Schools
Collaborative approach adds up to math success for UCS sixth graders
Students show achievement gains with new math strategies
What happens when math becomes a team sport?
Student achievement grows, confidence builds and excitement adds up.
The collaborative approach to solving math problems is one of the key centerpieces of strategies being used with DeKeyser Elementary students to improve learning by creating a “thinking classroom” in math.
“This approach gets students to think,” said sixth grade DeKeyser teacher Darlene Vachon.
The DeKeyser initiative began after Vachon participated in a recent district book study for UCS teachers on Building Thinking Classrooms, By Peter Liljedahl.
“What research found through this author is that students will often mimic that they were taught, instead of just fundamentally thinking for themselves,” she said. “These strategies create a deeper thinking, and it also offers them a chance to collaborate every day with different people.”
Recently, DeKeyser sixth graders were broken into small groups and challenged to define and identify specific algebraic principles The groups discussed their path to finding the answers, with students taking turns being the team leaders.
DeKeyser students said that they are clearly seeing a difference in how they view math.
“It’s more challenging so you have to stretch your thinking,” Eva Nasceif said. “This is actually really good because we are getting better at learning math.”
And there is data to show that it is working. DeKeyser students recently tested in the 93rd percentile for growth in NWEA standardized math assessment math tests. Even as important, students are now excited about math.
“We saw their motivation grow and everybody now has a voice,” she said.
Prior to becoming a Utica Community Schools teacher, Vachon was an adjunct professor at the The University of Detroit Mercy teaching remedial math to struggling students. Without a strong background, the students struggled in successfully following their career tracks., especially nursing.
DeKeyser sixth grader Carter Ramsey recognizes this importance of math to his other studies, even at an early age. Math is essential to his science courses and is key to solving word problems in English class, he said.
“If you understand math, you can do other subjects,” he said.
Vachon said math success will continue to open doors for students long into their future.
Source: Utica Community Schools
Superintendent Robert S. Monroe
