APS Math instruction

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Regardless of the teacher, APS middle school students seem to be learning math almost exclusively on apps. That isn't a good way to learn. They need to work on paper and layout their work. They need problems assigned that develop their learning sequentially and not by semi-randomly assigned IXL problem sets.

False.

My kids - both on the advanced track -have received in-person instruction for the last six years.

Some of these posts seem to be stretching the truth.

So what math curriculum are your kids using? Do they have textbooks or workbooks for homework? Where do these come from? Do they take tests on paper? Are the marked up and handed back?

Are you saying they are not using IXL or DeltaMath at all? Do they not watch math videos on Canvas or other apps?

Please explain.

-Envision hardbound textbook at home
-A lot of the material does seem to come from TPT but it’s good quality
-Students take guided notes together as class and work through several problems together, all taught by the teacher
-Kids have choice board with variety of assignments - with a partner, on paper, on IXL or other app
-Kids take quizzes on paper - they are marked up, graded, and returned
-Kids take tests on iPad but have to show their work on paper. Work paper is returned if requested for test corrections with answer key.
-Kids have to do test corrections to be eligible for test retake
-Kids use IXL, etc for homework, not instruction

We are 6 for 6 on teacher-led instruction.

Where do you get the hardbound textbook? We have the workbooks but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a hard bound copy. Online isn’t showing it.

This person is making this up. If you check the Envision website, they don't even sell a hardbound student textbook for grades 6-8.

That's funny. My child's Envision textbook is sitting at home. Unused because they get enough homework.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Regardless of the teacher, APS middle school students seem to be learning math almost exclusively on apps. That isn't a good way to learn. They need to work on paper and layout their work. They need problems assigned that develop their learning sequentially and not by semi-randomly assigned IXL problem sets.

False.

My kids - both on the advanced track -have received in-person instruction for the last six years.

Some of these posts seem to be stretching the truth.

So what math curriculum are your kids using? Do they have textbooks or workbooks for homework? Where do these come from? Do they take tests on paper? Are the marked up and handed back?

Are you saying they are not using IXL or DeltaMath at all? Do they not watch math videos on Canvas or other apps?

Please explain.

-Envision hardbound textbook at home
-A lot of the material does seem to come from TPT but it’s good quality
-Students take guided notes together as class and work through several problems together, all taught by the teacher
-Kids have choice board with variety of assignments - with a partner, on paper, on IXL or other app
-Kids take quizzes on paper - they are marked up, graded, and returned
-Kids take tests on iPad but have to show their work on paper. Work paper is returned if requested for test corrections with answer key.
-Kids have to do test corrections to be eligible for test retake
-Kids use IXL, etc for homework, not instruction

We are 6 for 6 on teacher-led instruction.

Oh stop. If things are so perfect, why are math scores falling across the district? Something clearly isn't working.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Regardless of the teacher, APS middle school students seem to be learning math almost exclusively on apps. That isn't a good way to learn. They need to work on paper and layout their work. They need problems assigned that develop their learning sequentially and not by semi-randomly assigned IXL problem sets.

False.

My kids - both on the advanced track -have received in-person instruction for the last six years.

Some of these posts seem to be stretching the truth.

So what math curriculum are your kids using? Do they have textbooks or workbooks for homework? Where do these come from? Do they take tests on paper? Are the marked up and handed back?

Are you saying they are not using IXL or DeltaMath at all? Do they not watch math videos on Canvas or other apps?

Please explain.

-Envision hardbound textbook at home
-A lot of the material does seem to come from TPT but it’s good quality
-Students take guided notes together as class and work through several problems together, all taught by the teacher
-Kids have choice board with variety of assignments - with a partner, on paper, on IXL or other app
-Kids take quizzes on paper - they are marked up, graded, and returned
-Kids take tests on iPad but have to show their work on paper. Work paper is returned if requested for test corrections with answer key.
-Kids have to do test corrections to be eligible for test retake
-Kids use IXL, etc for homework, not instruction

We are 6 for 6 on teacher-led instruction.

Where do you get the hardbound textbook? We have the workbooks but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a hard bound copy. Online isn’t showing it.

This person is making this up. If you check the Envision website, they don't even sell a hardbound student textbook for grades 6-8.

That's funny. My child's Envision textbook is sitting at home. Unused because they get enough homework.

The ones teaches send home because it's so bad they won't use it? Oh, good.

[Anonymous]

Some of you are really odd. Somebody’s experience across a whole school district is different than yours and your immediate response is, “oh that person is a liar.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some of you are really odd. Somebody’s experience across a whole school district is different than yours and your immediate response is, “oh that person is a liar.”

Not to mention--the test scores don't lie. Something is broken.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Regardless of the teacher, APS middle school students seem to be learning math almost exclusively on apps. That isn't a good way to learn. They need to work on paper and layout their work. They need problems assigned that develop their learning sequentially and not by semi-randomly assigned IXL problem sets.

False.

My kids - both on the advanced track -have received in-person instruction for the last six years.

Some of these posts seem to be stretching the truth.

