New Standards, new program
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New standards, new program; need for new
curriculum, new strategies
Shifts in math instruction: focus, coherence,
rigor
http://www.achievethecore.org/shiftsmathematics
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Students
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Parents
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Teachers
◦ New content
◦ New format
◦ New emphasis: vocabulary, problem-solving, mental math
strategies, “write math”, delving deep
◦ New content
◦ New approach
◦ Questions on how to help your child
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New program: approach, content, resources
Identify and address gaps in background
Pacing
Technology
On-going professional learning
◦ 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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Beginning of year benchmark assessment
Chapter pre-test: Am I Ready?
Mid-chapter assessment: Check My Progress
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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
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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)
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The My Math program emerged from this study
as the best match for K-5 needs
My Math was created from scratch by McGrawHill 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 technologyenhanced (online) resources
Glencoe Math was selected for WMS for similar
reasons and to align with the elementary
program
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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, reteaching, enrichment)
Materials digitally update each month
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Lesson animations
Games-vocabulary/concepts
Songs-concept reinforcement
Fact Dash-math fact fluency
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Games
Activity cards
Problem-solving cards (gr 3-5)
Real-World Problem Solving Readers (3 levels
of text)
Graphic novel
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Math at Home: Family Letter
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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)
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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
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Foundations to program have been laid
Students have a base upon which to build
vocabulary
Students have had an exposure to multistrategy 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
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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
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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)
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Math Chat newsletter
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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
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Monthly brainteaser
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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