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How To: Organize and Differentiate Math Centers Differentiation means creating opportunities for all students to learn in the classroom. Each student has different math needs and with these simple tips it is easy to differentiate during math centers! I strongly believe that math centers are important because it allows students to practice different math skills and it helps you differentiate their learning. I set up my math centers similar to the daily five reading centers. However, typically I only do math centers twice or so a week after they have learned a specific skill or two. However, throughout the entire week I still differentiate and meet daily with my students who struggle with math. The Centers: 1.      Meet with the teacher [Differentiated] 2.      Task cards with small group [Differentiated] 3.      Math game or another small group activity 4.      Independent work [Differentiated] 5.      iPad [Differentiated] I use this se

Another way I differentiate my classroom is through centers. I love centers because I can really teach to each students needs. I also am a huge fan of the daily five. For my reading centers I incorporate the daily five into the centers. But read-to-self time, partner reading, and writing are pulled out of centers because I want everyone doing that at the same time. Back to the centers! Here is how my reading centers are set up 1)    A center to work with me 2)    A center to work on something individually for an assessment 3)    Task card center 4)    Word Work 5)    Listen to a story/Technology Within each of these five stations I am able to differentiate activities and instruction and I do it by color-coding EVERYTHING. Literally…everything ha! It helps me stay organized, which again helps me keep my sanity. Here is how I organize and have each station set up. Rotation #1 When students come to meet with me each day looks different. However, I

We all know differentiating instruction is very important in our classroom. We also know how hard it can be to incorporate and manage it all the time in our busy rooms. But not to fear this blog post   is here! This is the first post of several to come on how to differentiate instruction without losing your marbles. All of these ways and tricks have been fully implemented in my classroom and I have seen great success.   But first what is differentiation? In the school I work in I have felt many people have mixed up differentiation and accommodations. It is important to understand the difference. Both are great things; however, they both serve different purposes. Differentiation means teachers must modify, adapt instruction and assessments, and activities to meet the needs of students. Each student that walks into our classrooms has a different set of skills and needs. In order to teach each child we need to be prepared as teachers to meet each need. By differentiating inst