Guided Math Book Study: Chapter 5

It's Thursday which means I'm back to share my thoughts on Guided Math!

If you've missed any of my posts, you can check them out HERE. This week's focus is using Guided Math with small groups.

The chapter begins with the advantages of small group instruction: it's comfortable and safe for students. It teaches students to work with others. Allows teachers to vary the process, product, and content. Allows teachers to meet with groups variably based on instructional tasks and needs of the group. Increased attention. Immediate feedback.

Sammons also lists some challenges: time to plan and less direction instruction from the teacher to name a few.

The chapter then moves into ways to form groups. Data can be gathered from pre-tests, formative tests, performance tasks, observations, and conversations.

The last few years, I mainly used data from pre- and post-assessments. This usually led to high, medium, and low groups. I would like to use more informal data to help guide my groups this year.

One of the main takeaways for me from this chapter was about preparing for Guided Math groups. I picked up this fabulous resource from Jamie at Diary of a Not So Wimpy Teacher.

This product has everything that I will need to get my small groups organized and up and running. I love that she includes the components of an effective mini lesson as this is an area that I would like to work on in the coming school year.