My students need various levels of math games to play and learn from while students are participating in small group differentiated mathematics instruction.
A typical day in my mathematics classroom involves a great deal of hands-on discovery and problem solving. Math needs to be understood, not memorized, if children are going to be true mathematicians who can face a problem and work to find a solution.
My students are from all ability levels--some learners are still grasping concepts of numbers, some are adding and subtracting like their grade level peers, and others are ready for concepts beyond our grade level.
All of my students are eager to learn, a fact that has become evident since piloting a new and rigorous math program this year. At first, emotions ran high and getting "correct" answers was all that mattered. Now, though, my students understand that everyone can solve a problem in their own unique way when they truly understand the manipulation of numbers involved with math.
My Project
I teach a whole group math lesson to all of my students and gauge understanding from the lesson as well as other assessments, allowing me to differentiate my small group instruction. During this time, I have a class of 25 students, some of which are learning at their own level with a teacher and some of which are learning via an online portion of our math program. I have some homemade games and center choices for the remaining students, but the materials that I have requested will not only add excitement to our center time, but also add rigor to their free game choice as well.
By having a wide variety of rigorous and interesting games for my students to play during small group instruction, I will be able to spend the focus and energy needed on small groups.
These small groups can then learn the next step in their development--whether it is intervention to help them reach grade level or enrichment to help them go beyond, I will be able to spend my time focusing on differentiated lessons for my students.
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