Rewrite of Westwood Regional Mathematics Curriculum Meant to Improve Learning

The mathematics curriculum for the Westwood Regional School District is getting an upgrade to move it in line with the Common Core State Standards, which New Jersey has adopted.

Math Supervisor for grades K-12 Diane Carroll explained the changes at the Board of Education meeting last week. She said with the new standards, there is more of an emphasis on active engagement and making connections between math, science and technology. "It's doing math rather than just doing algorithms that produce one right answer," Carroll said.

The new Common Core Standards, which New Jersey adopted along with 45 other states, has an implementation process over three years starting with kindergarten through second grade and moving up the ranks, Carroll said.

One of the changes for the Westwood Regional School District is the starting year of an accelerated track. With the new curriculum, Carroll said instead of beginning accelerated math in sixth grade, it will start in seventh grade. This way, she said, no content would be skipped in sixth grade and it will allow students to "build those strong foundations in order to prepare them for success later on."

Carroll said assessments are being standardized so midterms and final exams "address the rigors of state assessments and prepare our kids for success all across the board."

Test preparation for the NJ ASK and HSPA is another area of focus Carroll said. She said test prep is "more out in the open" this year for students.

Carroll said the math department is revising the curriculum consistent with the unit design format, "but teachers are rewriting everything." She explained that the lessons are more in depth with a focus on essential questions.

In addition to helping students who may struggle with math, Carroll said the department has expanded its AP program to cater to high achieving math students. The district currently has both AB and BC AP Calculus and AP Statistics. Carroll said the department is developing curriculum to offer an AP Computer Science course as well.

For students in grades K-5, Carroll said action plans have started within each school and the next step is making revisions. "The 2011 curiulum revision will need to take place as that's the first grade for implementation," she said. "We've been laying the groundwork to start the writing."

During the process, Carroll said she has gotten positive feedback from both teachers and students about the changes that have already been made and believes the revisions will be positive for the district.

"I did commonly see that math is fun. Students are learning and enjoying math. Many, many, many of them said, 'When I'm confused I have a teacher that helps, that explains it, that clears it up,'" Carroll said. "Teachers are making a difference. And it was clear to me that we're moving in the right direction."