Overview - Mathematics
Cornerstone Prep provides over 85 minutes per day on
mathematics in the lower school. Students participate in a daily Math Meeting
where they use various tenets of “Calendar Math” and where teachers introduce a
specific mathematical skill for the day.
Further, students receive 85 minutes
of general mathematics instruction daily.
Also, students receive over 300
minutes of math instruction per week which exceeds district mandates by 25
minutes per day.
Cornerstone Prep uses a traditional mathematics textbook (such
as Saxon Math or Everyday Math) while incorporating supplemental,
standards-based instruction based on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’
Curriculum Framework as these standards exceed Tennessee standards in academic
rigor.
Math Problem Solving
In addition to the mathematics meeting and general mathematics
instruction, students receive 30 minutes of math problem solving instruction
each day.
According to a Dr. Ann Singleton, noted author of mathematics
instructional texts for teachers and a member of the National Council on
Teaching Mathematics (NCTM), one of the Big Ideas of Mathematics is to “let the
children see it.”[1]
Math problem solving will give students more practice in “seeing” math,
understanding the concepts, and solving problems. In the math problem solving
lessons, students learn to decipher mathematics language to determine the
appropriate math function required to solve the problems as well as lessons on
problem solving techniques, looking for key words, and the algorithms needed
for math computation.
Cornerstone Prep teachers provide instruction on solving word
problems and story problems whether they are one-step, two-step, or multi-step
in design. As students progress through the school, their problem solving
activities become increasingly more challenging to prepare students for success
on state and national assessments.
Math problem solving helps students develop
critical thinking skills. Students work on word problems, logic, and a host of
other types of mathematics problems to hone their mathematical problem solving
skills.
[1] Singleton,
A. Ph.D. (2001). Teaching Mathematics to
All Children: Designing and Adapting Instruction to Meet the Needs of Diverse
Learners.