Elementary teachers are often encouraged to use math workshop (also called math center time or math rotations) to differentiate. In this model, teachers create structures for small groups of students to move from one task to another in timed rotations to complete activities that the teacher has assigned and prepared for them. In this model, there is almost always a “teacher table,” where the teacher works closely with small groups of students on “what they need.”
Role of the teacher: Instead of having a teacher be stationary at a table where they supervise and lead students through a task, they move around the classroom listening to the students as they engage in the activities. They press on ideas, nudge and notice how students respond and interact. They ask probing questions to help surface mathematical ideas, and they take notes on what they observe and how students respond. Then they use their observations to assess student understanding and inform planning.
Teachers can still gather a small group of students together to bring forward some aspect of their work. In the example of counting collections, we sometimes bring together students to practice ideas related to one-to-one correspondence or extend skills related to number sense.
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