Learn More about Math in Focus
From SPS Communications:
Want to learn more about Seattle Public Schools’ new elementary math program? We have scheduled a “Parent University” at five locations around the district on Thursday, Oct. 9, just for families who want to know more about Math in Focus.
Trainers will share the framework for the Singapore approach to math, the basis for the Math in Focus program. They also will provide strategies families may use at home to support students in their learning.
“Parent University” runs from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 9, at the following schools:
Want to learn more about Seattle Public Schools’ new elementary math program? We have scheduled a “Parent University” at five locations around the district on Thursday, Oct. 9, just for families who want to know more about Math in Focus.
Trainers will share the framework for the Singapore approach to math, the basis for the Math in Focus program. They also will provide strategies families may use at home to support students in their learning.
“Parent University” runs from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 9, at the following schools:
- Eckstein Middle School Auditorium
- Washington Middle School Lunchroom
- West Seattle High School Auditorium
- Whitman Middle School Auditorium
- Van Asselt Elementary School Auditorium
Comments
-Montlake Parent
SBmom
-Fifth grade teacher
The word problems in the old books really tripped kiddo up. EDM was particularly bad, where often I couldn't parse the grammar, and do this sort of thing for a living. Kiddo says MIF if full of numbers instead of words, and that makes it much easier to figure out. Kiddo is gifted and dyslexic.
Central Mom
It's okay to have these opinions and to vent to other teachers and parents, and to seek improvements, but the kids shouldn't feel like they are being taught using a "bad" book.
- sixwrens
NE Parent of 3
I wish there were more examples completed for the kid - that's one drawback I see with what's coming home - but IMO better these sheets with no examples than the old sheets where you couldn't even find the darn examples b/c there was so much junk on the page, and the visual clues of what to do next were totally jumbled and distracting. My child couldn't even FIND problems on the old pages - but it's obvious now.
All I can say: tears are declining, and more is getting accomplished. B/c child is less distracted by useless "Did You Know?" boxes and whatnot, child is getting more done faster and feeling better about competence.
Signed - math counts
In 2008 sixty math and science professors at the University of Washington issued a statement expressing concern about the declining level of math competency. Our high remedial rates of math in college should be unacceptable, and a new approach was needed.
I am glad we are moving away from a complicated approach to math. Now it should be expanded to middle and high schools.
S parent
Cheers,
Fifth grade teacher
I'm curious what you mean by "critical thinking skills" when discussing a 5th grade math curriculum.
There's lots of critical thinking skills involved in just knowing the math.
However, I suspect you are referring to questions that bring the math into context.
I'd be concerned that even at the fifth grade level, the focus should be primarily on learning the core concepts. Even fifth grade math is a bit early to begin thinking about it in the context of big world problems.
In my MBA program someone asked our Financial Accounting professor how to be successful in his class if they'd never have accounting before. His response went something like this - "In a setting like this, students have the temptation to form teams and try and learn accounting with study buddies. But in order to be successful in a study group, you need to know something about accounting. And you won't get that from a study group. You'll get it by learning the principles from the lectures, the book, and exercises. Once you learn something, you can then go meet with your group. And once everyone's learned something, we'll start looking at this stuff in greater depth and context."
His statement was pretty accurate for our grad level class. Can't talk about context with out the basics. And I tend to feel that applies as well, to 5th grade math.
Personally, I didn't feel that any of the story problems or so-called critical thinking about math really were worth anything until I got to differential calculus (my 'terminal' math course) in college. Then, and only then, did over a decade of core learning in math come together in a way that could really be used for critical thinking.
northwesterner
Cheers,
Fifth grade teacher
Thanks - northwesterner
TS
-fifth grade teacher
Whittier Parent.
Our daughter has started kindergarten at Wedgwood and is using the Math in Focus Kindergarten book. Having spent two years in preschool it will all be very easy for her, and unless its somehow supplemented or accelerated I don't expect she'll learn much math in school this year. I also listened in on her beginning of year assessment, and there weren't even any simple addition or subtraction questions, like 1 plus 2. But then the district doesn't have a formal differentiation program for kindergarten although I know some of the teacher's at Wedgwood have supplemented in the past.
I reviewed the math books last year in depth, and really liked the Math in Focus books the best. I don't believe any of the books that I reviewed would have solved the acceleration problem.
If 75% of a given school needs to be accelerated based on assessments, then it would seem the policies need to be in place to allow it. If the extension work provided by Math in Focus is insufficient and the district or school doesn't allow acceleration, then it would seem the district should provide supplemental materials for those teacher's that need it. Our own kids like to play math games on the Arcademics website, and so far I haven't seen the district offer any online math for our kids to do at home, so we pay for it.
NEdad