Math Workshop
Math workshop is an instructional approach to teach math concepts similar to the way we teach reading. The teacher will be teaching a short mini lesson to the whole group and then creating smaller groups to meet the needs of students and their understanding of the concept. Students will work on group activities, projects, games and independent tasks within the block of time.
Proficiency Based Learning
In 2012, Maine passed the law that students graduating from high school would need to demonstrate standards based knowledge. To be in accordance with this law, the teachers of RSU 22 have been working hard to align our current teaching practices with the standards the school board chose to follow. "The general goal of proficiency-based education is to ensure that students acquire the knowledge and skills that are deemed to be essential to success in school, higher education, careers and adult life" (Maine, DOE).
At fifth grade, you will see for every unit, a list of standards your child will need to learn. The highlighted ones are a minimum of "non-negotiables"; meaning students will need to know these by the end of the year in order to be on the right path for graduation. I will be using several resources to help students learn these skills, including Everyday Math, Singapore Math, and various websites.