As a teacher who has worked with a diverse range of students, from those with multiple disabilities to high achievers, I've seen firsthand how the right combination of teaching methods can revolutionize mathematics education. I want to share my experience with the original University of Chicago's Everyday Mathematics curriculum and how incorporating Mountain Math as a spiraling review helped me achieve remarkable results with all my students.
Starting in Special Education
I began my career as a self-contained cross-categorical teacher, working with students who had various levels of disabilities, including many with dual disabilities. The first math program I taught was Everyday Math, and I was initially overwhelmed. With such a diverse group of learners, I wasn't sure where to start.
I reached out to the Everyday Math coordinator for guidance, explaining that I was teaching K-5 students. Their advice was simple but profound: "Just stick with the games to teach the foundational skills to build number sense and numeracy." This approach turned out to be a game-changer.
By focusing on the games, I was able to engage students at all levels. The games provided a non-threatening, enjoyable way to build essential mathematical concepts. To my amazement, I found that even in this self-contained class, I had students performing at grade level. This early success showed me the power of Everyday Math's approach, especially for struggling learners.
Transitioning to a New District
When I moved to a new district, I was thrilled to discover they were already using Everyday Math. This wasn't just any version of Everyday Math, but the original University of Chicago Math program known for its deep spiral approach. Having seen its benefits in my special education classroom, I was excited to implement it with a broader range of students.
The deep spiral approach of Everyday Math proved to be incredibly beneficial. It allowed me to:
1. Bring up the skills of struggling students through consistent review and practice.
2. Stretch high-achieving students by continually revisiting concepts at deeper levels.
3. Provide multiple entry points for learning, accommodating diverse learning styles and abilities.
Adding Mountain Math: The Missing Piece
As effective as Everyday Math was, I realized after a while that we needed a bit more review, especially spiraling review. This led us to adopt Mountain Math as a complementary program. The combination was powerful:
1. Everyday Math provided the core curriculum and the deep spiral approach.
2. Mountain Math offered daily, quick spiral reviews of key concepts.
3. The games from Everyday Math continued to build foundational skills and engagement.
4. Math Boxes from Everyday Math reinforced concepts through regular practice.
This multi-faceted approach allowed me to create a robust mathematics program that met the needs of all my students.
The Results: Consistent Growth for All Students
The impact of this combined approach was significant and consistent. My students were able to make almost two years of growth consistently, across all ability levels. This wasn't just a one-time occurrence, but a repeatable pattern year after year.
Key observations:
1. Struggling students caught up more quickly, building confidence along the way.
2. Average students pushed beyond grade-level expectations.
3. High-achieving students were consistently challenged and showed remarkable growth.
4. The spiral approach ensured that concepts were truly mastered, not just momentarily understood.
Reflection and Advice for Fellow Educators
Looking back on my journey from a special education classroom to a general education setting, I'm struck by the versatility and effectiveness of this approach. Whether working with students with significant learning challenges or those who are academically gifted, the combination of Everyday Math's games and spiral curriculum with Mountain Math's consistent review proved to be a powerful tool.
To my fellow educators, especially those working with diverse learners, I encourage you to consider this multi-faceted approach:
1. Don't underestimate the power of mathematical games in building foundational skills.
2. Embrace the spiral curriculum - it may seem repetitive at first, but it's key to deep, lasting understanding.
3. Supplement your core curriculum with consistent review tools like Mountain Math.
4. Be patient - the results may not be immediate, but they are profound and lasting.
Remember, our goal is to create confident, capable mathematical thinkers at all levels. In my experience, combining the original Everyday Mathematics, its games, Math Boxes, and Mountain Math provides a comprehensive system to achieve this goal for all students, regardless of their starting point.
I've updated the opinion piece to reflect your specific experiences, starting with your role as a self-contained cross-categorical teacher and moving through your transition to a new district. The piece now highlights:
1. Your initial experience with Everyday Math in a special education setting, focusing on games to build foundational skills.
2. The success you saw even with students with various disabilities.
3. Your transition to a new district already using the original University of Chicago Everyday Math program.
4. The addition of Mountain Math to provide more spiraling review.
5. The combination of Everyday Math games, Math Boxes, the core Everyday Math curriculum, and Mountain Math.
6. The consistent results you saw, with students making almost two years of growth across all ability levels.
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