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Haldane Middle School Acceleration. Balancing Equity and Excellence. 1. Defining acceleration 2. Middle School Philosophy 3. Changes to our present model 4. Math & Science Department Sequence 5. Research on Algebra Readiness. What is acceleration?.
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Haldane Middle School Acceleration • Balancing Equity and Excellence 1. Defining acceleration 2. Middle School Philosophy 3. Changes to our present model 4. Math & Science Department Sequence 5. Research on Algebra Readiness
What is acceleration? • Students are exposed to content before such skills and concepts are mandated by state standards. • Curriculum moves at a rapid pace, demanding motivation and commitment by the student.
What subject areas provide for Regents credit in 8th grade? • Integrated Algebra • Living Environment
How do Regents courses fit within a middle school philosophy? • Rigor and challenge are middle school values • “Understanding that students have differences in learning rates for different subject areas in different kinds of materials at different stages of development is crucial to school patterns of curriculum and instruction.” -Van Tassel-Baska, 2000 • Preparation for high school coursework is a middle school responsibility • Course selection in high school is important
When should acceleration be offered to students? After 7th? After 5th? After 6th?
Why change the historical delivery of acceleration at Haldane? • Developmentally Responsive • Socially Equitable
What, if any, challenges does such a change present to curriculum readiness and mastery of content? • None in Living Environment • Given the sequential nature of mathematics, curricular challenges are presented to algebra readiness in 8th grade.
Present 7th Grade Cohort • Those not presently in acceleration but have demonstrated motivation and mastery of 7th grade content will have opportunity to enroll in Integrated Algebra next year. • Math “lab” will accommodate the loss in accelerated curriculum this year.
How will we ensure algebra readiness given the change of accelerating students after 7th grade rather than the historical Haldane model of 6th grade?
Curricular realignment in grades 4-7 that ensure algebra readiness for all 8th graders
7th Grade Accelerated Coursework • Equations and inequalities • Graphing lines • Sequences and functions • Polynomials
What is the sequence for math? Calculus Geometry Pro g Statistics Tri try
Opportunity for college credit and participation in AP mathematics courses exists for both accelerated and non-accelerated students in high school at Haldane.
Mathematics(Common Sequence) Accelerated Student Integrated Algebra (R) 8th Geometry (R) 9th Algebra II & Trigonometry (R) 10th Intro to Calculus 11th Business Math (college credit) 12th AP Statistics AP Calculus
Non-Accelerated Student Non-accelerated sequence to take Calculus Integrated Algebra (R) Geometry (R) 9th Algebra II & Trigonometry (R) Geometry (R) 10th Algebra II & Trigonometry (R) Intro to Calculus Business Math (college credit) 11th Intro to Calculus Business Math (college credit) 12th AP Statistics AP Calculus
What about science? Accelerated Student Living Environment (R) 8th 9th Earth Science (R) 10th Chemistry (R) 11th Physics (R) AP Biology AP Physics 12th AP Biology
Non-Accelerated Student 9th Earth Science (R) Living Environment (R) 10th 11th Chemistry (R) 12th Physics (R) AP Biology
So...what are the critical foundations for algebra and why is it even important?
“All school districts should ensure that all prepared students should have access to an authentic algebra course--and should prepare more students than at present to enroll in such a course by Grade 8.” -National Mathematics Advisory Panel, 2008. • “A strong grounding in high school mathematics through Algebra II or higher correlates powerfully with access to college, graduation from college and earning in the top quartile of income from employment.” -National Mathematics Advisory Panel, 2008 • “Early access to algebra has a sustained positive effect on students, leading to more exposure to advanced mathematics curriculum and, in turn, higher mathematics performance by the end of high school.” -Smith, 1996
What does this curriculum work look like? • Fluency with Whole Numbers • place value,computational facility, ability to apply operations to problem solving, automatic recall of math facts, ability to estimate • Fluency with Fractions • thorough understanding of positive and negative fractions, understanding of how and why decimal numbers are fractions, understand the meaning of percent • Particular Aspects of Geometry and Measurement • experience with similar triangles, slope of a straight line, use of formulas to determine perimeter, area, volume and surface area.
Resources • Doing What Works: Research-based Practices Online. (2011). National Math Panel: Critical Foundations for Algebra. http://dww.ed.gov/Critical-Foundations-for-Algebra/ • National Association of Middle School Principals. (2006). Breaking Ranks in the Middle: Strategies for Leading Middle Level Reform. New York: Secondary School Principals. • National Mathematics Advisory Panel. (2008) Foundations for success: The final report of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel. Washington DC: United States Department of Education • Spielhagen, Frances R. (2011) The Algebra Solution to Mathematics Reform (Completing the Equation. New York: Teachers College Press.