How can the use of guided math and formative assessments improve students academic growth, confidence, and engagement in a third grade classroom?

Seminar Title

How can the use of guided math and formative assessments improve students academic growth, confidence, and engagement in a third grade classroom?

Guided Math Instruction

3rd Grade

Elementary

Mathematics

All Disciplines

Guided reading is common practice for many reasons that we already know and understand. It is common practice in most of todays classrooms and has been for years. If this is such an easy concept for people to understand, my question is, “Why doesn’t guided math have that same type of respect?” I believe my research is relevant for elementary teachers interested in trying or growing in how they use the guided math teaching method. I researched guided math and how it can help improve students. The three most clear types of growth I saw are in engagement or excitement towards math, academic, and self esteem.

The drive behind my action research is finding the answer to how to use guided math to help students achieve more. In my review of literature, I came up with many great strengths that guided math has to offer. Guided math can help by making differentiation possible for more students by meeting with a small group and pinpointing where and how each student needs to grow. This also helps students get feedback quickly and teachers are then able to assess students more frequently individually. Another benefit stated from research is that students are more engaged in their learning, they also build confidence by working at their own pace and based on this, using the guided math teaching method will help students grow. My goal through my new practice of guided math is to see students grow and develop in all of these areas. As I proceeded with the instructional method, I assessed how it worked by collecting student surveys on students feelings and confidence, analyzing student growth from whole teaching method, and looking at performance between my last years class to this years. Throughout my research, I collected data to learn if students were better understanding with the guided math teaching method. I collected pre and post test data, students understanding and thoughts through surveys, and compared post tests assessments with previous years of students. I found my students had higher academic growth through the guided math method when compared to my traditional teaching method. Through my research I have learned how to to better manage guided math stations with fewer distractions, which will continue to help students throughout the year. I have been able to build rotation activities that benefit students of all needs and that engage students and I have discovered students that struggle have a harder time focusing on work during guided stations that are not part the teacher lead group. As a result of my stations, I will continue to use guided math teaching methods because it works better for my teaching style and gives me more time for students to ask questions and for me to understand how they’re growing. I will continue to research ways to create guided math more meaningful and engaging for students and I will be working on managing these stations differently to hold students accountable with their learning.