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MATH MINI LESSON, Math workshop is an innovative method of teaching that keeps the students engaged while learning new concepts and reviewing previous ones. The workshop has four components: math mini lesson, student centers, small group instruction, and sharing time. The mini math lessons can be categorized into four sections: connection, teaching point, active engagement, and link. A mini lesson aims to keep whole group lessons short and brief while giving ample time for differentiation in small groups and centers. The main focus of the lesson is to educate the students in an interactive way. Teachers often make simple mistakes that reduce the effectiveness of mini-lessons.
TAKE TOO LONG TO REVIEW
At the beginning of the math lesson, the teacher reviews what students have learned in earlier classes, discusses an ongoing work of study, an experience, or a student’s work. Teachers can lose track of time if students take longer to solve problems, and the teacher ends up revisiting an old concept in class to correct math mistakes. This can be avoided if the teacher uses a timer to limit the time spent during the first phase of the math lessons.
LOSE CONCEPT OF THE TEACHING POINT
The teaching point is the main part of the mini-lesson in the math workshop. Here, the teacher discusses the strategies or concepts that she wants to introduce to the students. The aim is to include all the students in the discussion before letting them work on the same topic in groups. Teachers tend to get carried away at this point, going into lengthier details and answering individual queries. Since the mini lesson is only 20-30 minutes long, it is important to stay focused on the purpose of each component. A great way is to practice your mini-lesson ahead of time so that you know exactly what to say and how long it would take to say it.
YOU FOCUS TOO MUCH ON INDIVIDUAL LEARNING
Every student learns at a different learning pace, and it is normal for slow-paced students to get confused during the mini-lesson. Teachers are always tempted to explain a topic in all possible ways so that every student in the class has a clear understanding of the subject.
When the teacher tries to connect with the slow learners, their teaching pace reduces, and the fast learners of the class start losing interest, defeating the whole purpose of a mini-lesson.
The teacher always has the opportunity to go back to individual students in other components of the math workshop as small group instructions and student centers.
MATH MINI LESSON LONG ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT
At this stage, the students are given the opportunity to try out the new concept they have learned. This helps the teacher understand if the students have clear concepts from the teaching point. It is unlikely for all students to solve all the problems. Instead of answering all questions, select the more challenging problems to review in class. This way, students will not get bored listening to what they already know.