Targeting High Achievers in Middle School Math

In every classroom, there are students with varying levels of understanding regardless of the content. Teachers have a enormous task of reaching all those levels to help them meet or exceed the learning standards. Math is a subject that presents challenges for teachers to differentiate instruction.

There have been times when I have had five small groups in my middle school classroom. I prefer to have three small groups – low group, middle group, and high group. Having three groups was easier to manage than five groups, because I was able to provide small group instruction daily. With five groups, I had to develop more challenging learning activities to keep my accelerated students engaged and growing.

Since my school district uses NWEA MAP assessment to measure growth in student achievement, I designed learning activities for my accelerated students by using the skills delineated in the Learning Continuum. Before using the Learning Continuum, I extended assignments for accelerated students. They didn’t learn new skills to advance their learning; they only completed longer tasks with the skills they already acquired. This was not a good use of their time in school. However, this is what most publishers provide for teachers to differentiate instruction.

In order to meet the needs of my accelerated students, I developed a new bundle in my Print and Go Daily Math Practice series. This new product is available for students who have a NWEA RIT Band of 231 – 240. This bundle can be used for an entire school year during small groups for accelerated students. With this bundle, students will be challenged to complete four daily problems related to the Math Goals – Operations and Algebraic Thinking, Real and Complex Number Systems, Geometry, and Statistics and Probability.

At the beginning of the school year, my accelerated students’ percentile rankings ranged from 76th to 96th. They only had to grow 2 – 3 points to meet their targets. None of them met their target the previous school year; they were stagnant, because of the whole group instruction they received. As a result of using Print and Go Daily Math Practice for RIT Band 231 – 240, all of my accelerated students’ exceeded their growth target. At the end of the school year, their percentile rankings ranged from 85th to 99th.

Preview a one-week sample. I have it discounted for $5.00 for a limited time. Enjoy!