Math Daily 3

Like many teachers, I'm all about PD and planning over the summer.  One subject that hasn't been going so well in my room for the past few years is math, and I want to do something about it! We use a state approved curriculum called Stepping Stones that is all online.  Students have workbooks, but there is not a teacher's guide or independent activities.  I can download daily lesson plans, and need to supplement extra independent activities outside of the workbooks.  It takes a lot of extra work for me to plan for math and I don't feel like my students really get all the concepts after I give the unit tests.

I've been a huge fan of the Daily 5 and CAFE frameworks for quite some time now and have utilized them in my reading instruction.  See my previous posts for a First Edition book study: Daily 5 book Study Chapter 1, Daily 5 Book Study Chapter 2, Im Lovin' Daily 5, Meeting The Sisters

I had heard about Math Daily 3 a few years ago and implemented a version of it, but then abandoned when I moved into my current position.  I'm not really sure why, but all I know is what I'm doing now doesn't make me feel good as a teacher.  I know I need to focus on improving my math instruction.

I get the weekly emails from The Sisters and saw that they offer online courses now.  I quickly signed up for the Math Daily 3 course and finally dug into my Second Edition book that contains information about implementing the Math Daily 3.  The course includes weekly videos, LMS platform where I can ask questions and connect with other participants, downloads, and a 3-month subscription to the Daily CAFE website.

From reading the new book, I have found some changes that the Sisters have made to their Daily 5 framework from the first book.  I love that these ladies are still in classrooms, working with real kids, and making improvements to their practices over the years.  Isn't that what successful teachers do?

There is a whole chapter dedicated to their core beliefs as teachers:

1. Trust and Respect
2. Community
3. Choice
4. Accountability
5. Brain Research
6. Transitions and Brain/Body Breaks

As a constructivist teacher, I believe in these principles as well.  They align so well with the work I do in arts-integration, OCDE Project GLAD (R), and also my recent training with Responsive Classrooms and their positive discipline techniques.  Its refreshing to feel so validated with my practices when reading professional books and literature!

The Sisters believe in a 10-step process to building stamina and holding students accountable for their choices during independent work time.  You can get a printable version of these steps on their website {here}. I love how reflection is built into this plan and how children clearly see and know what is expected of them.

1. Identify What is to Be Taught
2. Set a Purpose and Create a Sense of Urgency
3. Record Desired Behaviors on an I-Chart
4. Model Most-Desirable Behaviors
5. Model Least-Desirable Behaviors, Then Most-Desirable
6. Place Students Around the Room
7. Practice and Build Stamina
8. Stay Out of the Way
9. use a Quiet Signal to Bring Students Back to the Gathering Place
10. Conduct a Group Check-In; Ask "How Did It Go?"

So just like how teachers post reading strategies they've taught whole group on a CAFE board, teachers make a math board and post games they have taught whole group that students can choose from. It's important to organize materials so students can quickly and easily get everything they need to play the games.  

I have some Math Station Posters in my TpT store that would definitely work for Math Daily 3.  I actually just updated them to include Math Writing.  I had used them for station rotations, but they could be set up as a math board, too. 

I also have math tub labels for organizing your manipulatives.  I think visual labels are so important in lower grades, but also in upper grades for EL students who are still learning foundational English.  

How does the Math Daily 3 fit into your math instruction routines?