Math Workshop Success and a Blogger Meet Up!

Hi everyone!
I'm happy to report that, all in all, today was a huge success. 

I have three classes of math. 
All three classes were an overall success!  I only had to send one group back to their seats during the "Hands On" time of rotations.  That's only one out of twelve.  Pretty good.

I'd like to tell you a little about it (and this is for YOU, Tara). 

I'm basically going to explain one of my classes.  Essentially, I "do" the same thing with all three classes.

7:50~ Students enter my room and get out their homework and their "Math 4 Today". 

Have you heard of Math 4 Today?  If not, here is the blurb from Amazon:
"A comprehensive, yet easy-to-use supplement to any second- through fourth-grade math curriculum. Twenty-four essential skills are reviewed during a four-day period and evaluated. Great practice for standardized tests!"

I like that it spirals.  I can introduce skills early in the year that I might not cover until the spring.  It takes very little time.  The students complete four questions a day.

8:00~We go over Math 4 Today. 
Today, I took a few minutes reminding the students about where they needed to go when during Math Workshop.  Take a look at how I had the students write their "schedule" onto the back page of their math notebooks:

So, using the math rotations board, seen below, this student is in group 4 and her rotation is
1. Hands On
2. Math Facts/Calendar Math
3. Teacher Time
4. At Your Seat

(By the way, if you haven't checked out Tara's board at TpT, you need to do so!  It's so bright and cheerful. 

8:00-9:00 ~15 minute rotations~
I usually have students bring their homework to my small group table with them when they come.  As they are checking their homework (with a pen), I am walking around the room making sure that every student is doing what they are needing to do. 

Once I know that everyone is in his or her correct location, I return to the small group table and begin my lesson.  My lessons are always a day ahead of what they are doing during "At Your Seat" independent work. 
For example, using the textbook, I taught lesson 2-5 in small groups today (subtracting with regrouping...argh, they had such a hard time...which makes me SOOO glad I taught it in small group so that I could help them more!!!).  But, they completed 2-4 as independent practice or "At Your Seat" work and they also completed 2-4 for homework tonight. 

Essentially, I teach a day ahead, and their "work" is a day behind.  Make sense?

I've also changed what they are doing during each rotation from last year a little.

So, if you have read my other posts about Math Rotations, which I now call Math Workshop either {here} or {here}, you will see below how I've tweaked it a bit more to fit my needs this year.

I am still using the acronym "M.A.T.H."

M~Math Facts- Instead of working on Math 4 Today during this time (because we've already completed it before rotations begin), we are now doing Calendar Math.  Calendar Math???  Yes!!  I absolutely fell in love with Stephanie's posts about Calendar Math at Teaching in Room 6.  If you haven't read up on those, you need to check her out.  She can explain it a whole lot better than me.  I will share more on how I use it later...but for now "M" stands for "Math Facts/Calendar Math".
A~At Your Seat- Again, this is the independent practice from the instruction in small group the day before. 
T~Teacher Time- Small Group! Yay!
H~Hands On

During "Hands On" time, students work with manipulatives, games, etc.  I change these out weekly.  Here is the tub for one of my groups.  I have two tubs per group.  The boys take one tub and go to the front of the room (floor), and the girls take the other tub and head to the back of the room (floor).

And inside the tub:

(Those calculator things are actually electronic flashcards!!)

The noise level is LOW considering only 6-7 students are at "Hands On" at once.  And, these are the only students talking.  The others are essentially completing work at their seats or working with me. 

I LOVE it!  Like Super LOVE.  I can't believe it has taken me this long in my career to discover small group instruction in math.  I'm so glad that I did!

Do you do Math Workshop or a variation of it?  Do you have any advice?  I'd love to hear how you use Math Workshop in your classroom.  

But, before I go....

I can't wait to meet up with some fabulous bloggy friends on Saturday.  Click the picture above to head on over to Hope's Blog, 2nd Grade Shenanigans to learn more.