West Chicago kindergarten teacher explains 'in-depth' focus on math
Teachers are the ones to thank for student progress on the math portion of standardized tests, DuPage County school administrators say.
Teachers in such districts as West Chicago Elementary District 33, Carol Stream Elementary District 93 and Indian Prairie Unit District 204 have updated their lessons to better prepare students for the math elements of the Common Core, a set of state standards that are more rigorous than previous requirements to help prepare students for college and careers.
The Daily Herald talked with Karen Brogan, a kindergarten teacher at Wegner Elementary School in West Chicago, to learn how teachers have adjusted curriculum - even at the earliest grades - to provide a more "in-depth" understanding of math concepts.
Here is an edited version of the conversation.
Q: How have you adjusted to teaching math to meet the Common Core standards?
A: Our district took a good look at what we were already teaching and realigned it to the Common Core math standards. I am now teaching math that is more focused and in-depth. The emphasis in kindergarten has returned to 'hands-on-learning' and problem solving. I have had the opportunity for more flexibility with my lessons and can be more creative, not just follow a textbook. I also incorporate lessons which support the many learning styles of the students in my class.
Q: How has the new curriculum changed the type of math exercises students do in the classroom?
A: Students now need to know the 'why' and 'how' of math. They need to unpack their thinking. Students need to demonstrate what they know through pictures, writing or products. In kindergarten, students have to know the shapes. No longer can they just say, 'That's a square.' They need to say, 'It's a square with four sides that are all the same and it has four corners.'
Q: How do you help students who are struggling to meet Common Core standards in math?
A: To help struggling students, I reteach and reteach until they are secure in their knowledge. In the past, we may have retaught the skill a few times and if a student still wasn't mastering it, we had to move on. Now we have reteaching blocks of time just to help students be more successful. At the upper levels there are also math intervention programs to help students achieve their goals.
Q: How do you help students show growth in math on standardized tests?
A: We have local standardized tests for math outcome. All kindergarten teachers administer the same test following the same guidelines. These tests prepare our students for the PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) and MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) test given in various grade levels. There is consistency across the entire district. If a student is not secure in an outcome, we keep reteaching until they are secure. We show growth over a period of time. Parents can see what outcomes their student is secure in and what skills are progressing but need more time and practice.