Math Strategies to Engage Those Easily Distracted G/T Students

(A review of Differentiating Math Instruction from A to Z by Carol Raymond of EA Young Academy)

We all know the difficulty of trying to engage our G/T students. When not challenged, they bore easily, get restless and become a distraction to others.

Most importantly, they miss out on their education.

Constantly having to juggle redirection, education and discipline on a minute by minute basis makes for a stressful day for us educators. Our students deserve an engaging education and we can accomplish this by offering different math options.

That’s why I’m excited to share with you my review of Differentiating Math Instruction from A to Z by Carol Raymond of EA Young Academy. She offers easy, simple and effective solutions for engaging the distracted G/T student. You are equipped immediately!

Ms. Raymond has taught in a number of different capacities. She’s been a music teacher, classroom math and science teacher, and a gifted and talented specialist. Currently she teaches 3rd through 7th graders math and science at EA Young Academy. Most of her ideas for this course come from the classroom where she was an intermediate math teacher for several of years.

Nine strategies you can implement now:

Here are nine of the 32 strategies offered by Ms. Raymond that you can apply in your classroom today!

  1. Backwards: Increase the rigor of recently learned material for G/T students by having them work backwards from a given solution to determine the problem.

  2. Create: Avoid monotony for G/T students by assigning open ended activities where they can demonstrate math skills by creating something new.

  3. Experts: Look for opportunities to invite experts into your classroom either in person or via distance learning resources like TED Talks or the Art of Problem Solving. Don’t limit yourself to typical “math” fields but include people who use math in different ways. This will inspire your students!

  4. Formative Assessments: These are often used to diagnose problems but they can also make effective pretests for G/T students who may have already mastered the materials. This will prevent gifted children from being subjected to superfluous repetition. Keep it short. Don’t allow room for guesswork by allowing multiple choice.

  5. Growth Terminology: Keep children motivated by replacing static progress terms like “unsatisfactory, needs improvement, satisfactory, excellent, and outstanding” with growth terms like “Novice, Apprentice, Practitioner, Master, and Scholar.”

  6. Instead of: Make sure children who have tested out of materials are not overburdened by assigning all alternative work instead of the normally assigned material and not in addition to it or as extra credit.

  7. Lure of the Labyrinth: This logic based online game is fun and easy for your pre-algebra students to work on their problem solving and systems thinking skills

  8. Most Difficult First: Have your G/T students solve the 5 most difficult problems in an assignment first.  This will prevent boredom on the part of your students and help you determine if the rest of the exercise is necessary for them.

  9. Number Systems: Teach students to work with different number systems like Roman numerals or binary. This will keep your students engaged and increase rigor.

The rest of the strategies in this course are just as fun and useful. Together, they provide many options for challenging G/T students and making math exciting.

I also learned:

  1. Why Math Differentiation for the G/T student?

  2. How simple tweaks can significantly impact your G/T students.

  3. How diagnostic assessments can be used for pre-tests.

  4. Engage those disengaged students!

  5. Motivate simply by changing terminology.

  6. Spend less time with harmful (yes, you read correctly) USELESS grading.

  7. How to create fun games to stretch the abilities of your students.

  8. Translate math into art, stimulating creativity!

Ms. Raymond also provides online resources, materials and books recommended in this course, you will be connected to a wealth of information and never lack for knowledge in this area.

Overall, this course has a straightforward A-Z format and offers immediate and easy implementation. The 32 strategies Ms. Raymond presents make math differentiation for your G/T student simple and fun!

Most importantly, your class will have the educational stimulation and opportunities they deserve.

How you can get this course:

If you would like to get the rest of these strategies, click here to go the course page, or call TAGT Learning On-Demand if you prefer to speak to someone: 512-677-9097.

You can also try it FREE by taking the free trial for teachers!