Fun isn’t always educational and education isn’t always fun, but when the two come together – it just doesn’t get any better.”     -Tom Jackson

“Research consistently shows that the more time students spend involved in learning activities, the more they learn. That is, there is a strong positive relationship between the amount of time students are actively engaged in learning activities and their achievement. Further, increased time spent in academic learning does not result in negative attitudes toward school or learning.”     -afcec.org

“The more engaged my students are the better they behave.  When they buy into the system, they make it work.”     -Debra L. Epstein

In this season of testing, some of the focus should really be on the amazing results seen by teachers who have worked hard all year to help their students meet and exceed their potential. Here is the story of one teacher’s journey to do just that!

You learned how to use The Tabor Rotation Framework to sophisticate the differentiation of math instruction in your school. How has this impacted you and your teaching?

Being trained in Tabor Rotation has been a wonderful experience. It took a lot of things I already did teaching math and gave me a framework to organize these strategies and so much more. It has made me more focused in my teaching of math.

Now, as I plan, I incorporate the most challenging concepts in Teacher Time and use Whole Group Time for easier concepts. The Manipulatives Station, on Rotation Days, gives my students a chance to explore and I truly feel like a facilitator. There is only so much time in the math block and now everything I use is done purposely.

What about your students? What do they think about Tabor Rotation?

My students love it! Today, during writing, we were doing self-selected persuasive pieces. One student asked me to check his work. When I read his topic, I laughed,

“We should have Tabor Rotation every day!”

The students love this way of learning mathematical concepts. They love being leaders and co-leaders.  And, they especially love Teacher Time! It is their chance to shine with more individualized attention from their teacher–they love it when I do “fifth grade” stuff!

What have been the challenges of using a framework like Tabor Rotation? How did you address these challenges?

The biggest challenge of using this framework is time.  It takes time to do small-group, differentiated instruction well and planning time is already packed. It also takes time to find resources for the rotation stations and time to prepare them. Planning with our Staff Development Teacher during our bi-weekly planning time has been very helpful. She gathers a lot of resources for us and helps us focus and prioritize as we plan.

Another challenge was sophisticating my classroom management. In one teleconference session with Glenna, I learned about a free classroom management tool on her website. It’s designed to teach students life skills, personal accountability, and math skills-all at the same time. I decided to try it.

What is the power of Meaningful Math Management?

Meaningful Math Management rocks! Students need some sort of true motivation to want to learn and Meaningful Math Management provides that. My well-behaved students were getting frustrated by their classmates’ misbehavior. Now, I have an easy way to reinforce good behavior-money! They love it!  My students determine, through self-assessment, what they earn as the day progresses. They want to earn money and they will do such wonderful things to earn it! They share supplies. They help each other more. They ask for EXTRA homework. They do EXTRA class work. They stay more focused and work harder, among many other things. They are more motivated to behave as a result of the system and are better prepared due to more homework completion.

What would you say to a teacher who is considering using Meaningful Math Management?

I would tell them that it may seem like a lot of work sometimes, but it is well worth your efforts! You may have to figure out how to make it best fit in your classroom and that might be a little different for everyone. One of my colleagues uses it a little differently, but the results are the same.

I would also tell them that the preparation is worth it because they will see a huge improvement in their classroom. With Tabor Rotation and Meaningful Math Management, my students are finally mastering the concepts! On the last assessment, my students’ performance had increased over 40% from the previous assessment.  Meaningful Math Management is a great motivator for all students- the well behaved ones and the at-promise ones. Your students will be more aware of their own behavior and work harder for you and themselves. They will be more motivated to be respectful and responsible.

Of all the changes you’ve made this year, which one do you think is most important and why?

Of all the changes I’ve made this year, the most important one has been empowering my students more. Through the frameworks of Meaningful Math Management and Tabor Rotation,  I have let go of the reins and empowered my students to be active learners. I facilitate more. I provide them lessons in whole group and teacher time- but they get to put them into practice during rotations.  I give them a framework and guidelines to earn money, but they decide what they have earned and how to spend it.

My students now make choices and deal with the consequences and rewards.  As one of my students wrote when we last reflected,

“It gives students more responsibility.” 

Another shared,

“I would tell Ms. Tabor that I enjoy being responsible for my own money.”

To sum it up, one student in my class said it perfectly, she wrote,

“Math Management helps me be a better students because it has helped me decide to work hard and push myself to the limit. It has also helped me want to help other students.”

Wow, now those amazing results will last a lifetime!

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”     – Benjamin Franklin

“If a doctor, lawyer, or dentist had 40 people in his office at one time, all of whom had different needs, and some of whom didn’t want to be there and were causing trouble, and the doctor, lawyer, or dentist, without assistance, had to treat them all with professional excellence for nine months, then he might have some conception of the classroom teacher’s job.”      -Donald D. Quinn

Read student comments about Meaningful Math Management and download Meaningful Math Management and all its components from the FREE RESOURCES page of www.glennatabor.com.

Here are some links to more resources on effective classroom management and engagement:

“Beyond Classroom Management to Intellectual Engagement”

“The Critical Role of Classroom Management”

“Classroom Management”