5 Practices That Put A Twist On Whole Group Instruction

I first read 5 Practices For Orchestrating Productive Mathematics Discussions in 2013, it’s resurfaced with its second edition.

It’s a whole group instruction format that allows for every student to have an opportunity to engage. It is not the traditional, whole group instruction where ‘teaching is telling’. The problem with that conventional method is that we are giving the message that learning comes from telling and not that learning comes from thinking. The 5 practices below explain how whole group instruction can be deep, meaningful and engaging for students.

Anticipating

You start off by choosing a rich task. The key here is Rich Tasks. This step requires you to think about some ways students are going to solve the problem before you give it to them. Thinking about what could be possible student responses. You can figure that out by solving the problem yourself in as many ways as you can.

A person standing in a road that is forked thinking on which road to take. Text says anticipating student strategies

I recommend doing this step with a math coach, a professional learning community, or a grade level meeting. Colleagues can help you see different strategies that you may not have thought of.
The amount of problems you give is also essential. If you utilize fewer tasks/problems for instruction, you will be able to go deeper. One rich task is an excellent way to start.

Monitoring

At this point, you have presented the students with the task. Students can work individually, with partners or groups. While they are working, you circulate.
Questioning is an integral part of this. You can engage in discourse without leading students to the solution. We tend to want to spoon-feed students when they struggle. The purpose here is to NOT give away answers or a billion “clues” for students to reach the solutions.

A bitmoji of a woman hiding behind some tall grass next to her is the word monitoring.

You may choose to ask:
Assessing Questions– where the teacher stays to hear the answers to the question.
Advancing questions– where the teacher leaves and lets the students figure out what to do next.
I like to add a class “check-in” during this time. I ask one group to share something they noticed while working on the problem. This is not meant for students to start sharing answers but instead to share some insight. It may help the other groups come to a theory, or it may be shrugged off by the groups, which is totally fine.

Selecting

While you are monitoring, you’re looking for which students you are going to call on to share. You have to have a plan for calling on students. Gone are the days that you pick kids randomly or arbitrarily. Yes, we want to avoid calling on the same students every time but we also want responses to have a purpose.

A cup of popsicle sticks with student names written on them. Next to the cup it says selecting gone wrong.

Sequencing

There should be a specific order to the strategies you selected. Responses should build on one another. For example, moving from the concrete to abstract learning sequence. If you start off with the most abstract method (like Student C below) students will start tuning out. That’s why the sequence matters.

Three different student math strategies for solving the problem 26 plus 48

This step could possibly be merged with anticipating. When you’re thinking about what strategies the students might use, you could also think about which strategies you would want to be presented. Keep in mind students may not use the approaches you are thinking of, and then you have to rethink your plan on the spot.
If a student does not come up with a strategy that you really want to be shared. Fake it. Share the strategy and say you saw another student do it.

Connecting

This stage has you connect student responses and strategies used to the big idea. Instead of students having separate conversations where they talk about their own work (a show and tell), they are building on each other’s work and ideas. Students can share how their work is similar or different from one another.

A meme of a man thinking with math problems surrounding his head and the text says math connections.

So Where Does Math Workshop Fit In?

Small group instruction can happen before or after these whole group tasks. Especially after, if you see some students missing concepts or strategies.
This is why I advocate for small group to NOT be the only way we instruct. We lose the social interaction that lets us share ideas with a collective group. Students lose the opportunities and access to rich tasks when they are caged in certain group types (low, average, high).
Read: 3 Math Workshop Rules You Should Break

If the task does not take the whole math block, do what I like to call “centers and circulate”. Have students work on centers as you circulate and make observations. Too often, when implementing Math Workshop, we get caught up in small group instruction then don’t get a chance to see what’s going on with the rest of the room. This is a great time to check in on students at their stations/centers.

Because so many of us did not learn this way, this type of instruction may be hard to imagine. So let’s change that. It won’t go smoothly at first, nothing does. Start off by choosing one task. Try it. What do you have to lose?

 

Want to check out more?

MEMBERSHIP SITE:

https://zennedmath.com/online-courses/ 

FACEBOOK GROUP: Zenned Math Teachers

https://www.facebook.com/groups/zennedmathteachers/

YOUTUBE CHANNEL: Zenned Math

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5njH_5LoK6G67BvZecGfnw?

WANT ME IN YOUR INBOX? Sign up for my newsletter

https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5efc876dcaabca0028b95eb5

DISCLAIMER: Some links included in this blog might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide, I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! 

