Same concepts, new style. That’s what our kindergarten through fourth-grade students discovered in their math classes when they returned to school last week. Since the summer, Associate Head of the Lower School Sandra Triplett has worked with Lower School teachers to implement a newly released, upgraded version of the Math in Focus: Singapore Math curriculum. Incorporating a robust technology element, the upgrade is designed with the modern classroom in mind.
Math in Focus has always trained students in problem-solving, but the recent upgrade includes new avenues for students with different learning styles to connect to each lesson’s content. Virtual manipulatives and digital games add a tactile, interactive aspect to each lesson. Also, students now have access to videos for each chapter, which they reach by logging into a personal account where their textbook and problem sets are housed. The new version emphasizes real-world problems to help students see the bridge between what they are learning in the classroom and their daily lives. Each chapter includes a STEAM project, using Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics to a real-life project that requires a creative solution.
“We are really enjoying the new updates with Math in Focus,” said Triplett. “Our teachers have jumped right in and are already using the new technology and other learning tools in their classrooms. The students have also loved the new additions. This upgrade will help our students with problem-solving, technology skills, and challenge them in a whole new way.”
