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 Math
shouldn't be a struggle
to teach or to learn
Despite our best efforts, including using new teaching
methods, math scores have only improved slightly over the past 16
years.
Researchers believe that the number of students with math
learning difficulties is at least as great as the number of students
with reading problems. Our students must compete in a
technologically advanced society and we are concerned!
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) is so
concerned by the current trends that they have made the first major
shift in math standards in over 15 years.
This shift, entitled Curriculum Focal Points calls for a
balanced approach to math — assuring that the meaningful aspects of
math (concepts and strategies) are balanced with memory intensive
math (facts and procedures). Focal Points calls for an end to math
instruction that is "a mile wide and an inch deep."
Clearly, we need to find better ways to teach math. Too many
students are under performing. Too many teachers are struggling to
teach math effectively. Math should be magic, not a subject to avoid
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There are three Focal Points at each grade
level, replacing dozens
of standards. Students delve deeply into the meaning and memory
aspects of each Focal Point.
Students are left
behind by instruction that rapidly moves on. MMS students are armed with a deep
conceptual understanding of math and a ready store of math facts and
procedures students are fully equipped to become excellent problem
solvers!
This is the Math
Makes Sense! approach to math. |
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Struggling Students Make Huge Gains in 4 Months!
Baltimore City Schools placed 300 of their most at-risk math students on Math
Makes Sense!
In 4 months the students had made almost a year's
progress.
Their teachers reported that the students became eager for math lessons and
asked to do word problems! |
Baltimore City Schools
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This is the Math Makes Sense! solution. A balanced approach to
math memory and meaning for maximized problem solving. Math Makes Sense!
is the first program to align with NCTM Focal Points. Math Makes Sense!
focuses on developing number sense, the key to understanding and
enjoying math instruction." |
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"Number sense: |
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Is the foundation from which alI other mathematical
concepts and ideas arise. |
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Is good intuition about
numbers and their relationships, |
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Not only leads to
automatic use of math information, but also is a key ingredient in the
ability to solve basic arithmetic computations."
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Dr. Russell Gersten,
Eugene Research Institute
and Dr. David Chard, University of Texas,
Austin
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"Consistent with new ideas about learning mathematics
.....number sense and concepts, skills and strategy use must
grow and develop in a coordinated manner for successful
representation and problem solving to occur."
Dr. Curtis L. Pyke,
The George Washington University
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