Things are changing in math classrooms across the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board.
The board heard at their monthly meeting on Monday night about vertical learning, a way to make learning more inclusive and allow for more thinking.
Instead of the traditional way of learning, with a teacher standing up in front of the classroom, and the students all taking notes, these new strategies see students placed into groups where they will solve problems on whiteboards together. This allows the teacher to keep an eye on everyone so they can help those who may be struggling to understand the concepts, while giving those who have solved the problems an extension to keep their learning growing.
The board heard from teachers from kindergarten all the way to Grade 12 about how this new learning style lets all students not only feel like they belong in the math classroom but gives them confidence in their math skills.
Those in primary school learn through “number talks” and the older students develop strategies through “building thinking math”.
One teacher noted the students are benefiting from learning facts rather than trying to memorize everything.
Hastings Prince Edward District School Board Director of Education Mandy Savery-Whiteway. (Photo: Amanda Smith/Quinte News)
Director of Education Mandy Savery-Whiteway says this kind of teaching has taken about two years to get to this point and they are already seeing the benefits.
The teachers noted this also allows them to focus more on the fundamentals of math such as working with numbers, understanding number properties, mastering math facts, developing mental math skills and developing proficiencies with operations.
Savery-Whiteway says this is taking their learning to a whole new level.
It was noted there is more than just math skills being developed through these new learning strategies. The students are helping each other to learn which is developing their leadership skills as well as fostering a sense of community within the classroom and the school.
Savery-Whiteway says getting this new system in place has taken a couple of years to get rolled out but it is now also being rolled out into other classes such as physics and data management.
She says they are looking forward to how these new strategies will reflect on EQAO results for the Hastings Prince Edward District School Board.
Last year, 48% of HPEDSB Grade 3 students were at or above the provincial standard (compared to 61% province wide). In Grade 6 students, 33% met the standard (compared to 49% province wide). Grade 9 students in applied math saw 37% meet or exceed the standard (45% province wide) and those in academic math had 78% meet or exceed the standard (84% in Ontario).
You can view the most recent EQAO results for HPEDSB here.
