we had to use the grown up math words. They loved that! Also, taking the time to plan a little better made teaching math more enjoyable to me and, in turn, more enjoyable for my students.

2. What aspects of it trouble you? Why? I still struggle with what to do with my students that whiz through assignments and already know skills before I teach them. I thought the math work stations would meet their needs more, but they just whizzed through those, too! They would have all the math stations completed by mid-week and would ask me what they should do next. On the flip side, the struggling students would need more time than I had to give them in order to learn the concepts and then would never make it to the math work stations and would be so disappointed. So while I felt like I made some progress this past year in how I taught math, I still felt like I wasn't meeting the needs of those at the upper and lower ends of abilities.

3. Does your math instruction lead your students to a deep conceptual understanding of the math standards that they are learning? If so, what are you doing that contributes to that? If not, how do you think you would like to change your teaching?  I think most of my students get a deeper understanding of math concepts but I don't think the struggling students do. When I reach the point of knowing a majority of the students are ready to move on, I get frustrated and then just try to get the struggling students to just be able to solve some of the problems, to heck with knowing why. This leaves me with the constant nagging in my head that some of my kids are slipping between the cracks. But...what am I supposed to do? The concept of guided math gives me a glimmer of hope that there is a what to teach to what everyone needs, when they need it, without leaving some kids bored or checking out because math is too easy or too hard for them.


If you would like to join in on the fun...