PRINCE OF PEACECATHOLIC J SCHOOL

How we pulled our Math scores out of the basement to be the top-

scoring school out of 28 elementary schools in our diocese in 5 years

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DIOCESE SCHOOLS: DID WE MEASURE UP?

 Diocese of Charleston Catholic

Schools Averages 2005POPCS National Percentile

Class Averages 2005

Test 3rd Grade 4th Grade 3rd Grade 4th Grade

Math 75 80 70 x 74 x

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DIOCESE SCHOOLS: HOW DO WE MEASURE UP IN 2010?

Diocese Our School

Grade Math Math3 68 754 70 825 67 856 64 707 68 768 70 74

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NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON: DO WE MEASURE UP?

 US Dept. of Education Blue Ribbon Standard: Top 15%

Nationally

POPCS National PercentileClass Averages

Grade Math Math

3 72

4 71

5 72

6 69

7 70

8 69

75

82

85

70

76

74

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R

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How did we raise math scores and raise enrollment?

Can we account for it? If so, you can market your

strategy and “sell” your expertise. “Yes we can raise your child’s math scores because we know what we’re doing!”

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There are two kinds of math kids: Some get math: they’ll be in

Algebra I by 8th grade and grow up to be engineers & scientists.

Some don’t get math: they’ll grow up to be all kinds of things . . . But they’ll say to their family and friends as adults“I’m not a math person.”

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If this is your vision for your students: GIVE UP RIGHT NOW!

There are two people involved in the learning process: The Teacher The Learner

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Training the teacher is up to you!

The Learner (in mathematics) needs to do TWO things to be successful.

Thing One: PRACTICE ALOT

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10www.simplesolutions.org

What are we practicing? We are reinforcing the BASICS

Place Value

Operations (+ / - / x / ÷)

Algorithms (rules which if done properly get you the right answer)

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08/2008: Pilot Simple

Solutions in 3rd Grade

Test again . . .3 years UP on the Grade Equivalency Scale in just one year!

Focused Effort in 2008-2009 school year

But reinforcing the basics, place value, operations, and algorithms are only the beginning.

Besides, the problem with algorithms are that children forget what they’re doing . . .

Let’s look at an example13

How do you know this equation is

correct?

2 ÷ ½ = 1

Oops, it’s Wrong!

2 ÷ ½ = 12 1 2 2 4 1 2 1 1 1

4The Algorithm: Invert & Multiply: BUT WHY?

Okay, so are you now sure you know this is correct?

2 ÷ ½ = 4

How many halves are in 2?

2 ÷ ½ =

The Learner (in mathematics) needs to do TWO things to be successful.

Thing One: PRACTICE A LOT

Thing Two: TEACH THEM TO THINK THE WAY TOP MATH STUDENTS THINK

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John brought his camera on a 4-day rafting trip. Each day, he took 6 more pictures than the day before. He took 15 pictures on the third day. How many pictures did John take during the trip? [Samantha 4th Grade]

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John brought his camera on a 4-day rafting trip. Each day, he took 6 more pictures than the day before. He took 15 pictures on the third day. How many pictures did John take during the trip?

3RD GRADE CHALLENGE PROBLEM:

?

Day 2

Day 3

Day 16

15

6 + 6 = 1215 – 12 = 3John took 3 pictures on the 1st day

John took 48 pictures during the

trip?

?

6

6

Day 4

15

6

3+(3+6)+(15)+(15+6) = 48

3

3

3

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John brought his camera on a 4-day rafting trip. Each day, he took 6 more pictures than the day before. He took 15 pictures on the third day. How many pictures did John take during the trip? [Samantha 4th Grade]

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Teaching MATH Thinking: Reading Comprehension Mapping out the problem with diagrams

and models Writing the mathematical equation

(number sentence) Returning to the original question and

answering it Have the students do it COLLABORATIVELY.

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WHAT IS THE TIMSS?

TrendsInternationalMathematics &ScienceStudy

Every 4 years50 countries4th & 8th Grade

Each country is required to draw a random, nationally representative sample of students and schools.

In the U.S. fourth grade, 500 schools and 9,829 students participated.

Grade four Grade eight

Country Average score CountryAverage

score

TIMSS scale average 500 TIMSS scale average 500

Hong Kong SAR 607 Chinese Taipei 598

Singapore 599 Korea, Rep. of 597

Chinese Taipei 576 Singapore 593

Japan 568 Hong Kong SAR 572

Kazakhstan 549 Japan 570

Russian Federation 544 Hungary 517

England 541 England 513

Latvia 537 Russian Federation 512

Netherlands 535 United States 508

Lithuania 530 Lithuania 506

United States 529 Czech Republic 504

Germany 525 Slovenia 501

Denmark 523 Armenia 499

Australia 516 Australia

2007 TIMSS RESULTSAverage math scores fourth and eighth grade students

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From the Framework: July 2011