2019 MidSchoolMath National Conference

Rather than strictly following a textbook, we tackle math based solely off the standards. As teachers, we are familiar with what students need to know, so why not share those expectations directly with them? In this session, we'll introduce you in detail to our systems!

To be engaged in their learning, the students spend time individually breaking down the standards on their frequently accessed “I Can” statements. These, along with all of our management tools, are housed in Google Classroom. Students then determine how to tackle the standards in any approach they prefer. There are three classrooms they choose from EVERY day. They may sign up for “small group,” run by a teacher on a specific standard, “independent,” using websites, textbooks, worksheets, or manipulatives to practice solo, or “assessment” to demonstrate their proficiency one-on-one with a teacher.

Each student creates their own assessment and assesses on an individual basis, allowing the teacher to provide immediate feedback. While they assess, their verbal articulation of skill acquisition provides excellent data for us as teachers. The students are also responsible for a great deal of data collection and progress monitoring. They each write a daily log explaining their learning. We respond to these nightly in order to help guide them “picking their path” the next morning. They also record their assessment scores in their own “I Can” form as a way of self-monitoring.

The flexibility of this approach is very beneficial for varied pacing of learners. It allows for solid learning of content, while ensuring a personalized path that works for all students. We really pride ourselves on the fact that we meet the needs of all learning styles and ability levels. One of the biggest strengths of this method is the fact the it teaches students to advocate for their learning. Seeing the newfound confidence in our students. Students that have always “hated” math are now loving it because they understand how THEY learn best.

Note: This is a BYOD session (Bring Your Own Device). Please bring a laptop or tablet and headphones with you to the session.