[hayleyjo]

I went to a workshop yesterday and the more the lady talked about small group math instruction, the more it made sense. I think I tend to make things harder than what they should be. My hangup is what to have the others do. I have every manipulative possible and a Smartboard but being pretty new at teaching, I never know if I'm doing too much or not enough I guess. Should I have them do something in stations that they have to turn in? Do they bring their workbook page with them to my group when it's their turn?

[laurentilley]

I am still on maternity leave so I havent got to implement this yet but this is what I am planning on doing for math:

A group with me at the smart board working on the focus skill
A group with my TA doing a review skill
An independent group at their desk doing a review sheet (that they will turn in)
A group playing a math game and when they finish doing fast facts

I only have about 45 minutes to teach math so each group will last about 10 minutes

Hope this helps

[pearepaws]

This is only my 2nd year teaching, and I also think that grouping for math would be great for students. I thought so last year also, but was so overwhelmed with things I never got it done.

My goal is to start in a few weeks with this group of kids (now that I know where everyone is at). I am going to set it up sort of like our reading is (semi based off of Daily 5).

5 minute warm-up
10 minute whole group/skill introduction mini lesson
10 minute station #1
10 minute station #2
10 minute station #3
10 minute station #4
5 reflection/review

*I will be grouping students according to their levels.
Stations will include
-with teacher at reading table
-flash cards
-seat work (assigned worksheet over skill for the day)
-dice games
-card games
-file folder games

*This will allow my lower group to get one-on-one help during the first rotation before tackling their assignment at their seatwork. I will review/re-teach what I taught in the mini lesson with them. Students who have a better grasp on math, will do the assignment assignment during their seatwork rotation before coming to see me.

[cally]

It depends on the concept. Usually the lesson starts off whole group and then we break into groups. But their are times when we start off math is small groups because we are all working on different concepts,

[frogteacher58]

All three 2nd grade classes put our lists together and divided the kids up into a high, medium, and low group. I teach the low kiddos. They come to me for 15 minutes and we do whole group calendar or review type stuff (we count by 2, 5, and 10 each day and it is really helping. We also do time, money, place value, and odd even stuff)

Then I have two Title I math teachers and a special ed teacher that come in. We split our class (low group) into 4 groups so that their are 5 or 6 in each group and they are all at the same level. I LOVE it! Most of them that are low have an attention problem and would get lost with whole group. With small group instruction they are RIGHT there in front of me and I can redirect them!

[harley]

Yes, I group my children for math instruction. I have found that the diversity in my class needs this type of instruction. I do have math as morning work on the board, and this is completed independently before we go into reading. After reading we do a whole group mini lesson and review the morning work. Then they rotate according to group. (Yes, they are grouped by ability - but I call them the Triangles, Squares, and Rectangles). One group is working on review items - such as math facts with a game (partner) or independent study, one group is with me focusing on the new skill, and the other group is with my TA doing the workbook or rapid facts. If my TA is not in the room with me, then the third group is working on their new skill. My math block is supposed to be 70 minutes, but we usually run over by 5 or 10 minutes. I try to work with my groups for 20 minutes. My children pay better attention this way.

I too use my interactive smart board during this time (for instance place value - roll the number cube and model the number). Make sure whatever you use for your math center has accountability with it. The children seem to enjoy grouping and it is much easier for me to keep track of what my students need.