Filling Gaps

Identify and address learning gaps for effective teaching strategies.

My friends who are high school math teachers are always telling me about the gaps they see in math.

As an interventionist this is difficult to hear.

I say let’s close the gaps before they get to high school. It starts with us, in elementary school.

In my ten years as an interventionist, I have seen results using the Formative Cycle.

First Step: Select a High Quality Task

In order to have a starting point, you need to know who is struggling with certain content. Pre-assessments before a unit can help. Also listen for incorrect language and look for students failing your formative assessments. These students have gaps.

Second Step: Anticipate Student Thinking

Once you’ve selected a HQT (High Quality Task), solve the problem and anticipate misconceptions that students might have.

Third Step: Gather and Interpret Evidence

Give the students the task and sort them into two or three piles. Got It, Don’t Got It and Almost Got It.

Fourth Step: Decide on Next Steps

What steps will you take to fill these gaps? That knowledge comes from knowing your curriculum and the progression of your content. What standards connect to what they are doing now? For help building your content knowledge watch Graham Fletcher’s progression videos and become familiar with AchievetheCORE. On their website, you can trace a standard back to earlier grades.

Fifth Step: Assess (Did It Stick?)

Assess your students again. Did the remediation work? You are looking for growth; not complete understanding.

And at the Heart of this: Know the Math

A very wise principal of mine told me that she keeps a teacher in the same grade for at least three years for that teacher to learn their content.

I can’t stress how important knowing your content is! Content knowledge will help when you anticipate your student’s thinking. This knowledge also empowers us to fill gaps and lets us make connections for our students.

Solve problems with your colleagues to engage in the thinking your students need to do…

But even more important, enjoy math. We want our students to love it too…