Moving Beyond Storming

The storming stage presents many challenges for the teacher. As you put out fire after fire, it can become very frustrating to think that not much learning is taking place. Coupled with your own frustrations with your PowerTeaching: Mathematics implementation, this is the stage at which it seems easiest to give up and return to your former way of teaching. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. It is normal for you to feel overwhelmed and frustrated. When aligned with your PowerTeaching: Mathematics implementation, these four stages can help to explain and defi ne your process of adopting, implementing, and refining PowerTeaching: Mathematics.

The following diagram illustrates the four stages of change described in Tuckman’s model. Notice that the
line also includes a dip. This represents the temporary setback typical of the storming phase. It is important
to realize that, although this dip can be minimized through support, it cannot be eliminated. You cannot skip
the dip!

What can you do in your classroom to support a student-centered learning environment? The obvious solution isn’t always the easiest. For example, one of the most effective ways to reduce classroom conflict is simply to keep all of the students engaged. If conflict is a problem in your class, you might want to begin with strategies to keep everyone involved.

PowerTeaching: Mathematics includes various cooperative-learning strategies that have been designed to address your needs. Whether it is keeping everyone involved, time and resource management, making the invisible process visible, assessment and feedback, or confl ict prevention and resolution, PowerTeaching: Mathematics offers easy strategies that can be used for individual students, teams, or a whole class.

The Cooperative Learning Handbook can serve as a great resource to support your students as they go through the storming stage. Each strategy that is presented can be used to differentiate the support each team receives as they transition from a group to a team. The implementation log that is presented on the following pages can serve as a resource to guide you through utilizing and applying the PowerTeaching: Mathematics framework at a refined level.