Guided Math by Laney Sammons Chpt 2

1. Foundation Principles of Guided Maths. Which two do you think are the two most important of these principles? Why? How does your classroom reflect those principles?

Modelling and think aloud: Because children need to be first shown how to do something so then they have it to refer back to. Children are able to see the cognitive strategies in place and then attempt them for themselves. I also find this very useful as I am able to model getting it wrong and fixing my mistake – this allows students to recognize that it is ok to make mistakes as long as we learn from them and try again. I believe this is one of the most important parts of teaching as it is where we are actually teaching them and showing the process that goes on inside our heads as we work through a problem.

An organized classroom environment: I think this is another important aspect of the classroom as if the teacher and the classroom space is not organised then the lesson most often turns to chaos. I think it is really important that the classroom is laid out so that children are in working groups and can access any material they may need without teacher assistance. Not only is the actual classroom organisation important but teacher organisation is also really important, I have personally found that if I am not organised then the lesson is a waste of time. By having a clear organised plan with direction the lesson most often  goes smoothly.

My classroom reflects both of these principles as I use teacher modelling and think aloud in most of my guided maths and especially if children are learning a new strategy, I reuse them if children do not understand a concept to break it down and work through it step by step. Children are given the opportunity to work through the think aloud process before moving into independent work – this allows me the chance to assess whether they have understood.

I also rely on being organised, as stated before if I not then the lessons never run smoothly. I have all resources and material clearly labelled and children are free to access it if necessary.

2. Do you think your students feel that they are members of a mathematical learning community? If so, how did you establish that feeling of community? If not what can you do to create it?

I believe they are, however after only have 3 weeks in the class so far it is hard to judge this. I set the class up so that children work as a whole and then split off into their smaller groups this gives them the opportunity to work in small supportive groups that they can grow to trust. However I have tried to set my learning environment up to be a positive work space for everyone where they aren’t afraid to take risks. Children are also in smaller learning groups so they can engage with others who are learning at the same level as them; this gives them the opportunity to communicate and express ideas with others.

Communication is really important in my class and I believe children can learn a lot from each other from having rich conversations about their learning. Through communication children learn to share, justify and explore their ideas further.

I will be developing the class community throughout the term through the use of group work and conversations as children gain the confidence to challenge themselves and others.

3. Look at your classroom through the eyes of a new student. Walk into your class, what would he or she see that would indicate the importance of mathematics?
I don’t think he/she would really see a lot to do with maths and this is going to be my focus for the next week to build a mathematically rich display within the classroom.