TEACHING MASTERY IN MATH

​In math, especially in 9th grade, mastering the basic skills is essential. If a student can’t solve 1-step equations, then there is no way she will be able to solve 2-step or multi-step equations.

In this lesson (click on the button below to view a sampling of the slides), I introduce the concept of solving equations to my class. I do a few example problems, followed by CFU (check for understanding) questions that students do on a separate sheet of paper and hand in at the end of every class.

As I learned in my Curriculum and Assessment and Differentiated Instruction classes at Azrieli, formative assessments are key to having students meet the learning goals. A formative assessment lets me check student progress over the course of the learning. If a student has achieved the learning goal, I know I’ve taught successfully and she is ready to move on. If a student hasn’t yet achieved the learning goal, I need to consider how to best meet her specific needs to help her learn the material.

A quick CFU like the ones shown in the slides linked to below was very helpful since it came right after we learned how to solve each type of equation. Right away, the students had the opportunity to put what they learned into practice, and ask any lingering questions they still had. I tell my students frequently, “It’s okay to struggle. I’m giving you these questions now so that you’ll struggle here, when we (the teacher, peers) are all here to help, and not at home when you look at problems like this for homework.” The CFUs also give me quick information about where my students are holding. After doing this kind of formative assessment, I still assess my students summatively through homework, quizzes, and tests.

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In this unit, I saw that many of my students were still struggling with the skill even after the CFUs and homework. I gave them extra practice (linked below) followed by lots of review SQUAT! In SQUAT, the students are separated into two teams. Each team sends one girl up to the whiteboard to work a problem. The first one to solve correctly and squat wins that round! The extra assessments and practice helped all of the class achieve mastery over the skill so that they were prepared to progress to the next level. 

Even though the lesson may take a little longer when I use frequent CFUs after every “chunk” of material, that kind of assessment is so valuable that I would never skip it!