Guided Math Chapter 5

Guided Math Book Study

Chapter 5   Small Groups

 I will linked up this chapter with other blogs at

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How do I think I can adapt Guided Math into my kindergarten classroom?  That is what I have been pondering for two nights.

Let’s start with what I already know and have in place that will help me.  I already have established Guided Reading in my classroom so I already have a teacher space set up.

 

My math supplies are already easily assessable and organized for my students to get to them and put them away on their own.  I have a lot of manipulatives to work with.

I already have a great mind set and truly believe that small group instruction is best for my students.  I want to spend time working with all my students and I want to meet my little ones at their instructional levels during small groups.  I agree with Lammons that small groups encourage young children to focus their attention and participate more thereby improving student behavior. 

So how do I see this working in my classroom with 25 students?

I like to work with four flexible groups.  Each group will depend on the concept being taught and teacher observations.  I would like to see all four groups as much as possible.

1.      Teacher Group-Introduce New Concepts

2.    .  Teacher Aid Station-Review Concepts

3.    Independent Work.  – Students work on their own work.

4.    .  Math Stations/ I Pad

I envision my stations about 15 to 20 minutes.  If we do not finish, then we pick up there tomorrow.  So that way it will allow me to double check on all the groups.

My math groups will be different from my reading groups so they will have their own names, maybe something to do with math vocabulary.  How my groups develop from there will depend on my little ones. 

I would like my students who are working on math stations to be as independent as possible this was a problem for me last year.  My students always seemed so needy, they needed constant reassurance and feedback. 

Last year I thought I organized, set up, explained, demonstrated, modeled the stations, however many of my students needed constant help.   I made “I Can” Charts but they just ignored them. 

So this new school year I want to make several changes to my math groups:

1.      I want to spend more time teaching about procedures.  I read some neat ideas on the Daily 5 book studies that I would like to add to my classroom using music as a clue. Does anyone know good upbeat songs to use for clean up and changing centers?

2.    Right Now I have my math stations organized in these buckets.  The buckets are always disorganized and cause lots of confusion. 

I want to switch to a simpler, cleaner, looking system. I saved this idea from Pinterest

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3.    Set Up a System for Trouble Shooting

·      Did you give it a try?

·      Did you ask a friend for help?

·      Put it in the Help Pocket

·      Try a new Activity

·      I could use some advice here!!!!!  What are your steps so your little ones do not interrupt your group time but still get their questions answered?

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4.  I want to have some differentiating activities.  I read  at The Differentiated Kindergarten how she has different activities based on what level is a good fit for each student. 

Green = Good for Everyone

Yellow = I’m ready for a little bit of a challenge

Red = Really Needed More of a Challenge

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What a great way to meet the different needs of all the children in your classroom.  

Although this chapter gave me a lot to think about I love the comparison that the author makes that for the same reasons you teach Guided Reading so should you teach Guided Math. 

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