Small Group Reasoning Emphasized in New Math Program for Middle School Students
Portland, ME, February 28, 2008 --(PR.com)-- Walch Education has just released Station Activities for Mathematics, a three-book set for students in grades 6, 7, and 8. The books allow students to learn mathematics by solving problems, communicating, and reasoning with one another in small groups.
Each book contains 20 activity sets addressing numbers and operations, geometry and measurement, algebra, and data analysis and probability. Each set includes four stations with hands-on activities that allow students to explore and reinforce critical math lessons. These activities employ readily available materials that translate abstract concepts into concrete models.
According to Jill Rosenblum, Walch Education’s Director of Standards and Assessment, “Why do station-based activities work so well? Because they give students multiple opportunities to develop their understanding. At the same time, they give teachers multiple opportunities to circulate, do informal assessments, and provide individual or small-group instruction as needed. These activities were developed and piloted as part of a summer school program that boosted student performance by an average of 37%, with some classrooms’ average improvement as high as 89%."
Teacher support for Station Activities for Mathematics includes discussion guides with suggested prompts that support students as they synthesize the big ideas from their four station experiences. The guide recommends a think-pair-share model to engage all students in the conversation. It lists correct answers and alerts teachers to common errors and misconceptions. Teachers also receive a materials list. (The books themselves do not include the suggested materials for the various station activities.)
Research suggests that a rich environment of hands-on experiences involving meaningful materials can help students make sense of mathematical concepts and solve real world problems. (Sowell, 1989; Hiebert et al., 1997; Kilpatrick, Swafford, and Findell, 2001). And according to Weglinsky’s study (2000) of 7,000 students, those whose teachers conducted hands-on learning activities outperformed their peers by more than 70% of a grade level in mathematics on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Station Activities for Mathematics supplements direct instruction and other classroom exercises. It has been correlated with National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards to complement any math program.
About Walch Education (www.walch.com)
Station Activities for Mathematics continues Walch Education’s reputation for extending and enhancing learning, with flexible solutions for middle school, high school, and beyond, addressing national and state standards as appropriate. Founded 80 years ago, Walch Education’s accessible and affordable products are developed by experts and an in-house educational team, in partnership with leading schools and districts nationwide.
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Each book contains 20 activity sets addressing numbers and operations, geometry and measurement, algebra, and data analysis and probability. Each set includes four stations with hands-on activities that allow students to explore and reinforce critical math lessons. These activities employ readily available materials that translate abstract concepts into concrete models.
According to Jill Rosenblum, Walch Education’s Director of Standards and Assessment, “Why do station-based activities work so well? Because they give students multiple opportunities to develop their understanding. At the same time, they give teachers multiple opportunities to circulate, do informal assessments, and provide individual or small-group instruction as needed. These activities were developed and piloted as part of a summer school program that boosted student performance by an average of 37%, with some classrooms’ average improvement as high as 89%."
Teacher support for Station Activities for Mathematics includes discussion guides with suggested prompts that support students as they synthesize the big ideas from their four station experiences. The guide recommends a think-pair-share model to engage all students in the conversation. It lists correct answers and alerts teachers to common errors and misconceptions. Teachers also receive a materials list. (The books themselves do not include the suggested materials for the various station activities.)
Research suggests that a rich environment of hands-on experiences involving meaningful materials can help students make sense of mathematical concepts and solve real world problems. (Sowell, 1989; Hiebert et al., 1997; Kilpatrick, Swafford, and Findell, 2001). And according to Weglinsky’s study (2000) of 7,000 students, those whose teachers conducted hands-on learning activities outperformed their peers by more than 70% of a grade level in mathematics on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Station Activities for Mathematics supplements direct instruction and other classroom exercises. It has been correlated with National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards to complement any math program.
About Walch Education (www.walch.com)
Station Activities for Mathematics continues Walch Education’s reputation for extending and enhancing learning, with flexible solutions for middle school, high school, and beyond, addressing national and state standards as appropriate. Founded 80 years ago, Walch Education’s accessible and affordable products are developed by experts and an in-house educational team, in partnership with leading schools and districts nationwide.
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Walch Education
John Spritz
800-558-2846, x2544
walch.com
John Spritz
800-558-2846, x2544
walch.com
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