Let's face it.  We all want engaging ideas for teaching elementary math and reinforcing numeracy, but students come to us in so many different ways that it can be hard to meet all of their needs at the same time.  But what if I told you that meeting those diverse student needs and getting them engaged isn't as tall of an order as you think?  (And no, the solution here isn't to clone yourself a few times so you can sit with all of your students and give simultaneous one-on-one instruction...even though that sounds pretty cool.) The solution is math centers ! Let me read your mind for a second and recite some of the common gripes about centers: they're a time sink, they can be super frustrating to organize and do, students constantly interrupt your teacher led group  I know exactly how you feel, because I've had some of those gripes too! Sure, everyone would love to have fun, math-tastic centers that make even the most number-phobic students engaged, but ......

Math centers are a large component of guided math, but in order to differentiate and meet the needs of our students on a daily basis, creating and keeping up with math centers can be so time consuming.   So, how can you simplify math centers in order to make them realistically manageable?   Here’s my solution:   GO DIGITAL! Technically, what constitutes a math center?   Math centers provide opportunities for student to practice skills that have been previously taught.   That's it!   There are an abundance of printable math center available.   I love them, because I just love making things cute.   What I have noticed though, is that I can’t keep up with the demands of putting them together.   I have to print them, cut them out, laminate them (I don’t want to have to start the process over again), and then store them.   It’s all so time consuming, and I always feel that I’m behind.   I’ve discovered ......

The drill and kill of multiplication facts can get old very quickly for students.  Especially those that struggle memorizing them.  Adding games into your math block will not only excite them, but provide great learning opportunities.   Here is a list of 5 multiplication games that are super easy to implement and require very little prep.  A win for both the teacher and the students! Games with Dominoes Ordering Products Students choose five dominoes, turn them over, and multiply each side together.   Order the products from least to greatest or greatest to least. Want to make it a game?  Partners order their dominos then find the difference between their greatest number and least number.  The partner with the greatest (or least) difference wins. Multiplication War Students begin with dominoes face down.   Each student chooses a domino. On the count of three, students turn over their domino and multip......

Teaching using a guided math model does not mean you have to say good-bye to whole-group instruction. In fact, it's very important to start with a mini-lesson before you begin your small groups/math centers. Here are some reasons why: > You set a purpose for the day. Students will know the learning goal and will stay on task. > You help build background knowledge. You can introduce vocabulary words students will interact with during their math centers. > You can quickly see how well students have mastered the concept and adjust math groups as needed. Let me share with you 4 ways you can start your math workshop block. This whole-group instruction should be no longer than 15 minutes.  It is very important that you teach math vocabulary to your students. Not only will they see these words in math problems, but you should expect students to use these math words as they explain how they solve their math problems.  Our math text book has voc......

Classroom management is essential throughout the school day, but it is especially important during math workshop. With planning and consistency, your classroom will “run itself “ and your students will be focused and on task even when you are working with a small group across the room. Here’s how to get there: 1- Determine the procedures and routines that will be effective for your classroom. The key to classroom management is establishing clear procedures and routines within an organized and structured environment.  This is especially true for Math Workshop.  Before the students arrive you’ll need to think about your classroom layout and your vision for how your workshop will run. I  recommend putting your procedures into writing. This will help you be consistent, allow you to tweak your routines, and provide clear expectations to substitute teachers and parent volunteers.  Offer lots of verbal praise and recognit......

If you are used to teaching math in a whole class setting, the thought of implementing guided math groups can be intimidating.  I have been there!!  I have tried many times to use guided math groups, but gave up.  This year, I decided that I was going to use small groups and won’t cave in if it becomes challenging.  There have been many days that I want to throw my hands up and say forget it, but I’m sticking to it. Here is why… I just finished with Parent/Teacher conferences, and I have to admit that this is the first year that I have felt 100% confident in where my students are and where I KNOW my students are.  My ability to confidently conference with parents about their child’s math ability is a result of using guided math groups in my classroom.  After 14 years of teaching, I am confident that using guided math groups is the reason! Here are the top five reasons you should be using guided math groups in the upper elementary classro......