HOW CAN I BEST MANAGE MY CLASSROOM FOR INTERACTIVE LEARNING?

TEACHERS ARE OFTEN CONCERNED ABOUT THE CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT THAT IS INVOLVED WITH INTERACTIVE LEARNING. CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING IDEAS AS OPTIONS FOR ENHANCING STUDENT LEARNING IN A MATHEMATICS ENVIRONMENT.

REDUCE NOISE WHEN USING DICE, BASE TEN, PATTERN BLOCKS...PROVIDE MATERIALS TO ABSORB THE SOUND.

BUBBLE WRAP
FELT
STYROFOAM PLATES
PLACE MATS

 

ONE WAY TO HAVE MATERIALS ORGANIZED AND READY FOR USE IS TO USE "MATH BOXES".

MATH BOXES CONTAIN ONE STUDENT SET OF EACH OF THE BASIC MATH MANIPULATIVES YOU USE IN YOUR CLASSROOM: COINS, BASE TEN, SMALL 100 CHART, LINK-IT CUBES, TWO SIDED COUNTERS, PATTERN BLOCKS, ETC. THESE BOXES MIGHT BE PLASTIC PENCIL BOXES OR SMALL RUBBERMAID CONTAINERS. THE CAN BE STORED IN EACH STUDENT'S DESK, IN STUDENT LOCKERS OR STACKED AS A CLASS SET ON A SIDE TABLE OR CUPBOARD. ANY WAY YOU CHOOSE, STUDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO USE THE MATERIALS FROM THE BOXES AS NEEDED IN ORDER TO BETTER ACHIEVE DURING MATH TASKS. YOU WILL NEED TO CLARIFY YOUR EXPECTATIONS PRIOR TO INTRODUCING THE MATH BOXES REGARDING APPROPRIATE TIMES AND SITUATIONS FOR STUDENT USE.

 

ORGANIZE MANIPULATIVES IN WAYS THAT MAKE THEM AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS AND READY FOR USE WHEN NEEDED.

PREPARE ALL ASSESSMENT TOOLS IN ADVANCE.

A UNIT AT A GLANCE TOOL IS ALSO HELPFUL AND EFFICIENT. MAKE A MATRIX. PUT ALL OF THE UNIT'S OBJECTIVES DOWN ONE SIDE. CREATE A RUBRIC OF DESCRIPTORS TO BE PLACED ALONG THE TOP. MAKE ONE MATRIX FOR EACH STUDENT. USE A CLIPBOARD AND A HIGHLIGHTER TO QUICKLY INDICATE WHICH OBJECTIVES EACH STUDENT MEETS EACH DAY. USE THE TABLE CELLS TO MAKE COMMENTS AND USE A DATE STAMP TO INDICATE THE DAY.