Study after study has proven that Guided Math is a powerful approach with big results in the elementary classroom, but many teachers are hesitant to get started. They lack the necessary background knowledge to pull it off effectively. Differentiation is necessary in today’s classroom, and a Guided Math structure makes it easy to do. Here are two ways you can accomplish differentiation in Guided Math.
This post is the second part of a series about Guided Math. You might wish to view the first post before continuing:
Once you get your Guided Math program activities and groups organized, you’ll need to start thinking about planning. Because of the small-group nature of Guided Math, differentiation becomes quite easy. You’ll need to focus on two main categories of resources:
- independent centers
- teacher-directed lessons
Small Groups
You begin differentiation as soon as you break your students apart into small groups and provide different activities to each. Guided Math is the perfect structure to provide differentiation in your math class because of the small-group structure.
Our primary classrooms generally contain no more than about 23 students, and more typically around 20, so creating four groups for differentiation is really very manageable.
If you recall from my previous post, How to Get Organized for Guided Math, the structure I use with my students contains four groups: Math With Someone, At Work On My Own, Teacher Time, and Hands-On: Manipulatives. Differentiating to meet the needs of these four groups is quite easy.
Independent Centers
When I refer to centers as independent, I mean that my students are working apart from my direct supervision. Since I am working with a small group in a directed lesson, my students must manage without my help.
I’ve provided several activity choices for my students for each independent category mentioned above. This varies depending on the unit we’re working on, but generally, my kids have 3 or 4 activities available.
Several choices within each category mean that there is an activity appropriate for everyone. None of the options are so challenging or difficult to understand that students cannot proceed.
I sometimes assign a particular activity to my struggling students to ensure their success. My top group can handle more choices and has access to centers that will better challenge them.
When planning what activities you’ll provide during your independent centers, you’ll want to consider:
- having activities at a variety of levels to meet the needs of all students,
- having several activities within each category – the power of choice is HUGE and increases engagement,
- ensuring the activities are straightforward enough that your students will be able to manage with little or no support,
- choosing activities that are fun, age-appropriate, and on-skill. You don’t want to only provide busy work!
Grab a free sample of my Guided Math centers by entering your info here:
Teacher-Directed Lessons
In my Guided Math classroom, real differentiation happens within my small teacher-directed groups.
This is when I hone in on the gaps in my students’ understanding and correct misconceptions my students have about a topic.
In my grade 2/3 classroom, I typically have students working anywhere from kindergarten to beyond grade level. It is impossible to teach a whole-group lesson that meets the needs of all students. To reach students at every level, I created detailed lessons based on our Ontario curriculum document and Common Core standards. I have designed my lessons to be as hands-on as possible because I want my students to engage with their learning in meaningful ways.
When planning what you will teach during your teacher-directed lessons, you’ll want to consider:
- reviewing the curriculum for the grades before and after your current grade level,
- collecting a variety of professional resources and textbooks, including the grade below and above yours, to access activity ideas,
- how you will assess your students as they work through your lessons,
- which manipulatives and resources must be prepared in advance – you don’t want to waste your teaching time gathering materials!
Ready-to-Go Resources
Preparing great centers and lessons for Guided Math is a HUGE job. Most of the commercially available publisher programs are not designed for small-group use and don’t work well with a Guided Math structure.
If you have some flexibility with the resources you choose to use in your classroom, I’ve got hundreds of activities and lessons ready for you today!
My independent centers alone are over 1000 pages of instructions, games, printable manipulatives, and puzzles.
My massive set of differentiated lessons contains more than 1700 pages of detailed discourse, intervention strategies, and assessment pages.
Click on either of the images below to see ALL of my Guided Math centers and lessons!
Take a look at this addition to the Guided Math family of resources: digital activities for the “At Work On My Own” category!
If you’re ready to get started with Guided Math, be sure to grab my FREE Guided Math Starter Kit right here!
Continue your learning journey with the final two posts in this Guided Math series here:
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