Math is a universal language. ACPS is committed to ensuring that every student becomes fluent in this language and develops the skills, concepts and understanding essential to using math in everyday life.
Students need to be able to reason and make sense of and connections to real-world situations. They need knowledge and skills that prepare them to apply math in a variety of contexts in their everyday lives.
We know that math needs to be a focus in ACPS, particularly at the secondary level. We have a dedicated team working to improve our teaching and learning in this area.
ACPS math classrooms are evolving to reflect the very best in teaching and learning strategies. We are committed to ensuring that our diverse student population receives instruction that emphasizes key math vocabulary; hands-on structures, models, and visual representations of key math skills and concepts; and problem-solving strategies they need to be successful in math.
Math education today focuses on:
- Helping students develop a repertoire of skills and strategies for solving different types of problems.
- Teaching students how to make connections between different areas of math and between math and other disciplines.
- Helping students to clarify their thinking and deepen their understanding of math using many different methods of communication, including discussing, reading, writing and listening.
- Using different representations of math—graphical, numerical, algebraic, verbal and physical.
- Using strategies to justify thinking and evaluate conclusions by reasoning from a variety of perspectives.
Best practices in our math classrooms mean that:
- Teachers and students believe everyone can learn math at high levels.
- Math is visual.
- The environment is filled with wonder and curiosity.
- Communication and connections are valued.
- The classroom is a risk-taking, mistake-valuing environment.
Finally, ACPS is committed to careful and ongoing monitoring of students’ progress in math. Schools are using a wide range of data collection and analysis strategies to ensure that every student is succeeding in math—and can truly speak and apply this important universal language.
ACPS 2020 is built upon six goals: Academic Excellence and Educational Equity, Family and Community Engagement, An Exemplary Staff, Facilities and the Learning Environment, Health and Wellness, Effective and Efficient Operations.
This is the second of three posts on Academic Excellence and Educational Equity. The first shared about the implementation of Professional Learning Communities. The results achieved in year two of the other five goals will be presented to the School Board over the next two months.