The number one, most important thing you can do for students who are struggling in math?
Meet them where they are and build their understanding of numbers and operations.
That’s the secret. That’s the path to math success.
But here’s the thing—you can’t do it without a dedicated math intervention schedule.
Let’s talk about why carving out time in your weekly routine is absolutely essential.
Your Curriculum Isn’t Enough For Students With Gaps
You’re pulling the same small group every day to help them finish their independent math work.
Let me be honest with you—two months from now, you’ll still be pulling that exact same group.
Not because they’re not trying. Not because you’re not doing everything you can.
But because your core curriculum wasn’t designed to fill foundational gaps.
Until you carve out intentional time to work on those foundational skills, the gaps remain.
Pulling Students Aside To Do Independent Work Together Is Not Math Intervention
Here’s more brutal honesty: when you pull a group after your lesson to “help” them complete independent work, those students aren’t actually getting time to think and do math independently.
And worse?
They’re starting to believe the only way they can be successful in math class is if you’re sitting beside them.
That’s not the message we want to send.
That’s not intervention.
That’s just coping.
Your Students Need Intense Work Around Whole Numbers and Operations
Here’s the good news—when you create a consistent math intervention schedule, you finally have the space to focus on what these students actually need.
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Place value.
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Basic operations.
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Number relationships.
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Mental math strategies.
You’re not trying to backfill during a five-minute gap.
You’ve planned for it.
And now you can help students close the distance between where they are and what they’re expected to learn in the core classroom.
Your Students Will Feel Successful and LOVE Math!
Imagine being a student who has sat through every full-group math lesson this year without really understanding what’s going on. How would you feel?
Now imagine being pulled into a small group where the lesson makes sense.
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You get the materials you need.
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You feel yourself growing.
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You’re successful every time.
How do you feel now? You start looking forward to math.
That’s the power of dedicated math intervention time.
That’s the power of making students feel capable—and helping them believe they can learn math.
You Will Have Irrefutable Evidence of Growth!
✅ Growth in knowledge
✅ Growth in confidence
✅ Growth in mathematical thinking
And isn’t that what math should be all about?
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been trying to squeeze intervention into the cracks of your day, let this be your reminder: students with gaps don’t need more help with today’s worksheet—they need time to rebuild the foundation.
Make the time.
Protect it.
And watch your students grow.
Check out these math intervention units so that you can plan for your small groups without giving up your nights and weekends to make it happen
Included you will find everything you need to teach and assess including pre and post assessment, daily lessons, independent practice and daily progress monitoring!
