Math Rotations Part 3

One rotation during my math rotations is Teacher Time. This is my favorite time, obviously, because I get to work with a small group of students. This is a time that I really get to see their ability. With my student teacher last semester, this was the rotation that flustered her the most. With my time block, I usually get 15-20 minutes with a group. In a perfect world that is a lot of time! However, in teacher world, it's not. To be honest, some days I don't get to every group. It just depends.

When it is time for Teacher Time, the students grab last night's homework, their dry erase board, a dry erase marker, and a tissue (for erasing). Depending on what we are discussing, my students also have a math tool kit. I will explain those in a later post. I have a stand-up "mini" white board on my back table. I begged my principal for it, and honestly, if there was a fire in our school, I would grab it on the way out! I love it that much!

During this time, we cram a lot in. We go over the previous night's homework to make sure that everyone understood what was going on and it also allows us to discuss those problems that were tricky. Then, we have our minilesson with practice.

For example, today we are wrapping up our fraction/decimal unit. We are discussing the relationship between fractions with denominators of 10 and 100 and their decimal equivalence. My first group was an average group, who missed an entire section on their homework. (Why do children refuse to read directions??) We discussed those problems and did three quick problems to make sure we had it. Then we moved into one example of plotting the decimal on a number line. The students did two quick problems after it. We then reviewed making a common denominator (I love working with only tenths and hundredths!) and then adding. Again, two or three problems with that concept.

So, we don't do a lot of problems and I don't do a lot of teaching. The students in my group guide where we go and problem solve, explain, and help each other. I facilitate more than teach. It's AH-MAZING!!

What else do you want to know about Teacher Time? It's hard to think of everything you would want to know! I will try to post some picture tomorrow after school.