A differentiation strategy to meet
the diverse needs of mathematics students.
For more
information contact Melanie Bachrach, Instructional
Specialist, Accelerated and Enriched Instruction. Contact
Us
The Math Stations
strategy is based on the work of Carol Ann Tomlinson.
She differentiates between centers and
stations. Centers are areas in the classroom where
students refine a skill or extend a concept. Stations
are different
places in the classroom where students work on tasks
simultaneously, and whose activities are linked.
During
Math stations students do not rotate round-robin style;
instead, the teacher carefully plans which students
will visit which stations, and when. In this way, the
station tasks will support meeting the instructional
needs of individual students.
The Teaching Station
Students receive direct instruction
from the teacher. Students work at the board or in
pairs on the floor or
at the table on focus lessons, guided practice, or
reteaching opportunities.
Proof Place
Students use concrete or pictorial representations
to explain and defend their work. They may work individually
or with a partner. When the task is completed, students
may fill out “audit cards” to document their
work.
Practice Plaza
Students practice with concepts on which
they need additional experience. They check their work
with a calculator or
answer key. Students complete a self-evaluation and
leave signed and dated work at the station.
The Shop
Students work with math applications. Mr. Fuddle,
who always seems to need help, runs the shop. Items
in the
shop vary from time to time, as do the tasks. Students
leave notes for Mr. Fuddle explaining the problem he
has and what he should do to solve it or what he should
do next time to avoid the problem. The notes are left
in Mr. Fuddle’s mailbox.
Management
- Math Stations is a strategy for differentiating
instruction. Students only need to visit stations that
will move them
towards mathematical proficiency. All students need
dedicated time with the teacher.
- Use an anchor activity
center to manage students who finish early, get
stuck, or
don’t
need to visit any of the stations that day.
- Build time in at the Teaching
Station for you to circulate.
- Spend
time modeling the expectations you have for how
students should behave and the types of tasks they
will
encounter at each station.
- Collaborate with your colleagues
to develop tasks for review, practice, enrichment,
and acceleration.
- Think
big, start small, and go for the easy win.
What would a math block look like?
- Whole-class warm-up
- Review station assignments made based on pre-assessment
- Pull a group to the
teacher’s station
for a structured focus lesson.
- Other students work
at their stations. You move around to monitor
their progress when students
at the teacher’s station are working
in pairs or independently.
- Whole-class closure activity.
|
- Whole-class warm-up
- On-grade-level focus lesson for most of the
class
- Above-grade-level students work on an anchor
- After focus lesson, students refine their understanding
at a specific station or through an anchor
activity
- Above-grade-level students
receive their focus lesson at the teacher’s
station.
- Whole-class closure activity.
|
Math Learning Stations (power point presentation 157K)
Generated from the works of Carol Ann Tomlinson.
|
