This week I traveled east on TX Highway 150 to the small town of Coldspring, Texas. Although the downtown shops and restaurants looked quaint and inviting, I drove straight past them to one of the best parts of Coldspring–its students. I had the honor of working with a fifth grade class from Coldspring Intermediate.…
“How many students should be in a group?”
The PGCPS website [http://www.pgcps.org/~elc/learning1.html] gives this simple and easy to understand description for small groups:
Size
The smallest group is two. The largest recommended is six. Generally, in smaller groups each member participates more, fewer social skills are required, and groups can work more quickly.…
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” -Anne Frank
“How can I use the Tabor Rotation Framework if I’m a resource teacher and we only have pull out for 30 minutes per group of students?”
Many schools choose to “push in” rather than “pull out” when they provide resource services to their students.…
“The key is in not spending time, but in investing it.” -Stephen R. Covey
“Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.” -Rodin
“I get that the Whole-Group Mini-Lessons shouldn’t be 45 minutes long since the students aren’t listening after 10 or 15 minutes anyway.…
“Education is knowing where to go to find out what you need to know; and it’s knowing how to use the information you get.” -William Feather
“You can always find a capable helping hand at the end of your own sleeve.” -Zig Ziglar
It’s just a few hours away from winter break for schools, but dedicated educators are still asking for more to prepare for the coming semester.…
“What is the most useful game you’ve ever played with your students?”
If I had $20 to spend on games, the commercial game I would select is the card game called the 24 Game. [www.24game.com]
Created in 1988 by Robert Sun, it has engaged and fascinated every student I’ve ever had.…
“The conventional definition of management is getting work done through people, but real management is developing people through work.” -Agha Hasan Abedi
“Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not attributes.” -Peter F. Drucker
“As we get ready to implement these groups do you think it’s necessary to take a few days and talk about the norms or rules of behavior that are expected?”…
“I want to begin using small groups in math and like the Tabor Rotation Framework. How do I “dip in my big toe?”
1. Divide your class into 4 heterogeneously mixed groups.
*The groups should not be the same as any other group which occurs in your room.…
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.” -Mark Twain
I’ve posted several blogs on the topic of planning effectively. [Read https://glennatabor.com/2010/09/how-to-plan-for-small-groups-in-math/] Part of my on-going support of schools with whom I have worked is assisting them in the planning process.…
“Dreams are today’s answers to tomorrow’s questions. ” Edgar Cayce
Many educators, who have attended my workshops concerned with simplifying small-group, differentiated instruction in mathematics using the Tabor Rotation Framework, have submitted questions. Before the year is over, my goal is to respond to as many of these questions as possible.…
