What did this look like in the classroom?

For 8 weeks, I implemented counting and reasoning strategies instruction. Students practiced using these strategies in a variety of settings including whole group, small group, and independent practice. This was done in order to meet the diverse needs of my students through small groups and individualized independent practice. This also gave my students repeated practice by giving them opportunities to see and use counting and reasoning strategies every day.

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Whole Group

I implemented the discussion of counting and reasoning strategies every day in our classroom Number Talks. This was a 10 minute period everyday where students were presented with math problems and were encouraged to have a group discussion about different strategies that could be used for solving. 

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I worked on helping students move through the stages of counting, reasoning, and mastery. I did this by modeling my thinking and my use of different counting and reasoning strategies through think alouds. Students then used my modeling as a guide for their own

partner and group discussions over their

own use of counting and reasoning

strategies. 

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I have worked to create a classroom

environment that respects differences.

My students were expected to respect

other differences in opinions and thinking

which is something that often is discussed

in math. We were open enough to talk

through the different ways of thinking

when it came to counting and reasoning

strategies. When questions were asked,

we talked through our thoughts and

feelings so my students could have a

deeper understanding.

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Finally, as a group, we developed anchor charts that were then displayed in the classroom. Students were encouraged to refer to these anchor charts to remember our discussions and learning. The anchor chart served as a visual reminder of the counting and reasoning strategies used for each fact type.

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Small Groups

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My diverse learners not only received whole

group instruction where they were encouraged

to share their different ways of solving and

thinking, but they also got the chance to work

with groups at their ability levels to really

enhance their skills. I met with small groups

and sometimes individual students during our

math centers time for 25 minutes every day. I

differentiated based on their learning needs in

each small group.

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My students were in groups based on ability level. I grouped my students into ability levels, based on a pre-assessment fact check of the facts they were and were not fluent with. I met with 4-6 students in a small group setting and sometimes even one-on-one for more intense instruction. I grouped my students in levels according to the different reasoning strategies/fact groups they were working on as well as the stage in the process of fluency they were at. For example, those in the counting stage used more manipulatives and representations, those in the reasoning stage used more abstract thinking such as equations and explanations, and those in the mastery stage focused their efforts on effectively drilling their facts to be both quick and accurate.

Before, my students were not applying the concepts I had been teaching during mini lessons. They were not excited about math and were often off task during this time of day. So, these strategies used and individualized for students made learning much more personalized and engaging in the small group setting.

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Fair is not equal and I use that in my classroom. I gave my students what they individually needed in order to be successful. For example, students who were in the counting stage needed to use more manipulatives to progress to more abstract thinking and I anticipated that those who were past this stage might wonder why they did not get to use the manipulatives. I explained the stages to my students so they could understand the learning progression and also better understand the concept of fair not being equal.

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Independent Practice

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While I met with small groups or individual students,

other students completed  independent work with

hands-on stations where students were playing

games with manipulatives, completing practice

pages, using flashcards, and/or playing computer

fluency games to practice the facts they needed at

their skill level. Each student had their own set of

activities or flash cards based on their skill level.