I have linked up with Reading Toward the Stars for a weekly book talk. I am going to review a great teacher resource book called Math Work Stations by Debbie Diller.
This book is essential if you are wanting to begin math work stations in your classroom. The setup of the book is very easy to use. The first chapter explains what a math work station is and what it looks like in the classroom. Diller writes, ” math stations allow you to differentiate for the various levels within your classroom”. I know that I have seen the huge differentiation of levels in my classroom the past several years. It is not beneficial to teach the same lesson to the whole classroom the same way for me anymore. My high kids are bored and my low kids shut down because they don’t understand it. Math work stations have been very beneficial for me because, I can work with small groups of children while the other kids are doing math stations.
This book also explains how to get organized and get started with math stations. The first step that Diller says to do is to sort your stuff. She gives step by step instructions on what to do. She also has lots of pictures to see what to do. I think the hardest part of this for me was to purge (which is her 2nd step). I seem to hold on to things thinking I might need that one day. Just like most teachers do. In order for your math stations to be successful you really have to be organized with your manipulatives.
The best part of this book is that Diller lists by chapter the different types of work stations you can have in the classroom. She lists the games, directions, and materials needed for the different types of math concepts. She also has pictures of students playing the games.
The book is for grades K-2 but, the games can easily be modified for older grades. She has beginning number concepts, addition and subtraction, place value, geometry, and measurement work stations. She also has a picture glossary in the back of the book with all the math materials that she uses in math stations. The appendix has all the types of forms that she used in the games listed in the book.
So if you are just getting started with math stations this is definitely a book to get. It’s a great book to get during the summer so, when you get back to school you have an idea of what you need to do to get your room ready. Hope you enjoy this book as much as I have!
