Today, my father (at 81 years old) and I attended the WCCUSD Parents as Partners and Leaders Conference.
http://www.wccusd.net/page/141
We were primarily interested in the math workshop, entitled Algebra Families of Functions. My goal was to gain a better understanding of how we can help the kids in our community become more proficient in math.
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The conference began with an opening from Dr. Harter, followed by the keynote speaker, Philip Gonsalves, Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Mathematics. Within minutes, Director Gonsalves made me desire to return to school and relearn math the way it is supposed to be taught. My father has a strong math background and was very pleased to hear the direction math instruction has taken.
It is no longer about memorizing formulas and learning to work out problems the one and only way that the instructor has commanded. It is about exploring the concepts and learning to solve problems in all ways possible, even allowing the child to then choose the strategy of their choice for solving that particular problem. The child has been empowered. Director Gonsalves then shared with us the math resources located on the WCCUSD website, complete with guides, solved problems, and presentations.
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http://www.wccusd.net/page/403
We then attended WCCUSD Math Coach Mark Lobaco’s algebra workshop and the fun and exploration continued, complete with use of graphing calculators. I told my dad I never used graphing calculators in school. He reminded me that he hadn’t used calculators period. The age range of attendees was approximately 12 to 81 years. I witnessed kids having a positive math experience. I, too, was able to enjoy the workshop, my math anxiety put at ease by Mark’s engaging teaching style.
I left the conference thinking why shouldn’t our kids be able to learn math? The district has an awesome team ready to help our kids (and teachers) succeed, so we have no excuses not to. The rest is up to us.
With such a positive experience, I was reminded to not focus so much on the negative aspects of our school district. I look forward to next year's 10th Annual Parents as Partners and Leaders Conference.