Kim Detwiler Nine Ways to Catch Kids Up

Kim Detwiler               LITERAUTRE REVIEW

Title: Nine Ways to Catch Kids Up

Author:  Marilyn Burns

Source: http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/nov07/vol65/num03/Nine-Ways-to-Catch-Kids-Up.aspx

Summary:

Three issues must be covered in effectively teaching mathematics to struggling students. 1.) Students must make connections among mathematical ideas so they do not see ideas as disconnected facts. 2.) Build students’ new understandings on the foundation of their prior learning. 3.) To judge mathematical understanding students must accompany their answer with an explanation of how they reason. Students who struggle with math must be provided these concepts/connections as well as the three aspects of numerical proficiency – computation, number sense, and problem solving. She suggests the following nine essential strategies to help struggling students:

1.      Determine and scaffold the essential mathematics content. Teach it explicitly.

2.      Pace lessons carefully. Make sure struggling students understand before going on.

3.      Build in a routine of support. Teacher does work, thinking aloud. Teacher does work, with students input. Students do work in pairs. Teacher and students show work and leave up on board. Students work individually, referring to board when necessary.

4.      Foster student learning. Struggling students must be given time to talk through the problems. Make student interaction an integral part of instruction.

5.      Make connections explicit. Help struggling students see how their previous knowledge will help in new problems. They need time to practice applying these connections.

6.      Encourage mental calculations. When students calculate mentally, they can estimate before they solve problems so that they can judge whether their answer makes sense.

7.      Help students use written calculations to track thinking. Help students see paper and pencil as a tool for keeping track of how they think.

8.      Provide practice. Practice should be directly connected to students’ immediate learning experiences and can even follow the four stage routine allowing for a gradual release to independent work.

9.      Build in vocabulary instruction. Struggling students have a weak understanding of words in math. They need to develop a firm understanding.

Analysis:

I must teach differently to provide my struggling students better scaffolding. I teach with the “I do, We do, You do” method. But I love Marilyn’s suggestion of “I do” with teacher talking aloud. “I do” again with student input. “We do” and then we talk about it and leave it up to see and refer to. “You do” now on your own BUT you can refer to what we have talked about. I know that I must not let the book decide everything I say and do during math instruction. I must make things happen for my struggling students.