Ahhhh It's Math Time!!!!

     I don't know about you but for me math time was my least favorite part of school.  I hated it with every part of my being!  Literally... I loathed it!  Why you ask?  Because I was not a good math student, or so I thought.  Math was where I felt less than equal to the other kids in my class.  Way less equal, like not even on the same page as the others.  I was that kid in the pictures from way back in the day sitting on the stool with the "Dunce" hat on.        
Everyone seemed to be able to answer the questions that the teacher asked and I was still calculating the answer in my head or on my paper.  I know I wasn't the only one feeling that way, but the pressure to be able to respond as quickly as some of the other kids were was frustrating to say the least!  I can remember many times thinking to myself, "How can people like math?"

     When I started teaching I was determined to not let any of the kids in my classroom feel the way I had about math.  I worked really hard trying to present the new skills in many different ways so I would reach all of my students' learning styles.  However, it wasn't until last year that I had an epiphany.  I was sitting at my reading table teaching guided reading.  I had stopped for a minute to look around and check on my kids while they were working in their learning centers.  As I sat there I started thinking.  Why am I teaching literacy in small guided groups?  Answer:  Because not every child reads on the same level or at the same pace.  So you can guess what my next thought was.  Why am I NOT teaching math in small guided groups?  Answer:  Ummm... because that's not the way we do it?  There it was, the old "That's the way we've always done it, " had reared it's ugly head right there in my classroom!
     I started to look at my students and I could visualize the small guided math groups.  If students don't read on the same level or at the same pace doesn't it stand to reason that they don't grow in their number sense and skill base at the same level and pace?  Instantly I knew something had to be done.  Thus began my research into guided math groups.  I mapped out a math rotation for my groups that would allow me to meet with four groups each day.  I still do my number talks and problem solving whole group, but math fluency and concept development are done during math rotations.  The first thing I did was move my math time to the mornings.  Wow!!!!!  Who knew something so simple could make such a huge difference!  The kids were more awake and focused and so was I.  Now we were all ready to get started with our new rotation schedule.

                 I found some great math station maps (Why reinvent the wheel when someone else has already done it for you, right?) on TPT.  These rotation cards made all the difference in the world!  They gave the students a visual picture of where they needed to rotate to next.  The cards are color coded by groups.  There are four different colors.  I found these at Mrs. Samuelson's Swamp Frogs.  You can click here to visit her blog.  She has a lot of great information about math rotations also.   Mrs. Samuelson's Swamp Frogs

I made math fluency binders which the students use during Math by Myself.  They work on math facts to ten, one more, one less, and doubles facts.  I add fluency pages to the binder after we introduce new skills.  Math with a Buddy is where they work together with a buddy playing fluency games.  These are games I put in little storage boxes after we have played them together a few times.  They are stored on a shelf and that way the kids can easily access them.  In Math with Technology the students use our classroom computer, ipads, Smartboard, and Leapfrog products that focus on math strategies.  We use Sumdog, which is a great website that has very interactive fluency games.  For the Smartboard I really like the website Dreambox.  It has great math tools like ten frames, math tracks, and games where the students have to match two numbers together to make 10.  Math with the Teacher is where I meet with my small groups to teach the concept development lesson.  I get to plan these groups based on what skills the students need to work on.  It makes differentiation so easy.  I can work on making 10 in one group, but be working on teen numbers with students in a different group.  It allows me the opportunity to meet my students where they are.  I Love that!
   
     One of the teachers I work with shared with me that she was walking past my room and heard me announce that it was math time.  She said she heard my whole class shout "Yes! Math rotations!"  Hearing that made me smile so big!  We are truly loving our math time now!

Math with the Teacher

Math with a Buddy