Introduction to organizing in math

Introduction to Organizing
in Math


What is Organizing?
• Organizing is a strategy to detect and
understand patterns of relevant
information.
• Students identify information they have
and must gather to solve a problem.


Key Elements of Organizing
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Students select a graphic organizer to help them arrange relevant
information.
Examples of graphic organizers include:
• Graphs
• Tables
• Charts
• Lists
• Concept maps


How Does Organizing Help
Students?
• Supports them in more easily seeing
patterns and learning mathematical
concepts.

• Guides their thinking about what they do
and don’t know about a problem.
• Gives them ideas of ways to approach
solving a problem.
• Helps them maintain chunks of information
in memory to use in problem solving.


Discussion Questions 1
1. How do you explain organizing to your
students?
2. How does organizing connect with the
CCSS Math Practices?
3. How can organizing help a struggling
student get “unstuck” when working with
a problem?


How Can I Support Students'
Use of Organizing?


Use Evidence-based
Instructional Practices
• Provide Clear Explanations
• Use Varied Examples, Materials, and
Models
• Provide Ongoing Formative Assessment

Differentiated Instruction
• Plan instruction that considers students'
readiness, learning needs, and interests.
• Use a range of technology tools to:
– engage learners at varying levels
– engage learners in multiple ways.
– offer students options for demonstrating
understanding and mastery


Teacher-Dependent
Ways to Differentiate
• By Content

– Different levels of reading or resource materials, reading
buddies, small group instruction, curriculum compacting, multilevel computer programs and Web Quests, audio materials, etc.

• By Product

– Activity choice boards, tiered activities, multi-level learning
center tasks, similar readiness groups, choice in group work,
varied journal prompts, mixed readiness groups with targeted
roles for students, etc.

• By Process

– Tiered products, students choose mode of presentation to
demonstrate learning, independent study, varied rubrics,
mentorships, interest-based investigations

Student-Dependent
Ways to Differentiate
• By Readiness

– Options in content, topic, or theme, options in the
tools needed for production, options in methods for
engagement

• By Profile

– Consideration of gender, culture, learning styles,
strengths, and weaknesses

• By Interests

– Identification of background knowledge/gaps in
learning, vary amount of direct instruction, and
practice, pace of instruction, complexity of activities,
and exploration of a topic


Discussion Questions 2
1. In what ways do you differentiate
instruction when you introduce organizing
information to your students?
2. What technology tools have you used to
enhance instruction?
3. What criteria do you use for selecting
organizers to show your students?

Provide Clear Explanations:
Possible Strategies
• Explain how organizing helps us find what we
are looking for or see if something is missing.
• Describe the purpose of each kind of
organizer (list, table, graph, concept map,
etc.).
• Discuss with students the features that make
each kind of organizer helpful.
• With each organizer, give students time to
think about how the information is organized.


Use Varied Examples,
Materials, and Models: Possible
Strategies
• Share many examples of each kind of
organizer with students.
• Model how to use each organizer to solve
problems.
• Give students time to practice using a variety
of organizers to solve different types of
problems.
• Have students who use different organizers
share their strategies and reasons for using
them.

Provide Ongoing Formative
Assessment: Possible
Strategies

• Make sure students understand how to choose
and use organizers before they start tackling
problems.
• Note any problems that students have in entering
information into an organizer; provide support.
• Look for student misconceptions in the use of
organizers; re-teach use of organizers as needed.
• Have students create and add to a portfolio of
organizers they successfully use to solve
problems.


Use Research-Based Strategies
and Tools
• To launch the lesson
• During the learning task
• As you bring closure to the lesson


Discussion Questions 3
1. What challenges do your struggling
students face in using organizers?
2. What strategies do you use to help
students overcome their challenges?
3. Which formative assessment strategies
do you find most effective?

Disclaimer
Awarded through a cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of education, Office of
Special Education Programs (OSEP), Grant #H327G090004-10, PowerUp What Works
was developed by a team of experts in education, technology, differentiated
instruction/UDL, and special education at the Center for Technology Implementation,
operated by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) in collaboration with the Education
Development Center, Inc. (EDC) and the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST).

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