Mathematics

 

Tulare City School District’s math program focuses on the California Common Core State Standards in Mathematics and reflects the importance of focus, coherence, and rigor. We are committed to providing mathematics education for all students that support college and career readiness and the knowledge of skills necessary to fully participate in the twenty-first-century global economy.

Concept Development
The instructional part of a math lesson is designed to explore, develop, and teach the mathematics concept that is the learning goal for the lesson. Several resources may be used for this component (e.g. textbooks, manipulatives, Thinking Maps, student math journals, etc). Instruction should follow the Launch, Explore, Summarize Instructional Model. Every concept development lesson should include a formative assessment to monitor student progress. Formative assessments can be formal or informal, stand-alone, or embedded in the lesson. The results should inform future instructional decisions.

Math Routines
Routines are based on mental math and student thinking. They are used to introduce a new skill, review learned skills, or address prerequisite skills necessary to address key grade-level standards. When students discuss math concepts and strategies they develop a much deeper understanding. Formative assessments and diagnostic results should be used to determine the content of Math Routine skills.

Facts Practice
The mastery of “basic facts” is essential for developing number sense and problem-solving skills including accuracy, efficiency, and flexibility. We build fluency with purposeful instruction, consistent practice opportunities, and balanced assessments. Fact mastery is based on teaching increasingly sophisticated strategies to students so they move beyond counting strategies to automatic recall.

Intervention
The purpose of intervention in a balanced math program is to fill the conceptual/procedural gaps in understanding some students may have developed. An effective intervention component has a process in place to identify gaps in need of remediation; determine the nature of the remedy (conceptual or procedural); isolate the specific skill or knowledge piece and address it; and evaluate the results. The intervention component should provide support for students in meeting grade-level standards and should not be the math program by itself.