• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Search our Website

Parent Portal FIM Portal

IEE

Changing the Conversation

  • PD & Coaching
  • Tools
    • Virtual PD
    • Virtual Learning Support
    • Products
  • Research
    • Grants
    • Schools to Watch
    • Get Involved
  • About
    • About IEE
    • Our Team
    • Success Stories
    • Careers
    • Blog
    • Contact
  • FIM Portal

Upgrading Math Class – Difficulty #2

October 29, 2019 by Gwen Kelliher

Difficulty #2: TARGETED INTERVENTION
Math Strengths and Stretches (MSS):

Math Strengths and Stretches is a unique system that helps meet the needs of all students, no matter where they are in the learning process. MSS allows students to work freely within the concrete-pictorial-abstract continuum of learning. Students can build, draw, and solve problems to help increase understanding. When students can use colored counters, Base-10 Blocks, Unifix Cubes, or other manipulatives to help them solve problems, student engagement and understanding increases.

Math Strengths and Stretches moves
students through the build-draw-solve
continuum of learning.

Data currently shows that, developmentally, students should begin the learning process at the “concrete” stage, using manipulatives to help understand new concepts. Unfortunately, 80% of the time, teachers begin instruction in the “abstract” phase – they immediately provide the algorithm so students can plug in numbers to arrive at a solution. Without building the problem with their hands or drawing it first, using the algorithm becomes a magic trick that provides the answer. Instead, students need background knowledge about why the algorithm works. Even accelerated students sometimes struggle to create visuals of mathematical concepts. MSS breaks down key concepts for students experiencing difficulties while inviting gifted students to be creative and try solving problems in different ways.

 

Upgrading Math Class Series:
Introduction
Difficulty #1 – Information Retention
Difficulty #2 – Targeted Intervention
Difficulty #3 – Providing Social-Emotional Learning

Educational excellence

Primary Sidebar

Categories

  • Adaptive Schools
  • Assessment
  • Coaching
  • Collaboration
  • Developing Groups
  • Education
  • Educational excellence
  • Educational Leadership
  • Events
  • Instructional Strategies
  • Leadership
  • Learning
  • Parent Portal
  • Press
  • Professional Learning Communities
  • Reflection
  • School Planning
  • Shared Leadership
  • Student Engagement
  • Student Motivation
  • Teaching Strategies
  • Video Blog

Join our Email List!

Footer

Professional Learning

  • PDs & Coaching
    • PDs
    • Coaching
  • Products
    • Accountable Talking Stems (set of 30)
    • Brag Tags
    • Flippin’ Great Strategies
    • Math Strengths and Stretches sets
    • Strides Kit
  • Research
    • Grants
    • Schools to Watch
    • Get Involved

Upcoming Events

  1. Online Course – “Mastering Middle School: Young Adolescent Physical Development”

    December 1, 2020 - February 15, 2021
  2. Online Course – “Mastering Middle School: Adolescent Moral Development”

    December 1, 2020 - February 15, 2021
  3. Online Course – “Mastering Middle School: Adolescent Social Development”

    December 1, 2020 - February 15, 2021

View All Events

Cart

Blog

  • Blog

About

  • About
    • Our Team
    • Success Stories
    • Careers

Contact Us

  • Contact Us
    • (989) 317-3510
    • info@excellenceined.org
    • 711 W. Pickard street, Mount Pleasant, MI 48858

Copyright © 2021 · IEE · Sitemap

Website Development by LimeCuda