What's New In Math?

What's new in Math is CHOICE and INDEPENDENCE! After some professional development last spring and summer, I became very enthusiastic about devoting a part of our math block to what is often referred to as "Math Menu"- essentially a structure where activities are planned to target and practice an array of skills but the children can choose which ones they will engage with and how.  Some activities are games- do you want to play with a partner or without?  Some activities are worksheets- do you want to work with numbers below ten or above? And still others are teacher dependent- and these of course would be a "have-to"- not a choice.  Getting this structure up and running has been a slow and deliberate process that Kathy Lamphere (math coach) and I have worked on together.  Here you can see the children fully engaged and even tracking their own progress!