One of the biggest challenges that teachers face in the classroom is time. There just never seems to be enough of it. This series will offer practical tips and strategies for getting the most from your math time. Below, you will find a poster of the way I structure my math block throughout the week. I have used this model with a variety of grade levels, including middle school, and various student demographics. It has been successful with almost all of my students! Each post in this series will spotlight a different segment and detail how I use the time to provide a variety of focused and purposeful learning opportunities for my students.
Here’s a quick overview of “Math with Ms. Routt“:
- Starters– critical thinking activities incorporating grade-level content and skills, vocabulary, and strategic thinking
- Warm-up– spiraled review of previously taught grade-level content and skills
- Computational Fluency– quick games and activities to increase fact fluency
- Problem Solving– dedicated time to emphasize the thinking skills needed to be successful problem solvers
- Math Lesson– 5-E model focused lesson emphasizing student-constructed knowledge
- Assessment/ Journal– informal assessments and journal tasks designed to reveal both student understandings and misunderstandings
Over the next two weeks, I will highlight these six math block components and provide ideas and strategies to help you implement them in your classroom.