Math Rotations Strategies for efficient and effective use of centers during math instruction

Questions that may arise before planning Q. I barely have enough time to teach the lesson, how can I now make room for rotations? A. Maybe you are spending TOO much time teaching. Students grasp math concepts more effectively when they are given multiple resources to be successful. Rotations give you the chance to give different options to learn, DURING CLASS TIME.

Q&A continued… Q. Rotations sounds like a good idea, but will it make my teaching life more complicated? A. No. Rotations can actually ease the load of a teacher if the teacher creates a system that will work best for his/her class. Q. Can rotations be done in a multi-grade setting? A. Absolutely. It works just as well as it would with a single grade classroom.

Getting setup for your rotations If you are a multi-grade teacher then I would recommend you looking at your long range lesson plans and seeing how many lessons you can combine together. (This will give you more time for teacher instructional time.) Rotations are STILL possible without looking at long range plans for multi-grade teachers, or if you have curriculum that doesn’t currently match according to level. This is where rotating is VERY beneficial!

Mini-Lesson before beginning rotations If you allot at least 1hr of instructional time for math per day, only 20 min of it should be dedicated to whole group instruction. Whole group instruction is important but should be conducted in more of a discussion mode. Try and encourage minimal writing and note taking during this time. Focus more on them being actively involved, and trying to understand the concept of the lesson and why its used. You are pretty much breaking down the objective with the discussion. It gets them interested.

Suggestions for centers during rotations 1. Journal Entry station (10min) 2. Peer practice station (20min) 3. Teacher Conference Station (40 min) 4. Technology/video station (10min) Khanacademy.org My.hrw.com Brainpop.com IPAD APPS

Journal Entry Center The journal entry center is where the student gets the opportunity to the explain in his/her own words what they learned for the day. They are not encouraged to sound mathematical, but to sound like themselves. This very important entry comes after they have written examples and helpful hints that will help them remember the lesson.

Peer practice center This center allows students to work together or independently on textbook material related to what they will see for their homework. This time is not allowed for homework, only for practice problems that will help them further understand the lesson.

Teacher Conference Center This center gives students time with the teacher in a small group setting and/or one on one setting. You can now re-explain a problem or concept, and more importantly hear from the student on how they feel about the lesson and their comfort level. Some days will be better than others, but this is the center that the students can actually open up without feeling any embarrassment.

Technology/Video Center This center is VERY helpful because it gives the students what they want which is visual learning. They love to be able to see examples being worked out for them with animations, colors, and sounds, with the power to pause and rewind. If the classroom is equipped with a smart-board, then the kids can’t wait to be able to complete problems on it.

An idea to slowly ease yourself into rotations for teachers with 3 or more Grade levels Begin by assigning quite note taking time before you get to them to teach mini-lesson.(During this time your teaching another level) Give mini-lesson, then after lesson provide 10min of video tutorial as a class to help reinforce lesson. Have them practice problems with a peer for 10min while you dedicate that time for guided practice and any individual questions.

A Good Idea Create a student Mentor/Peer system Many times you will be able to recognize the students that really grasp a lesson, or are consistently dedicated to succeeding. Use these students to help build the weaker ones. Keep this system as an incentive for peers to try and become mentors. The more you keep them interested, the harder they strive to learn.