Part 1 Recap
In part 1, I introduced 7 tips to help you plan for, reflect upon and organize small group instruction.
- Commitment
- It Might Get a Little Messy
- Timing and Structure
- Data
- How will you build your groups?
- Procedures and Expectations
- Take some time to reflect.
This article focuses on tips 1-3 in greater detail.
Don’t forget to download for FREE my Small Group Data Tracking, Charting and Organizational Tool Kit. You’ll receive multiple forms, charts and trackers to help you get started and stay organized.
Tip #1 COMMIT to including small group instruction into your class.
If you haven’t committed to including small group instruction into your classroom, the time is now! Small groups provide you the best opportunity to differentiate and individualize learning.
Small groups lower the teacher to student ratio and give you the best opportunity to strategically target instruction to support all learners.
Middle school math stations are a great way to use class time most efficiently. Students can work at level, above level, individually, with a partner, small group, so many options.
Don’t let concerns about behaviors hold you back from starting or continuing small group rotations in your middle school math class. Middle school students like working together and are frequently more engaged with station work. Create, teach and model strong expectations and procedures (check out tip #6 for ideas and suggestions ).
Tip #2 It Might Get a Little Messy- But It’s So Worth It!
Don’t let the title deter you from using small group instruction. Messy can be a good thing! Not all noise is bad. Just like a quiet class doesn’t necessarily mean students are learning and growing. It took me a while to learn this and get used to productive noise. Productive noise means students are learning, communicating, helping each other. This connects back to structured expectations and procedures (tip #6 again-it’s a big one).
I always go back to those videos we’ve all watched of the perfect lesson. All students are engaged, answer at the right times, don’t talk when the teacher talks, follow directions the first time given and everything looks, well, perfect. Classrooms aren’t usually perfect, students aren’t perfect and neither are teachers. Give yourself and your classroom some kindness and patience, some time, to learn the expectations and procedures. And don’t be hesitant to change things that don’t work (tip #7 is all about reflection).
Tip #3 Timing and Structure
- How long are your class periods?
- How many days do you have to cover the content?
- How many students are in your class?
- Do you have other adults (para-pros, ESPs, inclusion teachers) in your class to assist?
How many groups do you want?
- If you’re just starting, maybe start with one teacher led group. While students meet with you, the rest of the class is working in pairs or independently. Maybe you want to jump in and have multiple groups, rotating and completing different activities at each station in addition to your teacher-led group. Look at how many students you have, how many groups you want and your time-frame for completing the content.
How long will each group last?
- Research shows the importance of chunking information and chunking the amount of time students spend working. Stations are a great way to build small chunks of work time into your class with a quick break to rotate to the next station.
Work product for each station.
- Students don’t have to get through all rotations in one class period. Students don’t have to complete every station. Design this to make it work for you and your students’ needs!
How much time do you have to put into this process?
- Let’s get real! Teaching is time consuming! What is your time commitment to this process? If you are short on time, start with one small group that meets with you. Have a guided practice, guided notes activity to complete with your group while the rest of the class works on an assignment or activity. Have more time? Jump in, go all out and have multiple groups and activities going. You decide.
Class personality matters.
- Every class is different. And I’ve had some very behaviorally challenging classes. Sometimes a structured small group schedule improves engagement and reduces behaviors. Not always, but it can happen. Be open to structure your class time to best work with the personality of your class.
Data.
- Data is the first thing to use when creating groups (see tip #4). Then, look at the students and who works well together and who doesn’t. Again, in the real world, student personalities, behaviors are an important piece in designing small groups.
How will you grade that?
- Be prepared that not all students will complete all of the work in every station. How will you decide what is an acceptable amount of work completed for each of your activities? How will you individualize the expectations? Not every student works at the same pace.
Structure vs. Procedures and Expectations
- Structure isn’t the same thing as procedures and expectations. Structure is the timing, number of stations rotations, what is completed within each small group, etc. Map this out and organize the structure. And, be prepared to revise your structures as needed.
What’s Your WHY?
Remember why you are doing this- to grow students and provide them the most individualized, data-driven and engaging experience possible. Small group instruction will give you the options, the opportunities you need to engage and reach a diverse group of learners.
Don’t forget to download for FREE my Small Group Data Tracking, Charting and Organizational Tool Kit. You’ll receive multiple forms, charts and trackers to help you get started and stay organized.
