Guided Math, Chapter 7

This chapter in Guided Math is on conferring with students. I've conferred with students during Reading, checking in on what they are reading, checking comprehension, but I've never thought about conferring with students during the Math block (or maybe I was conferring with them and didn't realize it!).

I love how Sammons showed the high points on how to do a conference in the Math block.

• Check in with the students to see where they are 
• Decided what skill they need to be working on 
• Show the student how to do a task
• Link it to how it will help them in the future

A lot of times in my Math block, I would teach something whole group, we would do a little practice together on the board, and then I would send the kids to work together in partners. I would sit at the meeting table, and those that needed extra help/individualized instruction would come back and I would work with them one on one.

Sometimes, I would wander around the pairs, checking in with students and redirecting and reteaching as necessary. So, in my own way, I guess I was conferring with students!

Although one thing that I am going to really take away from this chapter is to keep records of the conferences, even just keeping track of who I worked with that day and the skill. I think that it could really help me track those students that are struggling and where their weaknesses are.

It would also be really beneficial when I make my small groups, because I could use my observations to match those kids together who really struggle with certain skills (provided it's a skill we worked on before) and give them more attention and hopefully get them up to speed. 

So while I didn't really think about conferring with students in Math, I guess I was doing my own version of it all along! Funny how those things work out!

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn