District Administration - October 2011 - (Page 43)

ADVERTISEMENT Visually-based program helps shrink class size and reinforce core math concepts minD research institute’s visual St math generates genuine interest in learning math hosted by JiJi the penguin who ike many inner city silently indicates if a student has school systems, Virginia’s succeeded in a game by confidentPortsmouth Public School ly crossing a little bridge. District has encountered its share a minD training specialist of obstacles in getting students’ worked with the second and third math skills up to speed. Located on grader teachers at Brighton elthe elizabeth river directly across ementary, the pilot school, for an from norfolk, the city is home to entire day, demonstrating how St norfolk navy Shipyard and the math can be used in the classroom Fifth coast Guard District, making or math lab and the best ways to Portsmouth a center of navel and use the multiple reporting features coast guard activity. of the program. “the teachers imFor some time, the school dis“St math has brought a joy for trict had been looking for a way to learning back into the classroom. mediately liked St math,” said nichols. Because St math needs revitalize its math program without the kids are completely into it.” little facilitation from teachers and saddling teachers with an added allows students to work at their burden, so when David Stuckwisch, superintendent of the 15,000-student school district, heard own pace, teachers are free to work with other students, of St math at a meeting it caught his ear. “What initially at- effectively shrinking the class. “i’ve been told it’s almost like tracted my attention,” said Stuckwisch, “was that St math having another teacher in the classroom,” said Stuckwisch. St math builds on a progression of activities that move had first been successfully used in a low-income area of Los the student from a manipulation of concrete objects to an angeles with students who were language deficient.” it was an approach that Stuckwisch immediately referred application of numbers and symbols, and closely matches to the district’s director of math education Fiona nichols. those recommended by the Virginia State Standard of Learnafter a review of some benchmark testing data and some ing and the national council of teachers of mathematics, acdiscussions with elementary school principals, nichols de- cording to nichols. the result: “students are not only able to cided to pilot St math with some of the school’s second and talk about the mechanisms of the animation, but also explain third graders in 2010-11 as a way of giving students a leg up the mathematics of the task,” added nichols. Because St math actively engages students, “they stay on standardized tests in the third grade. St math is a computer-based supplemental math pro- on task and want to continue on to the next lesson once gram that is primarily language-independent. Developed they’ve finished what they’re working on,” said Stuckby the minD research institute, a non-profit organization wisch. “St math has brought a joy for learning back into in california, it is founded on many years of neuroscience the classroom.” and education research. the k-8 program’s visual approach to math instruction For more information about ST Math, please visit www.mindresearch.net. is incorporated into self-paced activities that align to state standards and complement any textbook. Students work on a series of animated games that have no verbal or written instructions; instead, the program is based on a visual, conceptual and problem-solving approach. activities are L http://www.mindresearch.net http://www.mindresearch.net

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - October 2011

District Administration - October 2011
Contents
From the Editor
Letters
News Update
Transportation Update
District Profile
Administrator Profile
Building a Blended Learning Program
How Are Science Fairs Fairing?
A New Age for Algebra
Early College High Schools
Changing of the Guard in Florida
CIO News
How Much Computing Power Do You Need?
An Unconventional Approach to 1:1
New Books
Problem/ Solution
Research Center
Product Focus
New Products
Professional Opinion
Going Mobile
Online Edge

District Administration - October 2011