At Perkins we believe that a supportive and engaging climate for a child’s experiences with mathematics develops their confidence, competence, and affinity for math.
These positive experiences help our students develop curiosity, inventiveness, persistence, and so much more. The skills and insights they develop in math contribute to their success in all facets of their lives. To develop both enthusiasm and depth of understanding, we have put the following key components into place:
HANDS-ON FOUNDATIONAL WORK
Rather than quickly and superficially learning only arithmetic, children work with concrete materials to build conceptual foundations. Hands-on learning increases engagement and is an essential bridge to abstract mathematical ideas and processes.
MEANINGFUL, REAL WORLD, AND OPEN-ENDED MATH ACTIVITIES
These are highly motivating and allow multiple avenues to a solution. They are constructivist in nature and prompt children to find creative solutions and precisely explain their reasoning.
Work with Both Standard Forms and Multiple Strategies
Children at all levels learn arithmetic forms (ex. Using the standard algorithm 5 x 37 = 185) but are also asked to think critically to find effective, efficient ways of finding that answer (ex. 5 x 37 = [5 x 40] – [5 x 3]). Students that can find multiple ways of solving problems have a much deeper understanding of numbers and how algorithms actually work.
INDIVIDUALIZATION
To feel successful and fully engaged, students must be challenged at appropriate levels. Enrichment opportunities and elements of remediation are thoughtfully administered across the grades. Our low student/teacher ratio and focus on differentiation insure effective, targeted learning.
Flexibility
Utilizing concepts such as number strings and subitization, students learn to analyze efficient computation strategies and to quickly identify sets of numbers without counting. These techniques allow our students develop an even deeper number sense where they can interact with numbers flexibly and conceptually
Communication
Mathematically proficient students communicate precisely to others. A focus on precision allows our students to analyze and evaluate the reasoning of others as well as organize and share their own mathematical thinking.