One constant struggle with regard to the math program is the acceleration that the program takes throughout the year. The acceleration includes multiple concepts, lots of vocabulary, and many ways to look at a good number of concepts as we get closer to the yearly assessments including systemwide assessments and state assessments.
As most know there is a lot of debate about the value of these assessments. I find that I continue to sit on the fence in this regard because before testing it was very difficult to get supports to help struggling learners learn, but now with the tests the learning is often too fast, too dull, and not in keeping with what cognitive science is showing us to be optimal learning. I know that there is a good balance here, but striking that balance requires good conversation, respect for educators, and a much more dedicated approach to what individual students and the entire class needs.
What would be different with a more dedicated approach? The more dedicated approach would make time and attention for more individual and small group attention. While we make time for that in our schedule, I don't think we go deep enough with that attention and care. I think that we might do better with a dedicated small group and individual approach to number sense while saving collaborative time for floor-to-ceiling engaging math exploration and project work. With this kind of approach math would take on a dual path of number sense building and big idea exploration and learning.
An example of how this might work includes the following. Number sense development would take students through the many steps that lead from simple number identification to problem solving and computation related to large numbers, fractions, decimals, variables, operation, properties, and more. Explorations would give students time to engage with the big ideas of math similar to the way students recently explored volume--students love those explorations and there's lots of good learning to be had.
At this time, however, I need to think about how I can better meet this need with the time/structure available. What can I do?
I typically try to give students a wide introduction to each concept and skill so that all students are introduced to the breadth of the topic including vocabulary, models, and specific skills. Then I include lots of practice opportunities and during these practice opportunities I can better personalize and coach individual students and small groups. During our designated RTI times students have the chance to go deeper with more practice and specific attention to skills and concepts that challenge them. Ideally with two threads there would be more consistency with both the number sense development and exploration.
Today as I we practice initial fraction skills and concepts I'll have that time to coach many students ahead after the wide introduction yesterday. I'm thinking about how I might make this teaching/learning more fluid and sensitive to each and every student's needs in the days ahead.
