Distance Learning Spotlight: Lower School Math

Even at a distance, lower schoolers keep working hard on their schoolwork, including math.
 
Wesleyan’s lower school is blessed with a dedicated math resource teacher, Liz Smith, responsible for overseeing math curriculum in grades kindergarten through fourth grade. In this time of distance learning, Mrs. Smith has worked with each grade level team to provide math instructional videos and resources to accompany math assignments students are working on from home.
 
 
“Each week I release video lessons that include direct instruction, guided practice, and independent practice,” said Smith. “The videos are coupled with additional practice assignments from teachers.”
 
One of the benefits to the videos being recorded in advance and available on demand is that students have the option to stop for practice, go back over concepts they may have missed, and parents, who are supporting students from home, can also see the instruction. This is not the case when instruction is being conducted live at a distance.
 
“We are finding that many students are using these videos not only for initial instruction, but also as a reference as they keep working on the concepts,” said Smith. “Then they can isolate any areas where they are unclear and set up live sessions with their teacher on Microsoft Teams to go over skills where they need further clarification. This layered approach of on-demand content, practice resources, and live individual instruction as needed has been a real asset to lower school students.”
 
Fourth grader Sydney Thomas agrees. “Even though I miss math at school, my teachers have been helpful in sending videos and making themselves available when I don’t understand something.”
 
“We’ve been intentional to try to make this transition as smooth as possible for families,” said Smith. “This structure is very similar to a typical in-person math class in the lower school, so my hope is that the consistency has eased the transition and continues to provide structure for our students.”
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