Math at Renbrook School
December 28, 2020
Math in the Early Learning Center: Bringing Learning to Life
Kelly Bird, Early Learning Center Director
As I walk through the ELC and stop into classes I see math happening everywhere. It is not math as I learned it – all numbers and no context – sitting in a seat with a pencil and paper in isolation. It is counting, estimating, and computing happening collaboratively and within real-life contexts. Our goal is for our ELC students to develop a foundation in numeracy, geometry, and algorithms. Manipulatives and hands-on activities engage students and allow them to experience these concepts in concrete ways. As stated in the Math in Focus research, “Visual learning builds understanding.” Most importantly, we want to develop a positive attitude about math in all students. Read More
Math Instruction and Learning in the Lower School
Julie Schlossinger, Lower School Head
Renbrook School uses the Math in Focus: Singapore Math program in its Lower School for grades K-5. Many parents during the admissions tour hear “Singapore Math” and might immediately feel relief and/or excitement based on the fact that they’ve heard for years that math scores from Singapore consistently outperform students from the United States (NCES, 2020). We know this about Singapore because of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) which began in 1995. Read More
Upper School Math
Kara Ashley, Upper School Head
The Upper School math program builds upon the foundational skills introduced in the Lower School. Projects extend the “real world” problem-solving skills built in the Lower School, and they are designed to reinforce and extend foundational number sense and mathematical reasoning. From the sixth-grade math program through high school geometry, the Upper School math program helps students make connections between the algorithms they are learning in class and future careers that use math from the restaurant industry to architecture. Read More
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