Sunday, February 22, 2015

Articulation of Common Core Math Across Grade Levels



I think that looking at the articulation of the various grade levels will be really helpful for me. I used to teach middle school, 6th grade math, and we meet as a Math department and did this type of work. I thought it was really helpful and miss it. I also did similar work in a private constructivist school I worked at for a long time. Having those perspectives is helpful, but things are constantly changing and we are now rolling out CCCS. 

Now, I am back in elementary and teaching a 4/5 split. This articulation would be helpful for me, as it would be helpful to know what to build upon so I can get through two years of curriculum this year. My class needs to cover it all, and it is difficult to even figure that out with the huge resources of the standards and with even multiple curricula available. It is my fear that something will get left out, and yet I am trying to take the time to teach each concept fully.    
I offered at my school, to lead a group of teachers to study Van der Walle:Teaching Student-Centered Mathematics: Developmentally Appropriate Instruction for Grades 3-5, but there were no takers! I think we need to have these groups, even if it is forced upon us. It is NOT do as you have always done. Last year Common Core was introduced to us midstream, this is our first year of implementation. 
I was delighted to learn in the reading that we are now aligning ourselves with the Math as taught in Singapore and Japan, I think taking one mathematical approach that build conceptually upon the previous years is a much more sane way to go. Maybe even I will to go back to school! kidding!

1 comment:

  1. Charlene,

    I also found studying the progression of mathematics from 2nd, 3rd, and 4th to be very helpful in understanding the importance of developing these mathematical concepts and in finding out more about what students were already bringing into the classroom.

    I also agree that it is a time of instructional change and teaching how it has always been done simply doesn't cut it anymore. However, I do understand teacher's reluctance to abandon the teaching strategies they have been using for years, since it is something they already know so well and have spent so much time perfecting.

    Adapting our teaching practice to the CCSS will take time and effort, as we learn more about what the CCSS and the reasoning behind it.

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