Rationale
History
Mathematics, a very important learning block, was taught 70 minutes each day in a 2nd grade suburban elementary school classroom. This capstone project focused on evaluating all 17 students during this mathematical teaching session. There were currently 305 students enrolled, 31 of which were in second grade. There were 202 Caucasian students, 19 African American students, one Asian student, 67 Hispanic students, and 16 students with two or more races. The demographic of the classroom consisted of nine girls and eight boys. There were seven Caucasian students, five Hispanic students, and five students with two or more races in the classroom. Five of the students were English Language Learners and two were qualified for special education.
Need
The purpose of my study was to determine if implementing the math workshop model would increase students' overall achievement and engagement. The data I collected during the fall of 2019 showed my students needing improvement in math. I had six students who scored in the Low Percentile (< 21%) in number sense on the MAP test and five students who scored in the Low Average Percentile (21% - 40%). The remaining six students scored in the Average/High Average Percentile with only one of those students scoring in the Highest Percentile (> 80%). I noticed my students struggled with math games because of their inabilities to fully understand number sense. My students were engaged during math block, but I was concerned if they continued to fall behind that they would no longer be engaged and excited for math. By observation, I noticed that seven of my students used their fingers to add/subtract. I also noticed that four of my students were struggling to understand the difference between addition and subtraction. Students were asked to explain how they solved a subtraction problem. All students were able to answer the equation correctly, but only 11 out of my 17 students were able to explain their answers. Students were given 100 addition problems and had five minutes to solve all or as many problems as they could. While taking the test I noticed eleven of my students using their fingers. One student was able to get all 100 problems correct, six students scored between 50-60 problems correct, four students scored between 40-50, four students scored between 30-40, and one student scored below 30.
Importance
Because students struggled with number sense, there was a need to change up the teaching strategies. This study reflected upon work completed during our math workshop model. As the educator, I visited with each student, evaluated where they were intellectually, and challenged them to reach their full potential through differentiation within small groups. This study helped me to meet each student where they were academically and continue to teach them through small-group instruction. It was important for students to gain an understanding because math concepts continue to build off of each other throughout the years. I really wanted my students to gain a strong ability to add and subtract single digit numbers so that they could continue to succeed in math. I did not want students who were already falling behind to stay behind. It was necessary for all students to meet the state standards for second grade so they could continue to excel forward in the years to come. My hypothesis was that the math workshop model would assist all students in doing so.
It is critical for students to gain an understanding of number sense in order to be successful in the real world. Mathematic is used in everyday life multiple times a day. In order to succeed in the real word, it is essential for students to make sense of what numbers mean and understand their relationship to one another. By interacting in the math workshop model, students were given many opportunities for skill practice, differentiation instruction, and positive peer support.