SOME COMMENTS MADE BY PARENTS:

• Several parents suggested that the district hold similar programs to share information regarding our reading, language arts and science programs.
• Several parents shared appreciative comments regarding the information shared and suggested that this information would be most valuable if shared at the beginning of the school year.
• Many parents made positive comments and asked the district to continue to share curricular information through the district’s web site and future meetings.
• Actual quote:  “Thanks for an excellent workshop!  I learned about the “why” we have this curriculum and how well it fits into the PSSAs.”

QUESTIONS ASKED BY PARENTS:

How was the Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley Mathematics series chosen?

Six different math textbook series were examined and reviewed by a school district math committee.  This committee was comprised of administrators with math backgrounds and classroom teachers who represented each grade level.  The committee spent numerous hours exploring each series to determine which textbooks would most meet the needs of Penn-Trafford students.  Each of the examined series contained a standards-based curricular focus as determined by the state of Pennsylvania and the federal government.  The Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley series was chosen due to its mixture of traditional and contemporary approaches to math instruction. The series is research-based and ensures that all children will learn the basic math skills and the higher level thinking skills and concepts they will need in order to attain academic success.

How are the skills taught and reinforced?  What is “spiraling”?

This particular math program “spirals” skills.  Spiraling simply means that each mathematic skill is introduced, developed, maintained and applied numerous times within a grade level as well as in subsequent grade levels.

How much time should my child spend doing homework?

The Penn-Trafford School District has homework guidelines which are outlined in the teacher information packet sent home with students.  The math curriculum follows this same format.  The guidelines state that children should expect homework 4 evenings per week.  Use the following formula as a general rule for time spent on homework:

Child’s grade level      X     10 minutes     =     Total minutes spent on homework per night

For example, a fifth grader should expect 45 to 55 minutes of homework, 4 nights per week.  It is recognized that the rate of speed for completing assignments is dependent on work habits.  This policy is approved by the Penn-Trafford School Board.  For additional information on homework help, see the web sites listed at the conclusion of this information.

What is the purpose of the Math Lab?

The math lab is designed to reinforce information received in class.  Sometimes a different approach or additional practice with a new concept or skill helps a student to understand a concept more thoroughly.  The math lab is never meant to take the place of class instruction or to introduce new skills.  Of course, your classroom teacher is your child’s primary teacher.  Always contact your child’s classroom teacher if you ever have any questions, concerns, or a need for clarification.

Why are the “open-ended” math problems (written responses) so important?

To many parents, the written problem solving component of the new math series is difficult to understand.  This is partly because most of today’s parents were never asked to justify their reasoning or logic behind a math solution, in writing, when they were students.  The problem solving and critical thinking component of the math program helps each child to see how math concepts apply to the world around them.  This requires a higher level of thinking, which is similar to the level of thinking required in reading comprehension, process writing, real-life application of acquired knowledge, and inventing new products or theories. Research supports this concept.  In fact, Dr. Karl Albrecht, author of Brain Building, says that logical thinking is an important foundational skill of math. Albrecht states, “The basis of all logical thinking is sequential thought.  This process involves taking the important ideas, facts, and conclusions involved in a problem and arranging them in a chain-like progression that takes on a meaning in and of itself.  To think logically is to think in steps.”  Albrecht shares that “Logical thinking is not a magical process or a matter of genetic endowment, but a learned mental process.”  One of the best ways for students to improve their reasoning skills is to defend their answers to others.  Explaining their thinking on the open ended items encourages this skill.

Your child’s classroom teacher uses a standardized rubric to assess each student’s progress in this area.  A rubric is a predetermined set of correct responses for which a child is given credit when scoring or checking a question.  The rubric is the most objective method to evaluate what most people consider to be subjective material.  If you have questions regarding the standardized rubric used to evaluate your child’s written responses to math problems, feel free to ask your child’s teacher.

What other resources are available to help parents understand NCLB, PA State Standards, PSSA testing, homework, and education in general?

Never hesitate to contact your child’s teacher for clarification or additional information regarding your child’s progress.  In addition to the Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley Mathematics series web site which is currently available to all students in the Penn-Trafford School district, the following web sites are also available as resources to assist parents with understanding information regarding No Child Left Behind Laws, the PA State Standards, PSSA testing, homework assistance and other useful parental assistance:

http://www.pde.state.pa.us

http://www.kidsource.com/

http://www2.edc.org/mathpartners/