Today’s post is all about guided math. Does that phrase induce anxiety, confusion or frustration for you? If so, you’re not alone.
Guided math comes with a lot of questions: how many groups do you pull? What are the other kids doing? What do you actually do with the groups?
For me the magic of guided math is not necessarily the activities, but the chance for students to work with me in small groups. Having a structure in place that allows me to pull small groups is crucial (read more about how I use Google slides to create this structure here)
Depending on the unit, the skill, and the group of kids, I pull groups in different ways. Sometimes I pull kids based on formative assessments for reteaching, sometimes I walk around and confer with students about the work they’re doing during workshop. But most of the time, I pull groups for structured guided math lessons.
Having set groups helps me ensure all the students come to work with me - the kids will help hold me accountable! It also allows me to adjust the work depending on the level of the students. I find this easier to do with some skills than others. When I pull structured guided math groups I stick to a structure for planning the lesson - a game, a worksheet or activity and a quick assessment. Having this structure in place helps lessen the load of planning.
Want to try out a lesson in your class? Download a free sample of my guided math bundle for place value below
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