Math Struggles Ain’t Just About Numbers

Let’s be B.F.F.R—math can stress kids out. You’ve seen it: the frozen-in-place stare, the pencil tapping like it’s sending an SOS, or the classic “I CAN’T DO THIS!” meltdown before even trying. But here’s the thing—most of the time, their struggle isn’t about numbers. It’s about mindset.

What if we borrowed some life coaching techniques to help our students not just survive math but actually thrive in it? Let’s break it down into simple, practical ways you can empower your students without turning into a full-blown therapist.

 Reframe the Narrative (A.K.A. Flip the Script on “I’m Bad at Math”)

Ever notice how kids say “I’m bad at math” like it’s their official personality trait? That belief is holding them back more than any tricky word problem ever could.

How to Do It:

  • When a student says, “I suck at math,” respond with: “You’re still learning. Let’s find a way that makes sense to you.”
  • Introduce the Power of Yet: “You don’t get it… yet. But your brain is working on it!”
  • Share stories of people who struggled with math and overcame it (bonus points if you can find famous athletes, musicians, or influencers).

Remind them that they once thought tying their shoes was impossible, and look at them now—shoe-tying pros. Math is just another skill that takes practice.

Teach Emotional Regulation (Because Frustration Is a Math Blocker)

We can’t expect students to push through challenges if they’re spiraling into math-induced panic mode. When frustration kicks in, their brains hit the “I’m out!” button.

How to Do It:

  • Pause & Breathe: Before jumping to the “I CAN’T,” have students take a deep breath. Try “breathe in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4.” Simple, but it works.
  • Break It Down: Instead of tackling the whole problem at once, ask, “What’s one thing we DO know?” Small wins build confidence.
  • Normalize Struggle: Post a sign in your classroom: “Mistakes Mean You’re Learning.” Say it. Live it. Believe it! As Naruto says.

Set Micro-Goals (Because Big Goals Can Feel Overwhelming)

If a kid already feels lost, telling them “just keep practicing” is like saying, “just climb this mountain real quick.” Instead, break it into steps.

How to Do It:

  • Instead of “Get better at multiplication,” set a goal like: “Practice a doubling/halving strategy.”
  • Use progress charts so students can SEE their growth. 
  • Celebrate the small wins! Even if they only got one more right than last time—that’s growth!

Remind them “If you can memorize every single lyric to that TikTok song, you can 100% remember a few math strategies.” 
Honestly research shows long term memory is activated when we leverage different modalities in our lessons. It’s how the brain learns math.

Shift from Performance to Progress (Because Speed Ain’t Everything)

Fluency is about thinking efficiently, not racing to the answer. The goal isn’t to turn kids into human calculators—it’s to help them use numbers flexibly.

How to Do It:

  • Replace timed tests with strategy-based challenges (ex: “How many ways can you solve 12 × 8?”).
  • Instead of praising fast answers, celebrate smart strategies: “Ooooh, I love how you broke that down!”
  • Remind them that even adults use tools like calculators and sticky notes—real math is about knowing how to approach problems, not just getting the answer instantly.

 Teach Self-Talk (Because Their Inner Voice Matters More Than You Know)

The way kids talk to themselves about math shapes their experience with it. If they constantly say, “I can’t do this,” their brain believes it. Time to switch up the self-talk game.

How to Do It:

  • Teach “I can” statements: Instead of “I don’t get it,” try “I don’t get it YET, but I can figure this out.”
  • Have students write down one math strength (even if it’s “I’m good at counting on my fingers” – that’s a start!).
  • Encourage students to talk to themselves like they’d talk to a friend. Would they tell a friend, “You’re dumb at math”? No? Then don’t say it to yourself either!

Emphasize- “You wouldn’t let your best friend talk trash about you, so don’t let your brain do it either!”

Coaching Math Mindsets for the Win

At the end of the day, teaching math fluency isn’t just about numbers—it’s about helping kids believe they can figure things out. When we shift from just teaching math to coaching their mindset, we create students who are not only fluent in math but confident in life.

So, here’s your challenge: What’s one small move you can try this week? Whether it’s shifting self-talk, celebrating small wins, or breaking down frustration, pick one and run with it.

Oh, and if you want more strategies like these, check out my Figuring Out Fluency series, (Book 1) (Book 2) where we make fluency engaging, empowering, and (most importantly) actually make sense.

And if you want more math mindset strategies, grab my Guide For Teachers To Help Students With Growth Mindset