REPORTS TO THE BOARD

Teaching and Learning Report

To: Michael Green

From: Asha Riley

Date: March 20, 2019

Re: Teaching and Learning

K-4 Curriculum Guides:

Curriculum guides outline the resources teachers should use to cover student learning standards in their grade level. In the past, we’ve relied on principals and veteran teachers to inform new staff what curriculum we use for each subject. It’s time we articulated these resources in written form that all staff can access.

I am currently working on documenting curriculum guides for each grade level K-4.  These guides will be particularly helpful to staff who change grade levels in the upcoming K-4 reconfiguration.

These curriculum guides will help our teachers who may be new to a grade level, identify our adopted curriculum per subject, the recommended length of time necessary for instruction, and assessments we agree to measure student achievement with. These key pieces of information will help our teachers, plan and pace instruction appropriately, as well as record student achievement so that others can reference it in future grades.

K-4 Math Adoption Update:

Following a highly successful pilot of the materials, the K-4 Math Adoption Committee unanimously recommends adoption of the Ready Math for use in all K-4 math classes.

Ready Mathematics helps teachers create a rich classroom environment in which students at all levels become active, real-world problem solvers. Through teacher-led instruction, students develop mathematical reasoning, engage in discourse, and build strong mathematical habits. The program’s instructional framework supports educators as they strengthen their teaching practices and facilitates meaningful discourse that encourages all learners. Ready Mathematics:

• Encourages students to develop a deeper understanding of mathematics concepts through the embedded Standards for Mathematical Practice.
• Builds on students’ prior knowledge with lessons that make connections within and across grade levels and directly address the major focus of the grade.
• Incorporates a classroom mathematics routine that promotes conversations and increases accessibility of the mathematics for all students.
• Prepares students for the challenges of the state assessment with tasks and activities that have a balance of conceptual understanding, procedural skills, fluency, and application.

Ready Mathematics is a rigorous, yet reachable mathematics program that, when layered with i‑Ready, offers a fully integrated blended (offering online and direct teacher instruction) learning program. This innovative solution was built from scratch by a print and digital development team to align to the standards and to work together seamlessly. When Ready is implemented with i‑Ready as a complimentary digital program, teachers get robust data to guide their instruction, while each student receives a personalized online instruction path to complement the instruction and practice in Ready Mathematics.