Guided Math is all about Problem Solving
Do you have a "just right" problem for your students to solve during guided math? There are many misconceptions about guided math. The biggest one is that students are pulled to small group to practice computation using manipulatives or algorithms learned during whole group. But really guided math is similar to guided reading in that it's all about using all of the math processes. This means the first step to guided math is selecting a problem in which students will engage in a productive struggle using all of their new learning and prior knowledge to solve.
Read for Meaning 1st
In every guided math session, a word problem with a real world situation must be used. Students work first understand the meaning of the text. If a student does not understand what is going on in the text, they will not be able to understand what the question is asking of them. This is one of the main reason students do poorly on standardized tests. They are not processing and understanding the situation in the problem. Math and reading should be integrated. It takes reading and understanding to accurately solve problems. You can do the most accurate computation, but it won't matter if you don't solve the correct problem.
Take the Question Out
If students are struggling to understand what is happening in the word problem, try taking the question out of the text. Give students only the information and have them act it out or draw a picture to represent their thinking about the situation described. Sometimes when a question is removed, it takes the anxiety out of the word problem.
Identify What is Known
Teach students that problems are like stories. Word problems have a beginning, called a "start," a middle, called a "change," and an end, called a "result." Small group practice is the best time to monitor students' processing. Can they identify the situation in the problem? Can they identify the start, change, and result? All of this (and more!) has to happen before they pick up the pencil and start to solve.
Discussion
Students need to talk a lot during math. Guided math provides a perfect opportunity for the teacher to listen in and monitor students' thinking and rationales about the problems they are solving. Students need to do math out loud before math inner speech is developed.
For more problem solving ideas and tips, join us for our virtual workshop on Problem Solving during Guided Math!