In room 17, we focus on mastering a skill, then spiraling back to it over time to increase long-term retention. You can see an example of our rotation schedule below — including the group names that students love coming up with themselves! Continue reading for a description if our daily routine.
Math Instruction
Math instruction in my classroom is highly individualized and driven by ongoing assessment data. Because available curricula don't always meet the specific needs of my students — including support through missing foundational skills and the spiraled review needed for long-term retention — I create much of our math curriculum myself, supplementing with other evidence-based materials to ensure every student can access grade-level content in a meaningful way.
Small Group with Staff
Students are split into four math groups based on a variety of assessment data. My Instructional Assistant and I each work with two groups over a two-week period. Each day, I pull one group to work on a lesson while another group works independently — typically completing the homework portion of the grade-level spiraled math sheets I use in my classroom. [If they finish early, students — fill in current activity here, e.g., a math game or independent practice folder]. I switch groups after about 30 minutes, and my IA does the same with the other two groups.
The next day, all groups work through the back of each page as independently as possible, then bring it to the staff member they've been working with for checking and correction. After one week, students take a test for the first time and receive guided, immediate, corrective feedback. After the second week, they take the same test again, ideally showing improvement based on that feedback.
We rotate which two groups each staff member works with every two weeks, so both adults stay familiar with every student's current levels and skills — and students get comfortable being taught by different adults.
Independent Work
Students complete questions related to the lesson taught the previous day, mixed with a spiral review of previously taught and mastered skills. Each student turns in their work to the staff member they've been working with for immediate correction and feedback, along with quick instruction and modeling to fix any mistakes and reminders about which tools and supports they should be using. If a student continues to struggle, they'll sit down with staff during independent work time for reteaching. Our goal is to help every student build the independence to access the tools they need to complete math work on their own.
Math Games
We play a variety of math games in the classroom, but the class favorite is an online game called Prodigy, where students battle friends by solving leveled math problems. Parents can purchase a membership for expanded access at home, though it's not required. We also spend time learning a variety of dice, card, and board games — math games are a wonderful way for students to build both math and cooperative skills at the same time