Math Curriculum Night

New Standards, new program

A time of change New standards, new program; need for new

curriculum, new strategies Shifts in math instruction: focus,

coherence, rigor

http://www.achievethecore.org/shifts-mathematics

Students◦ New content◦ New format◦ New emphasis: vocabulary, problem-solving, mental math

strategies, “write math”, delving deep Parents

◦ New content◦ New approach◦ Questions on how to help your child

Teachers◦ New program: approach, content, resources◦ Identify and address gaps in background◦ Pacing◦ Technology◦ On-going professional learning

Everyone is impacted

◦ After review by State education consultants, district curriculum specialists, and CT teachers, the CT Board of Education voted to adopt the Common Core Standards for Math (CCSM) to replace the existing CT Math Standards in 2010

◦ A change in the standards usually impacts what topics are taught at each grade, what resources are used, and even instructional strategies

New standards for math

Standards list what knowledge, concepts, and skills students should learn at each grade level

State assessments measure how well students can demonstrate their mastery of state standards

Districts use standards as the starting point to develop local curriculum and select instructional materials or programs

Standards are NOT curriculum, nor do they dictate a specific program to districts

CT has had standards since the 1980’s, the math framework was last revised in 2004

What are standards?

All teachers need to be familiar with the content in the standards and their grade level responsibilities

District teams identify priority standards District teams develop a scope and

sequence (what is taught in what order) and pacing guides to make sure topics fit in the year

District teams examine instructional resources

How do districts implement standards?

All teachers are expected to address the standards for their grade to assure consistency from class to class

Each grade level uses common assessments which include chapter tests and benchmark assessments (like MAP) to monitor students’ progress towards learning objectives

Each teacher brings their interests, strengths, experience to their instructional decisions

Tight and loose

Fewer standards at each grade level allow for deeper focus (focus)

Learning progressions: clear learning goals at each level that define what students need to master at each grade (coherence)

Emphasis on deep understanding and mathematical reasoning rather than memorizing patterns or algorithms (rigor)

The standards put a heavy emphasis on math fact fluency, precision, problem-solving, and application

What is different about CT Core Standards?

Teachers and students engage in more discourse to explain the process used to get to the correct answer (How and why questions)

Students may use manipulatives and modeling to understand why algorithms work

Students engage in “performance tasks” that require them to apply concepts in real situations

How have the standards impacted classroom practices?

Understand why math works Understand that there may be multiple

strategies for solving problems that all result in accurate answers

Recognize that sometimes there can be more than one correct answer, but needs to use accurate reasoning and computation

More like real life-not just plugging numbers into problems and getting answers

“New Math”

Break apart the addends: 50+50+9+9 Break apart addends (place value) 5+5 tens

plus 9 +9 ones Make a “ten”: 60+58 Doubles: 60+60 minus 2 Use estimation to check the reasonableness

of answer: 60 + 60

How would you solve 59+59?

Since standards are being implemented at all grades (rather than phased in), teachers need to monitor for gaps in background or assumed content mastery, especially at the intermediate (3-5) grades

Attention to gaps

Beginning of year benchmark assessment Chapter pre-test: Am I Ready? Mid-chapter assessment: Check My Progress

Identifying gaps

Analyzed areas of strength and weakness by grade level

Differentiating instruction using program and personal resources: small group, 1-on-1

Support personnel Math fact practice sessions in computer lab Community volunteers Home-school connection

Addressing gaps

Our previous math series, Growing With Math, was not a good match to the 2010 standards

The Growing With Math publisher recognized that their program did not align well with the Core Standards and has discontinued the series

RSD 14 assembled a Math Committee consisting of district educators from all levels in 2012-13 to study the implications of delivering the core standards and to make recommendations on a program and other materials that would be needed to replace GWM at the elementary level (and the outdated middle school program)

RSD 14’s choices

The My Math program emerged from this study as the best match for K-5 needs

My Math was created from scratch by McGraw-Hill to align to the standards rather than trying to match up the standards to an existing program

The program was a complete package of instructional resources with student and teacher materials, standards alignment, and technology-enhanced (online) resources

Glencoe Math was selected for WMS for similar reasons and to align with the elementary program

My Math

Created to align with state standards Includes both paper and digital resources Emphasizes real-world applications of math

content and problem-solving Instruction includes explaining

mathematical thinking orally and in writing Material rich (differentiation: intervention,

re-teaching, enrichment) Materials digitally update each month

Why My Math?

No program is the whole curriculum Additional resources for performance tasks Math fact fluency

◦ Fact Dash (My Math resource)◦ Dice games, card games, flash cards, websites,

apps◦ Xtramath website

Supplemental

My Math materials were ordered and organized by school administrators and the Math Specialist to be ready to use in the district by Fall 2013

Teachers received training prior to the opening of school

The Elementary Math Specialist has dedicated time to supervising the roll-out of the program by meeting with teachers regularly to identify program components and resources, developing materials that are needed but not part of the program, and continuing individual, grade level, and school-wide professional learning

Implementation

Problem of the Day Daily “Quick Check” Vocabulary cards Digital lesson presentations including “Animations” Daily word problems and journaling “Write Math” Lessons devoted to problem-solving strategies starting

in Kindergarten Performance tasks-more complex multi-step problem

solving Develop number sense by checking reasonableness of

answers Exposure to multiple strategies for concept

development

Unpacking the program

Pre-test: Am I Ready? Mid-chapter assessment: Check My

Progress End of chapter review: Vocabulary

check/Concept check Chapter tests Grades 3-5: Extended Response Test

Assessment features

Lesson animations Games-vocabulary/concepts Songs-concept reinforcement Fact Dash-math fact fluency

Online resources for students

Games Activity cards Problem-solving cards (gr 3-5) Real-World Problem Solving Readers (3

levels of text) Graphic novel

Learning stations

Math at Home: Family Letter◦ At Home activities◦ Vocabulary◦ Literature connections◦ Travel Talk

Math at Home: Game Time Math at Home: Student Glossary Homework Helper eHelp (video and/or online tutor)

Home-school connection

Students have adjusted to format Building a math vocabulary (talk like

mathematicians) Depth of instruction: internalizing concepts

and strategies, applying to new situations Flexible thinking-real world problem solving Explaining thinking-not memorizing

algorithms in rote way with no understanding of how/why it works

What are we seeing?

Foundations to program have been laid Students have a base upon which to build

vocabulary Students have had an exposure to multi-

strategy approach Gaps in concepts will reduce each year Grade 5 students will move into an aligned

program at WMS (Glencoe Math) Teachers gaining in comfort, confidence,

proficiency

Good news about next year

Share a positive attitude towards math Establish math homework routines and

review work Support daily math fact practice If your child is learning in ways that are new

to you, learn together Let your child persevere in solving a

problem-don’t give the answer

How to help your child

Read math-related children’s literature Work together on brain-teaser puzzles Play games that develop strategic thinking Play math travel games Make math a part of home conversations

(recipes, budget, your use of math)

More ways to help

Math Chat newsletter◦ What are the CT Core Standards in Math?◦ All about My Math◦ Building Fact Fluency◦ Math and Technology◦ Motivating Websites

Curriculum and Instruction website Elementary Math Specialist website

Build your knowledge of Math

Monthly brainteaser◦ Announced in school and posted for the month◦ Building motivation◦ Promoting creative thinking◦ Explain reasoning/show how you figured it out◦ Challenge has become fun

Building a Math Community