NEWS FROM THE CLASSROOM

All About the Mathematics

News from the Middle School classroom

December 19, 2021

Written by: Mrs. Kamille L. Dawson

Middle School Science/Math Teacher

 

Joyeuses Fêtes mes amis!!! 

I know we are all gearing up for this holiday vacation. Today I am going to take a break from my first love, Science and talk about my best friend Maths, Mathematics that is. After spending several years in the Middle East the word Maths is finally settling with me, which they adopted from the British school systems.

First things first, let me reintroduce the Math curriculum we use at PNA.

COLLEGE PREPARATORY MATH

ORIGIN

CPM was born with two Eisenhower grants between 1989 and 1995 when a group of 30 math teachers in and around Sacramento, CA came together in a grassroots effort to change the way mathematics courses were taught. Within two years of the first grant, more than 500 teachers were using CPM materials, and within three years well more than 1,000 teachers were supported by CPM materials and professional development. By the end of the decade, CPM was a core curriculum in more than 20 percent of California schools. More importantly, teachers reported that after taking CPM’s Algebra 1 course, students no longer asked “What am I ever going to use this for?” — an indicator of meaningful mathematical experiences. Excerpt from www.cpm.org/origin-story 

PHILOSOPHY

Mathematics is not just a “pretty face” however! Mathematics is useful. It is the language of the sciences and of life. From the mathematical modeling of the growth of a colony of bacteria to the mathematics that explains the physics of an airplane’s flight, math permeates our lives. The landscaper who needs to know the amount of mulch to cover the garden spaces and the school cafeteria chef who needs to calculate a recipe for 400 students, both use mathematics to be successful. Daily, people use the power of mathematics to explain, explore, conjecture, test, and prove. The uses of mathematics are boundless. Excerpt from www.cpm.org/philosophy 

This school year I have the opportunity to teach two of CPM’s Accelerated Pathways. Course Connection 1 distributes the acceleration over grades 6 & 7 and Course Connection 2 distributes the acceleration over grades 7 & Algebra 1. The ultimate goal of these two CMP accelerated pathways is for students to matriculate into  Core Connections Algebra / Core Connections Integrated I in the 8th grade. 

CPM is the first Math curriculum that I’ve worked with that uses problem-based lessons, collaborative student study teams,  and spaced practice with course concepts. When I introduce a new Chapter to the students, we don’t simply dive into the standard. The standard is built and presented to them step by step in the most comprehensive way. What I like most is that Math is being introduced in the most realistic way, so that students can apply what they learn to real world situations.

Let’s see the students in action!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for taking the time to read my Blog.

Enjoy your Holiday, stay healthy, be safe and blessed. But until next time I leave you with this quote by the first Jewish American Mathematician at Columbia University Edward Kasner.

“Mathematics is the Science which uses easy words for hard lessons.

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