DIFFERENTIATING MATH INSTRUCTION IN SECOND GRADE
Challenges
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Introducing small group rotations in the middle of the year
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District curriculum only allowing for small group instruction once a week
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Determining appropriate assessment and data points
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Interruptions to daily schedule and routine, which interrupted math instruction
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Master scheduling provided us with a split math block
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Ensuring each group had equal and adequate time in each station
Successes
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All students showed growth from the pre-test to post-test
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Overall fact fluency improved for all students
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Students were engaged during lessons and their overall opinions of math improved
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Through math games, a love of math was fostered
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Determined strategies to identify areas of need
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Obtained a multitude of strategies to implement in future years
New Learning
During this research, I learned many things about guided math, differentiation, and reteaching strategies. One of my biggest takeaways is that when utilizing ability grouping, it is important to continue to incorporate flexibility. During this action research the ability groups that were implemented were flexible and changed from week to week depending on the skills of the week. Ability grouping provided students with the opportunity to learn from each other.
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Another takeaway from this process is the benefit of guided math instruction. Guided math provides the chance to teach multiple facets of math at once. Students have the opportunity to engage in the content they need at the moment to set themselves up for success.
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Action research taught me that differentiating every activity for every student is more difficult than I anticipated. For example, even for once a week guided math, the planning and preparation took an extended period of time. I learned that I can go deeper with products and use them in multiple ways to help with planning and preparations in all content areas.
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Impact
As a result of this research, my teaching has been impacted in many ways. Throughout the research, I was more aware of students' missing skills. I used the awareness to plan future instruction in both whole group and guided stations in order to help close gaps. For example, during whole group instruction I noticed students were missing fact fluency skills. With this observation, I planned future instruction that helped students improve their fact fluency.
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Action research has taught me the importance of reflecting on my teaching before, during, and after instruction. I was able to reflect on observations I had made before implementing instruction in order to ensure students were receiving what they needed. During instruction, I used formative assessments to reflect on what was going well and what needed to be adapted. After instruction, my reflection focused on what went well and what could be improved for future instruction. Overall, I learned the importance of this process as a way to help students reach their full potential.
Collaboration
In an effort to grow as an educator during this action research, I collaborated with a variety of internal and external stakeholders. Internally, I collaborated with building administrators and other professional educators to assist in the preparation and delivery of productive guided math stations. My CADRE associate and I worked to assess data, plan future instruction, and reflect on best practices. University professors assisted in the planning and collection of data.
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Externally, I collaborated with stakeholders and research in a variety of ways. The research I conducted prior to implementing my action research provided me with guidance on effective, research-based instructional strategies to incorporate during instruction. This research was vital to the success of the action research as it served as a platform of all lessons and instruction.
Changes
If I did this action research again, I would look at number sense and fact fluency as major data points from the very beginning. Part way through this research, I noticed the impact the lack of number sense and fact fluency was having on student achievement. Looking at this from the beginning would potentially increase student achievement even more.
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A second way I would change this action research in the future is by looking at how to use materials in a deeper way from the beginning of the process. I noticed the flexibility of products and how to incorporate them into lessons in different ways. Doing this from the beginning of the research process would have a positive impact on time management when planning and preparing for instruction.
Finally, I would adjust the attitude surveys to help provide more specific details from each student. I would ask them to elaborate on why they were feeling the ways they were for the week. I would ask questions such as "What strategies did you struggle with this week?" or "Why did you mark the feeling you did?"
Moving Forward
Next year, I plan to implement fact fluency assessments at the beginning of the year in an effort to positively influence math achievement. Fact fluency is vital to student success in the area of math as it provides them with the chance to focus on new skills and strategies being introduced.
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I also plan to start small group math instruction at the beginning of the school year next year. I have seen the positive impact small group instruction has had on my students this year and I will continue to incorporate it as a research-based instructional strategy in my future classrooms. Introducing it at the beginning of the year will increase effectiveness of the groups as routines and procedures for the small group instructional time will be set up and be an expectation from the very beginning. Throughout the year, I will be able to focus more on the academic instruction, rather than procedures and routines of the process.
