Justin Robicheau reports on some changes to the math curriculum in Great Falls Public Schools - watch:
Great Falls Public Schools is implementing a new math curriculum called Amplify Desmos Math at the beginning of the school year, with teachers at Longfellow Elementary already training on the new program.
The curriculum update was necessary as the previous materials no longer aligned with required standards, according to district officials.
"Our old curriculum was no longer matching the standards that we needed to be teaching. And so with the new curriculum, we adopted, it was based on the curriculum committee coming together, which was made up of teachers and community members and administration," said Miranda Murray, Curriculum and Assessment TSA for Great Falls Public Schools.
The district aligned their selection with state requirements to ensure comprehensive coverage of educational needs.
"Every time we choose a curriculum, we align with state standards with our district needs and make sure it meets all the requirements for our assessment and our curriculum standards," Murray said.
Shannon Guilfoyle, Principal of Longfellow Elementary School, believes the new program provides clear structure for educators.
"This resource lays it out for you step by step, and it's very consistent for students and our instructional routines that will occur within the math instruction. And then how to keep that more open," Guilfoyle said.
District administrators plan to closely monitor the implementation and effectiveness of the new curriculum.
"We're going to be watching those data metrics and using teachers knowledge and skills to see what they think is happening in their classroom and to say, you know, I think these things are working. I don't think these things are working, and they can help us best decide how to move forward," Murray said.
The ultimate goal is to transform students' relationship with mathematics, building confidence and resilience.
"We are going to see kids who are excited about learning how to be a math learner instead of thinking, oh my gosh, math is hard. I can't do this. We want resilient learners. We want kids who can tolerate some frustration in their learning and move past that," Guilfoyle said.
