Category Archives: Workshops

Close Reading Strategies for Math

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Editable Templates for All Activities

If you would like the templates to create these activities for your classroom from the workshop: Text 33444 with the word GUIDED

 

Problems Worth Solving

When students have the opportunity to solve real problems that mean something to them, math happens naturally.  They are not looking for key words or trying to find the pattern.  There is a difference between students working problems that can be done the same way each and every time and looking at the information and solving a problem that applies to them!  When you are looking for a problem worth solving, the internet is your friend!  I find the best problems by looking at things my students are interested in- a fun theme park, a bowling alley, a trampoline park etc...  When you use this kind of information, it is easier for students to solve problems because they are no longer thinking about the steps they need to take, but they are thinking about what the operations do to numbers.

Cube It

Cube it is a strategy that uses all of the levels of Blooms.  Start with a cube template.  Create tasks and questions using the information in your problem worth solving.  Students roll the cube and complete the task.

Say Mean Matter

Say Mean Matter is a strategy to help students see what the information says, then decide what it means and most importantly why  it matters.  Students are familiar with author's purpose- why did the author include this in the passage, is a question they have been answering for a long time!  When they see the problem as something written by a human, then things matter!  Tip: When working with younger students, you need to pick the phrases to analyze.  If you don't they will pick something that doesn't matter!  After they use this strategy, they will start to see what matters and what does not matter in a math situation!

K-N-W-S

This strategy is for close reading of math word problems. As students closely read a math problem, they should identify:

The facts they KNOW from the information given in the problem

The information given in the problem that they do NOT need

What the problem WANTS them to find

What STRATEGY or operations will be used to solve the problem

Read Again, And Again, And Again!

Teach students how to read the text three times.

During the first read, students should read for the “gist” of the source text

On the second read, students should dig a little deeper and look closely at the numbers and what they represent.

With the third read, students should integrate knowledge and ideas by putting everything together.

When you finish, have students write their own problem using the information from the text on a sticky note.  Then play musical shares!

Guided Solving

One strategy that may be familiar to elementary reading teachers, and which seems particularly useful in the context of mathematics, is that of guided reading sessions (Allen, 2003). In such sessions, the teacher is still responsible for helping students connect what they are reading to prior knowledge. The teacher should first present the text or graphic to students in small, coherent segments, being sure to process each segment before going on to the next one. As the reading progresses, the teacher should ask process questions that she wants the students to ask themselves in the future. They may be asked to predict what the reading will be about simply by reading the title of the piece (if there is one, such as a graph or story problem). Next the students should make two columns on a piece of paper, one headed “What I Predict” and the other headed “What I Know.” Once the students have silently read each section of the piece, they should fill out each column accordingly. At this point, the teacher should ask students questions such as the following:

What would you be doing in that situation?

Does this make sense?

What does the picture/graph/chart tell you?

How does the title connect to what we're reading?

Why are these words in capital letters?

Why is there extra white space here?

What does that word mean in this context?

Editable Templates for All Activities

If you would like the templates to create these activities for your classroom from the workshop: Text 33444 with the word GUIDED

 

4 Classroom Management Must Haves for a New Teacher

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New Teacher’s worry most about classroom management- and they should!  Studies have shown that teachers who have problems with behavior management and classroom discipline are frequently ineffective in the classroom.  They are more likely to burnout and leave the profession.  We also know that if you can’t get the kids to sit down and listen- even the greatest lesson that you spent hours prepping will not work.  These are the 4 most important things to get you through the first 2 weeks of school.

Plan ALL of your Procedures

The first step to getting classroom management under control begins way before you set foot in the classroom.  Start by developing your rules and procedures.  Plan these routines in great detail.  It is the little things that will drive you crazy during the year.  You also want to shut down any reason to argue about a procedure later!  Here are some of the main procedures that drive teachers crazy!

  1. Trash- How will kids throw away trash?  Will they get up during a lesson to take something to the trash can?  Do they throw it on the floor? Stuff it in their desks?
  2. Pencils- When do kids sharpen pencils?  What do they do if they don’t have a pencil?  How do they borrow a pencil AND return it?
  3. Dry Erase Markers- How do they get a marker?  Do they scribble all over their whiteboard while you are talking?  Do they leave the cap off?
  4. Whiteboards- How do they get them?  Where are they stored?

