Making Math Magical With Guided Math Groups: Part 2
My students need math manipulatives to use in small instructional groups and independent practice. They will also need storage bins to keep the manipulatives in great shape for many years of use.
Our campus has a diverse group of learners. My class was made up of boys and girls from the USA as well as from other countries this year. We had many different languages being spoken at home this year also, but when the children came to school they acted as one unit in our room. They never saw differences in cultures or languages, they just saw classmates and friends.
Kindergarten is a year in which many students learn to read, write, and manipulate numbers independently.
My kinders were no exception to this. They made a significant amount of growth in all areas this year.
My Project
I have been using Guided Math to differentiate my teaching and meet the needs of my varied learners. Guided Math is the process of dividing a class into smaller groups for more focused teaching and learning. While some students work independently, others receive direct instruction from the teacher. By using the guided math group instruction model, I am able to meet with 6-8 learners at a time instead the whole class. This allows me to better assess and meet the needs of my students. This also allows students the opportunity to explain and talk through their thinking in a smaller group setting. The students are more engaged in these small groups. These math materials would allow for varied activities for both independent practice and direct instruction to keep the students growing. The materials are hands on learning materials that allow students to take abstract math concepts and make them concrete with the use of learning mats, cards, and manipulatives that they can touch. One activity that is included in a kit is a math mat with a picture of a leaf on the mat. Students will place plastic bugs on the leaf to represent different numbers 1-10. Touching and moving materials helps students visualize math. This is extremely important for young learners. All of these materials need to be divided into tubs for individual instruction. These tubs will allow me to individualize my instruction for my young learners.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Cockerill and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
