The Top Reasons Why I Use Individual Student Reference Pages for Math

Student reference materials are a really important part of a classroom. And you probably already have them all over your classroom - posters, anchor charts and bulletin boards. But what if I told you students could have access to reference materials on their desks?

I've been using reference materials for ages - all over my classroom. But this year I switched it up, and I designed student reference sheets (which are essentially like min anchor charts packaged with important information) that I laminated and put on their desks. Duh! Why didn't I think of this earlier? Students have all the knowledge they need to help them through assignments, tests and quizzes right at their fingertips!

Here's why I'll never go back.

Accessibility

Have you ever made a super informative anchor chart with your class, and then 10 minutes after you hung it up, you heard a kid in the back say "well I don't remember how to tell time!" Same. We've all been there.

So, I designed my student referent pages to be front and centre - on their desks. No more moving around, trying to figure out where the chart is, or which poster you're referencing. Plus, they sit on the kids desks all day, so they begin to become really familiar with everything on it (because they like to stare off into space anyway!)

Helping students 1-on-1 is easy, because I don't need to carry around reference sheets with me (and different ones for different students!) but I found I could really teach my students to access the material in front of them quickly and efficiently. Once you teach them how to use and access it, they become more independent!

Ease to Design

I design a lot of my own resources. A LOT. I sometimes feel like I find great resources online that are just ever so slightly off from how I need them to be. The solution? I design my own!

With these student referent charts, you're able to put all the important information on one small space, and print and go. It took me about an hour and a half to design mine (but that's replacing multiple anchor charts and hours designing those!). All I did to create my own was pull up PowerPoint, and insert shapes / text as I saw fit. Some of the shapes did get a little small, but I found once I made it once it was super simple to duplicate and make a second, or third.

They're super easy to design, and if you're more savvy with a pen and paper, that's an option too! Write out the important things kids need to reference, and photocopy, cut and laminate.

Inclusivity

The best part about individualized reference sheets is individualized reference material! I have some students who are working on different skills than others. The problem is this - my regular classroom posters and anchor charts weren't always accessible to all of my learners. They were great for most kids, but not all kids, and that just wasn't it.

With personalized referents comes personalized skills. If I have most of my students working on multiplication, but a few still mastering addition, I can design referent pages that reflect that on their sheets, and add referents that help them master the skill they're working on.

Everyone deserves to have materials that help meet them where they're at. Materials that help them become successful. Materials they can actually use.

ALLLL the Information!

I can fit WAY more information on to these small desk charts than I could on my walls. I don't know about you, but we have some rules dictating how much of our classroom walls can be filled with posters, or combustible materials (I know. If you fill your walls with 22% combustible materials, they are surely much more likely to catch on fire than if you only fill 15%.)

Alas, I needed small designs that I could fit a lot of information on. I found it was pretty easy to add a number line (which, although small, demonstrates positive and negative numbers well) and a place value chart to the top. Some items took up a little more space, but overall I was able to add typically 6-10 items for students to reference on each card.

I think student reference cards are the way of the future, people. Let's continue putting referent materials on the walls, and on the board, but let's also encourage our students to access their individualized supports - quickly and effectively.

To the teachers - you've got this. You CAN design your own student referent charts. (Or find reality available material to help guide you where needed. My premade charts are linked here!) And though it may take some time, you're supporting kiddos in ways you didn't even know possible.