Inclusion and Teaching in Chicago

This is really a dream come true! Sandy and Jenn- two middle school co-teachers- agreed to give math centers a try for their 6/7 grade math class. I became obsessed! I trolled the internet for good explanations and organization around math rotations or math centers. I found the perfect resource at one of my all time favorite sites  right here.  Stephanie from Teaching in Room 6 does a great job of breaking down how to set up math rotations. I used her blog and worksheets as a guideline to make this work for the 6th/7th grade split. So, here's how I broke it down: 1. Structure: The 6th/7th split has two co-teachers and 16 students. There are also two different tutors that come in once a week each. This means that on 2 out of every 5 days there are three adults to every 16 students. A dream scenario for small group instruction. We have 60 minutes of math class time. Math time looks like: 9:05- 9:10     Do Now (entrance slip) 9:10- 9:30     Rotatio...

Happy Friday! Our first week back to school is coming to an end for the Chicago Public Schools. One of my favorite things that we've done this week in middle school is creating and setting up binders for each student.  As teachers, we spend a LOT of time telling students what not to do. Don't lose this paper. Don't forget to bring materials to class. Don't leave your work in your backpack. Don't leave your homework at home. Creating a color-coded binder system is a great way to teach students what they should do.  How to create 105 perfectly organized tweens and teens in a few key steps: 1. Purchase 3 ring binders, clear folders with pockets, and a supply pouch for each student. You can get these materials at Office Depot, Staples, or Target. We purchased ours from Office Depot. Zipper Binder : Ours is a Five Star brand 2 inch trapper keeper. It's made to last the hustle and bustle of being a middle schooler. It includes an inside zipper ...