|
|
 Math scores for students across the US have declined since the start of the pandemic, according to the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (known as the “Nation’s Report Card”). For fourth graders, only 36 were found proficient in math. Even worse were the scores for eighth graders: only 26 percent proficient in math. The term “proficient” means that the students have demonstrate competency in the subject matter in their grade level.  What does this mean for schools? Students need to focus on academic recovery. Students need to get back their math knowledge, and fast. Since math instruction builds on what students have previously learned, more and more students will be set back if they aren’t given the tools to catch up first.  Brick Math is a perfect solution for schools, teachers, and parents who want to help their elementary and middle school students catch up in math. Brick Math teaches 11 subjects of basic math using LEGO® bricks. Modeling math with bricks helps students understand what the math means. The program is perfect for students who are struggling and haven’t learned through other teaching methods. It’s adaptable to all learning environments: whole-class instruction, small groups, and individual tutoring.  The school district of Davidson County, North Carolina, recently brought in Brick Math throughout the district to help bring their students back to levels of math proficiency. According to Dr. Deana Coley, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction for the district, “We asked our teachers which program students would have the most success with, and overwhelmingly, the teachers requested Brick Math.”  Brick Math is a K-6 math curriculum that uses LEGO® bricks to model 11 different math subjects: Counting, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division, Basic Fractions, Basic Measurement, Fraction Multiplication, Fraction Division, Advanced Measurement and Geometry, and Decimals. It works for math intervention, enrichment, as a whole-school program, and even homeschooling. Materials are simple and affordable. If you teach math or have a student at home who is learning K - 6th grade math, check brickmath.com. The website includes videos for both teacher training and direct instruction of students. You can learn more about how Brick Math improves students' math test scores and hear what people who are using Brick Math have to say about the program.
0 Comments
 There are a number of recent research studies that assess the effects of online and hybrid learning during the past three pandemic-affected school years. The studies show that math scores have dropped considerably during this time, even more than reading. According to an Education Week article, students are 12 weeks behind where they should be in math – about four months, or one-third of a typical 36-week school year.  There is a lot of federal funding available for academic intervention and support to help kids catch up. Many experts recommend a multi-pronged approach to helping students get back on track: tutoring, after-school programs, summer school, and/or lengthening the school year.  Brick Math is a very effective curriculum for math intervention and support in grades K – 6. The program teaches basic math by modeling with LEGO bricks, so the process is tactile, easy to understand, and fun! Brick Math is designed to work in different settings: whole-class, small group, and one-on-one. It is simple to adopt in any of the support approaches a school chooses, as a tutoring curriculum, or part of an after-school or summer program.  Recommendations also include the need for schools to implement their intervention strategies as soon as possible, and the funding timeline will help reinforce a speedy plan: schools have only two years to spend the money allocated to help students catch up. That's another plus for Brick Math -- the brick modeling techniques are easy for teachers to learn. There are only a few materials needed: a lesson book for the teacher, a student workbook for each student, and a brick set for every one or two students using the program. As schools try to get back to "normal" this year, the Brick Math curriculum can help bring your students back where they should be in math.  Brick Math is a K-6 math curriculum that uses LEGO® bricks to model 11 different math subjects: Counting, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division, Basic Fractions, Basic Measurement, Fraction Multiplication, Fraction Division, Advanced Measurement and Geometry, and Decimals. It works for homeschooling, math intervention, enrichment, and as a whole-school program. Materials are simple and affordable.
If you teach math or have a student at home who is learning K - 6th grade math, check brickmath.com. The website includes videos for both teacher training and direct instruction of students. You can learn more about how Brick Math improves students' math test scores and hear what people who are using Brick Math have to say about the program. |