So what math curriculum are your kids using? Do they have textbooks or workbooks for homework? Where do these come from? Do they take tests on paper? Are the marked up and handed back?

Are you saying they are not using IXL or DeltaMath at all? Do they not watch math videos on Canvas or other apps?

Please explain.

-Envision hardbound textbook at home
-A lot of the material does seem to come from TPT but it’s good quality
-Students take guided notes together as class and work through several problems together, all taught by the teacher
-Kids have choice board with variety of assignments - with a partner, on paper, on IXL or other app
-Kids take quizzes on paper - they are marked up, graded, and returned
-Kids take tests on iPad but have to show their work on paper. Work paper is returned if requested for test corrections with answer key.
-Kids have to do test corrections to be eligible for test retake
-Kids use IXL, etc for homework, not instruction

We are 6 for 6 on teacher-led instruction.

That high quality curriculum composed of teachers-paying-teachers worksheets and choice boards and IXL. Plus a textbook so bad they send it home at the beginning of the year because the teachers don't want to even try to use it. And that's a best case scenario.

If the teacher doesn't pay for their own materials then you're back to IXL and a terrible textbook that no one uses. Yeah, we're in great shape.

Is there a lot of room for improvement? Of course.

But that doesn’t mean people should “stretch the truth” (putting it nicely) about what is actually happening today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Regardless of the teacher, APS middle school students seem to be learning math almost exclusively on apps. That isn't a good way to learn. They need to work on paper and layout their work. They need problems assigned that develop their learning sequentially and not by semi-randomly assigned IXL problem sets.

False.

My kids - both on the advanced track -have received in-person instruction for the last six years.

Some of these posts seem to be stretching the truth.

So what math curriculum are your kids using? Do they have textbooks or workbooks for homework? Where do these come from? Do they take tests on paper? Are the marked up and handed back?

Are you saying they are not using IXL or DeltaMath at all? Do they not watch math videos on Canvas or other apps?

Please explain.

-Envision hardbound textbook at home
-A lot of the material does seem to come from TPT but it’s good quality
-Students take guided notes together as class and work through several problems together, all taught by the teacher
-Kids have choice board with variety of assignments - with a partner, on paper, on IXL or other app
-Kids take quizzes on paper - they are marked up, graded, and returned
-Kids take tests on iPad but have to show their work on paper. Work paper is returned if requested for test corrections with answer key.
-Kids have to do test corrections to be eligible for test retake
-Kids use IXL, etc for homework, not instruction

We are 6 for 6 on teacher-led instruction.

Oh stop. If things are so perfect, why are math scores falling across the district? Something clearly isn't working.

I never said things were perfect.

I’m simply refuting the inaccurate claim that “learning math almost exclusively on apps”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Regardless of the teacher, APS middle school students seem to be learning math almost exclusively on apps. That isn't a good way to learn. They need to work on paper and layout their work. They need problems assigned that develop their learning sequentially and not by semi-randomly assigned IXL problem sets.

False.

My kids - both on the advanced track -have received in-person instruction for the last six years.

Some of these posts seem to be stretching the truth.

So what math curriculum are your kids using? Do they have textbooks or workbooks for homework? Where do these come from? Do they take tests on paper? Are the marked up and handed back?

Are you saying they are not using IXL or DeltaMath at all? Do they not watch math videos on Canvas or other apps?

Please explain.

-Envision hardbound textbook at home
-A lot of the material does seem to come from TPT but it’s good quality
-Students take guided notes together as class and work through several problems together, all taught by the teacher
-Kids have choice board with variety of assignments - with a partner, on paper, on IXL or other app
-Kids take quizzes on paper - they are marked up, graded, and returned
-Kids take tests on iPad but have to show their work on paper. Work paper is returned if requested for test corrections with answer key.
-Kids have to do test corrections to be eligible for test retake
-Kids use IXL, etc for homework, not instruction

We are 6 for 6 on teacher-led instruction.

That high quality curriculum composed of teachers-paying-teachers worksheets and choice boards and IXL. Plus a textbook so bad they send it home at the beginning of the year because the teachers don't want to even try to use it. And that's a best case scenario.

If the teacher doesn't pay for their own materials then you're back to IXL and a terrible textbook that no one uses. Yeah, we're in great shape.

Is there a lot of room for improvement? Of course.

But that doesn’t mean people should “stretch the truth” (putting it nicely) about what is actually happening today.

People are not stretching the truth when they say that all homework, classwork, tests and quizzes are on the iPad. That's the reality for many MS math classes. Nor are they stretching the truth when they say that their kids are expected to watch videos to self-teach. That's a format that's being widely used. Maybe you haven't run into it, but it's happening.

APS needs to implement a real and rigorous math curriculum.

[Anonymous]

My son learned Math from watching excellent YouTube videos and accompanying worksheets.
Everyone check out Mathantics.com with free videos to watch and $20/year to be able to download the worksheets and extra help video clips.

He is now 8th grade, finished all Mathantics.com topics and now learning advanced topics from iXL or Teacher Mom.

