B ALANCED M ATH Lisa Lemaster-Brizendine Teacher Professional Development Summer Teacher Institute, 2014

“P LACEMAT C ONSENSUS ” What does ‘balanced math’ mean to YOU?

Objectives for today… 1.Review the Balanced Math Framework 2.Discuss how to plan for a Balanced Math Classroom

Works in tandem with any math curriculum you are currently using… Is not a scripted ‘program’, rather an approach to organizing your math instruction (math workshop model)…

‘Where’ the math works (finding a product; application) ‘How’ the math works (process & procedures) ‘Why’ the math works (explaining your answer) W HAT ARE THE 3 ELEMENTS OF BALANCED M ATH ?

B ALANCED M ATH IS...

B ALANCED M ATH IN P RACTICE

Mini-lessons Tasks that do not require the entire class period—the think-pair-share strategy is useful. Workstations and games Can be setup around the room without the need to distribute and collect materials to allow students to work on different tasks and concepts. Time for Conferring Conferring allows you the opportunity, as a teacher, to meet with students individually (or in a small skills group). During this time, you can support students’ thinking about mathematical reasoning, as well as scaffold learning to expand new thinking. What are some ways to incorporate more problem solving?

V ARIED LEVELS OF LEARNING … Whole Class Cooperative Groups/Teams PartnerIndependent

Day15-20 minutes40 minutes5 minutes 1 Mini-lesson (whole group)  Balanced Math Stations  Conferring (Individual or Strategy groups…) Closure 2 Mini-lesson (whole group)  Balanced Math Stations  Conferring (Individual or Strategy groups…) Closure 3 Mini-lesson (whole group)  Balanced Math Stations  Conferring (Individual or Strategy groups…) Closure 4 Mini-lesson (whole group)  Balanced Math Stations  Conferring (Individual or Strategy groups…) Closure 5 Assessment day… Math journaling, intervention groups, review Balanced Math Framework

What - Representations of key concepts and relevant connections. Opportunity to use math vocabulary/word wall in context. Students articulate their thinking including pictures and words. Why - Writing can assist math instruction in two ways - by helping children make sense of mathematics and by helping teachers understand what children are learning. When – Typically, this occurs at the conclusion of math class. It should take only a few minutes of the lesson. How - Math Journals Vocabulary Exit Tickets See: “40 Ways To Leave a Lesson” in your packet…

P LANNING FOR A BALANCED MATH CLASSROOM

Standard Activities that address Standard Assessment

B ALANCED M ATH IS … Standards based NOT textbook based!!! Your text book is an AWESOME resource/ reference book.

Balanced Math Group 1: Independent Math Group 1: Independent Math Group 2: Shared Problem- Solving Group 2: Shared Problem- Solving Group 3: Math Games (Investigations) Group 3: Math Games (Investigations) Group 4: Math Facts Group 4: Math Facts (Students work independently to explain and justify their own thinking about math concepts; using math word walls to build their understanding; putting strategies from today’s mini-lesson into practice.) (Small groups of students work together to solve a math problem; promotes teamwork, communication, and the opportunity to build skills for problem-solving by seeing varying methods.) (Small groups of students or partners play games together; Students become actively involved in a math concept, share strategies with peers, and scaffold learning from prior math units with the spiraling Investigations games.) (Student knowledge of basic math facts is critical, but it is difficult to schedule adequate time for daily practice within a math curriculum; this station gives students the consistency needed to build their knowledge and skills through ongoing practice.) Conferring allows you the opportunity, as a teacher, to meet with each student individually. During this time, We are able to support students in thinking about their mathematical reasoning and articulating their thinking; scaffold their thinking to expand the boundaries to new ideas; highlight or focus on a particular math strategy they may need extra help with; foster use of math vocabulary; have ongoing assessment data for each student and differentiate their learning according to their needs. Writing about Math (Journaling or Argumentative Writing) (Attending to precision and constructing viable arguments…)

A SSESSMENTS FORMATIVE—checking on learning as students progress SUMMATIVE—checking on learning at the end of the learning experience “When the cook tastes the soup, that’s formative; when the guests taste the soup, that’s summative.” (Stake, 2005)

F ORMATIVE & S UMMATIVE A SSESSMENTS Pre-Test Quizzes Teacher Observation Math Journals Exit Tickets Teacher Made Tests Chapter and Unit Tests Discovery Education Assessments Benchmark Assessments Performance Tasks Projects

E XIT T ICKET 1. What is the most significant thing you learned today? 2. What support do you need next as you implement Balanced Math?