If you would like a copy of all of the procedures I had in my classroom, click the image to the right.  This is something I give to new teachers at the beginning of the year.  We make changes to fit their needs, but make sure we have everything written down.  Put a copy of all of your procedures in your substitute file, and they will have a much easier day!

Click for Procedures and Routines!

Strong Voice

Practice your teacher voice!  A strong clear voice is very powerful.  When you talk to students, remember to stand up, square up, and stand still!  Use a formal tone.  You are not their friend, you are the boss.  There should not be a hint of “maybe just this once you can get away with not doing what I ask”.  Don’t use slang language- “Dude, I said sit down!”  Is not as powerful as, “Michael, sit down.”

Practice wait time.  This is one of the steps that trips teachers up.  They ask the class to be quiet, but don’t wait for that direction to be followed.  They rush to the next direction.  Not all students hear and then need all of the directions repeated.  This is VERY frustrating to the teacher and to the students who are listening.  If the words come out of your mouth, wait for them to be followed.

Plan your First Week of School

Plan which procedures kids need each day and then teach them before they will need it.

What will you say to introduce the procedures?  I always use the acronym CHAMPS.

C is the conversation level

H is how the student gets help

A is the activity

M is the movement

P is what does it look like when everyone is participating.

 

For most of the procedures, I make small anchor charts to post around the room near the area that the procedure happens.

Give crisp instructions.  Don’t use too many words.  Be specific with what you want kids to do.

 

Day 1

Entering the Classroom

Restroom

Going to Lunch

Line Up

Dismissal

Day 2

Getting Supplies

Teacher Attention Signal

Turning in Papers

Going to PE, Music, Art or Computer

Day 3

Getting Help

Sharpening Pencils

Cleaning Room at the End of the Day

Day 4

Dry Erase Markers

Sitting SLANT Ready to Learn

Day 5

Review Entering the Classroom

Practice Makes Perfect

After you teach a procedures, never and I mean never allow it to be done incorrectly.  Wait for 100{ead11f5758ba27f8b85d16bb338278bf88aa311cb7529b45aa5c71cfd4587f47} compliance.  If the class needs to practice again, no big deal.  It’s not a punishment.  You don’t need to be angry.  I used to put a big #9 on my back wall to remind me that these kids had only made the trip around the sun 9 times.  They were still young humans.  It is not personal and it’s okay to practice.  Make it a challenge with a reward at the end when they get it right!  The first two weeks of school set the tone and pace for the rest of the year.  Be consistent!

Teacher Radar

You have to learn to know when students are off task.  Scan the room looking for areas that are commonly off task.  Most of the time these will be the places where students are farthest away from you.  Make it obvious you are looking.  Move slow as you walk the perimeter and through the desks.  Developing the teacher look takes time, but you will get it!  You mean business!

Guided Math Professional Development

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Guided Math Professional Development

Guided Math Training is a 3 Day workshop that gets teachers ready to change the way they teach!  We know that teaching in small groups at the level of the student is best practice, but without the systems in place to keep it all together, it doesn't work!

Whole Class Teaching

Session 1

Day 1 is about whole class teaching.  The biggest stumbling block that I have encountered when working with teachers is the whole class teaching time.  When teachers hear the time limits- 15 to 20 minutes- they automatically think this is impossible!  And it is if they teach a normal lesson.  During this session, teachers learn about ways to keep this teaching time meaningful and short!

We will also go through planning using the backwards design model.  We want to start with the end in mind!  For a more detailed description of this planning session click here.

 

 

Whole Class Instruction Strategies

Stations

Session 2

Day 2 of the training is all about stations.  We start with the basics of setting up the procedures and routines.  We look at a launch schedule and customize it to fit the campus needs.  Flexible grouping and Accountability and big parts of the day.

Guided Math Stations

Small Group Instruction

Session 3

Day 3 is all about small group instruction.  We discuss ways to keep track of who needs what and documentation for RTI.  Teachers will learn more about intervention strategies and enrichment ideas.

Guided Math Small Group Instruction

Fact Fluency: Multiplication and Division

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Fact Fluency is more than just memorization!  Teachers will learn strategies to teach their students instead of relying on memorization.  When students have a strategies like doubles and half then double, they can begin to build number concept.

Fact Fluency: Addition and Subtraction

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Fact Fluency is more than just memorization!  Teachers will learn strategies to teach their students instead of relying on memorization.  When students have a strategies like doubles and doubles plus or minus 1, they can begin to build number concept.