[Anonymous]

I think my kids 6th grade math education is great. They almost ceilinged on that last standardized test and were not being challenged enough so the teacher started giving (informal) differentiation, which is nice. (I get that the problem is that they were not placed correctly in the first place but that's not on the 6th grade team. That's on 5th grade and parents not over-pushing).

[Anonymous]

Teachers have rejected Envision and so they are making it up and trying to follow the "workshop" model tauted by APS

Teachers have not rejected it. APS does not follow the sequence envision follows so it is virtually useful as there is a ton of spiral review that we can’t use because our students haven’t learned it yet. Additionally Envision is common core aligned, NOT SOL aligned except for a short 20 page section at the back for VA specific standards.
Envisions was a complete and total waste of money because APS math department doesn’t want to follow it which renders it useless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Regardless of the teacher, APS middle school students seem to be learning math almost exclusively on apps. That isn't a good way to learn. They need to work on paper and layout their work. They need problems assigned that develop their learning sequentially and not by semi-randomly assigned IXL problem sets.

False.

My kids - both on the advanced track -have received in-person instruction for the last six years.

Some of these posts seem to be stretching the truth.

So what math curriculum are your kids using? Do they have textbooks or workbooks for homework? Where do these come from? Do they take tests on paper? Are the marked up and handed back?

Are you saying they are not using IXL or DeltaMath at all? Do they not watch math videos on Canvas or other apps?

Please explain.

-Envision hardbound textbook at home
-A lot of the material does seem to come from TPT but it’s good quality
-Students take guided notes together as class and work through several problems together, all taught by the teacher
-Kids have choice board with variety of assignments - with a partner, on paper, on IXL or other app
-Kids take quizzes on paper - they are marked up, graded, and returned
-Kids take tests on iPad but have to show their work on paper. Work paper is returned if requested for test corrections with answer key.
-Kids have to do test corrections to be eligible for test retake
-Kids use IXL, etc for homework, not instruction

We are 6 for 6 on teacher-led instruction.

Oh stop. If things are so perfect, why are math scores falling across the district? Something clearly isn't working.

I never said things were perfect.

I’m simply refuting the inaccurate claim that “learning math almost exclusively on apps”.

Because there isn’t a set curriculum path that teachers have to follow some schools do have kids basically just learning by watching videos and apps. That’s a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Teachers have rejected Envision and so they are making it up and trying to follow the "workshop" model tauted by APS

Teachers have not rejected it. APS does not follow the sequence envision follows so it is virtually useful as there is a ton of spiral review that we can’t use because our students haven’t learned it yet. Additionally Envision is common core aligned, NOT SOL aligned except for a short 20 page section at the back for VA specific standards.
Envisions was a complete and total waste of money because APS math department doesn’t want to follow it which renders it useless.

I don't understand your distinction between "a total waste" and APS "doesn't follow it" and APS teacher "have rejected it.". The curriculum isn't being used. Hence, there's no math curriculum at all.

[Anonymous]

Sorry I have a typo. Teachers have not rejected it- we would be happy to have a useful curriculum. But APS does not follow the sequence of envision, and it is common core not SOL. For example (this is just an example I don’t have curriculum docs in front of me) they have students learning prime and composite numbers in unit 1. Then next is decimal computation. On the decimal computation pages, they mix in prime and composite questions but in APS we learn decimal computation first and prime and composite much later so students can’t do those questions since they have not learned those concepts yet. And it continues to build with each concept that is out of APS sequence. Common core and SOL are actually quite different so there are also concepts we don’t teach in 5th such as exponents.

FCPS has an SOL aligned math curriculum so I’m not sure why APS didn’t select one. APS does not give teachers practice pages for each lesson for students. They give us quick checks to assess, often with just 2-3 questions which are difficult to use for an evaluative grade with so few opportunities, and no answer key so when there are weird questions we can’t determine what they meant to ask since no answer key. So teachers at all 20+ schools spend hours reinventing the wheel and making up practice pages on our own. A total waste of time. CKLA is not perfect but it’s a complete curriculum that we can follow and use. We supplement but it’s a whole curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry I have a typo. Teachers have not rejected it- we would be happy to have a useful curriculum. But APS does not follow the sequence of envision, and it is common core not SOL. For example (this is just an example I don’t have curriculum docs in front of me) they have students learning prime and composite numbers in unit 1. Then next is decimal computation. On the decimal computation pages, they mix in prime and composite questions but in APS we learn decimal computation first and prime and composite much later so students can’t do those questions since they have not learned those concepts yet. And it continues to build with each concept that is out of APS sequence. Common core and SOL are actually quite different so there are also concepts we don’t teach in 5th such as exponents.

FCPS has an SOL aligned math curriculum so I’m not sure why APS didn’t select one. APS does not give teachers practice pages for each lesson for students. They give us quick checks to assess, often with just 2-3 questions which are difficult to use for an evaluative grade with so few opportunities, and no answer key so when there are weird questions we can’t determine what they meant to ask since no answer key. So teachers at all 20+ schools spend hours reinventing the wheel and making up practice pages on our own. A total waste of time. CKLA is not perfect but it’s a complete curriculum that we can follow and use. We supplement but it’s a whole curriculum.

Do you use IXL for instruction?