NASBE publishes “The Urgent Need for Tailored Math Instruction”
May 23, 2022
By National Association of State Boards of Education
“The Urgent Need for Tailored Math Instruction,” an article co-authored by New Classrooms (creators of Teach to One), is featured as part of the 2022 edition of the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) Standards. In this edition of the journal, subject-matter experts share their insights on advancing math and science instruction. New Classrooms contributes thoughts on what’s changed (and what hasn’t) as a result of the pandemic, and addresses the challenges and opportunities this moment in education present.
The article focuses on the systemic barrier of a grade-level focus to improving math achievement, saying, “the grade-level-or-bust playbook turns a temporary state of academic deficit into a permanent one.” Research from the ACT shows the chance of a student who was “far off track” in eighth-grade math only had a 3 percent chance of reaching college readiness by the end of high school.
The article goes on to cite findings from implementations of Teach to One to address key foundational gaps, and how the emphasis a school placed on grade-level content played a role in how fair tailored acceleration could go towards getting students back on track.
“A 2019 study [of Teach to One] looking at student progress found that students in schools that emphasized pregrade and grade-level exposure that met students’ zone of proximal development made stronger gains than those focused solely on grade-level material.”
What’s the state policymaker’s role in centering a math instruction approach on the unique needs of each student? This, and more, in the full article.
Latest Posts
Rogers Public Schools Spotlight Student Success in Math
Rogers Public Schools is showing what’s possible when students get math instruction tailored to where they are. During a recent site visit, educators and state leaders had the chance to see that work up close, with classrooms highlighting how personalized learning can help students build confidence and make progress in math. Local coverage from 5News […]
My Seven Bosses and their Sixth-Grade Teacher
Our Research and Development team working on Teach to One Roadmaps at New Classrooms has had, admittedly, some crazy ideas. I tend to get a lot of latitude, but I’ve recently been subjected to weekly performance reviews where I’m told, multiple times, that my work isn’t good enough.
Building a Culture of Engagement Through Student Agency
Our middle school in the Bronx is always striving to be a place where students can take ownership of their own learning. Often in education, words such as “engagement” and “agency” are just overused buzzwords—but at the South Bronx Early College Academy (SBECA), we believe this mindset is crucial for adolescent learning.
