Guided Math Book Study Introduction

UPDATE: So many people have emailed me on this series of posts! If you would like to check out how I have arranged my Guided Math groups check out theses post:

Post 1

Post 2

Welcome to our first post on Guided Math: A Framework for Mathematical Instruction.

Here is the schedule we will be following:

6/24 - Intro

6/28 - Ch.1

7/2 - Ch. 2

7/6 - Ch. 3

7/10 - Ch. 4

7/14 - Ch. 5

7/18 - Ch. 6

7/22 - Ch. 7

7/26 - Ch. 8

7/30 - Ch. 9

You still have time to order your book. The ebook on Amazon is only $9 and completely worth it!

We have some AWESOME bloggers that will be helping with the book study. They are fabulous and I can't wait to learn from their expertise!

First we have Bethany from Hunter's Tales from Teaching. Bethany teaches 4th grade in Pennsylvania and provides SO MANY great ideas on her blog. You should go check it out!

Second we have Carol from Still Teaching After All These Years. This amazing lady has been in the teaching profession for over 31 years and is still the coolest person ever! I hope to be like Carol one day. 

Next we have the famous Holly from Fourth Grade Flipper. She is a 4th grade teacher from New York and the brain behind Tried it Tuesday (a linky I look forward to every week). I check Holly's blog constantly because she is a fountain of fabulousness.

And last but not least we have the awesome Tara from Teaching with Twitte. Tara is from Massachusetts and is a 4th grade teacher. Her blog is darling and has a ton of great ideas!

I'm so excited to have these amazing ladies with all of their brain power to lead us through our book study! On each day posted above we will be discussing a chapter. Please please please leave comments, ask questions, tell us how you do things in your room, share ideas, or share anything else you would like. 

And now onto an intro of our awaited for book...

The book Guided Math: A Framework to Mathematical Instruction was written by Laney Sammons. Ms. Sammons began teaching in kindergarten where she immediately saw the need for differentiated instruction. Through years of teaching, collaborating and using a guided reading framework, Ms. Sammons developed the Guided Math approach. 

In the forward of our book Janis K. Drab Fackler gives us an overview of why Ms. Sammons Guided Math approach works. She states, "this author sees the big picture and has managed to find the right formula to teaching mathematics." "Connections are always made to previous lessons and to the real world as the students are kept actively engaged. Opinions and ideas are not only allowed to be voiced, but valued..." 

Who wouldn't want a classroom that awesome? 

Ms. Fackler goes on to describe Ms. Sammons classroom, "the classroom is drenched in numeracy, mathematical terminology, and mathematical thinking. This environment, rich in mathematical opportunities."

Drenched! Isn't that a great word? I want my classroom to be described like that.

To be honest with you after I read the forward I couldn't put the book down. I love how flexible Ms. Sammons tells you to be. "There is no one 'rigth way' to use Guided Math. By sharing our ideas, we can help each other implement Guided Math in ways that work best with our teaching styles and in our classrooms." "Not only did this method allow me to teach each group at an instructional level that maximized its learning, but by using the approach with both language arts and mathematics, it was easy to establish and teach consistent routines and procedures to students." 

I can't wait to get this book study started!

With this first post I would like you to comment on a few things...

1. How do you currently teach math?

2. How would you like to change you math instruction?

3. What would you like to keep about how you teach math?

4. Anything else you would like to tell us :)

Let the games begin!