“The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.” -Dorothy Parker
One of the most powerful tools a teacher has available is objective observation. In a differentiated math classroom, especially one that makes use of math stations, observation is essential. I was reminded of this in a conversation with an administrator who had hired me to assist her school in the sophisticating the ways in which they instruct mathematics.…
“Do you use IPads in the Technology/Application Station of Tabor Rotation?”
“What apps do you recommend?”
“Could I write a grant to get more technology in my classroom?”
These questions are frequently asked by Tabor Rotation teachers in math and science, since one of the Tabor Rotation Stations is the Technology/Application Station.…
“There is no such thing as a worthless conversation, provided you know what to listen for. And questions are the breath of life for a conversation.” -James Nathan Miller
“You were the first person to stop talking at me and give me something I could move in Algebra.…
Maria Montessori says, “We cannot create observers by saying “observe,” but by giving them the power and the means for this observation.” I cannot agree more and that is why Clipboard Cruising is one of the 14 Essential Elements of the Tabor Rotation Framework. Clipboard Cruising, or constant and consistent teacher observation is complimented by two other Essential Elements of Tabor Rotation, Exit Questions and Math Journal Writing.…
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment to improve the world.” -Anne Frank
Many secondary teachers are fine-tuning the use of small-group instruction in their classrooms. The email below is an incredible exchange with great information. Hope it helps some of you, too.…
Yesterday’s blog gave the first half of tips and “aha” moments from participants in Tabor Rotation Training of Trainers Institutes. Here’s the second half. may they encourage you to try using small-group, differentiated instruction in your school.
Tip #16: Every learner ‘s brain craves moving from the concrete to the pictorial to the abstract.…
The following tips and “aha” moments came from participants in Tabor Rotation Training of Trainers Institutes. They allowed me to share them with you in hopes that they might ignite your fire for sophisticating the use of guided math groups, math stations, and differentiated instruction in math using The Tabor Rotation Framework.…
“Every success is built on the ability to do better than good enough.”
I’m beginning to understand Tabor Rotation, but what are readiness groups and why are they important?
The Tabor Rotation Framework asks teachers to flexibly group students in a variety of ways. Each week includes partner work, whole-group instruction, teachable moments with individual students, small group work with students of mixed abilities, and working with small groups of students who are grouped together according to their level of understanding of the concepts that are being explored that week.…
“Always behave like a duck-keep calm and unruffled on the surface, but paddle like the devil underneath.” -Lord Barbizon
“Help! My class is so much BIGGER this year…
…what do I do?”
“I just found out that I have 28-30 students. How do I use math stations now?”…
How do I know differentiating instruction works?
Will using small groups in the classroom really make a difference when they sit and listen to my lecture?
What’s the big deal about Tabor Rotation?
As one math supervisor put it,
“Tabor Rotation changes everything. It helps students think.…
