Improving math in our self-directed environment
By Tyler Thigpen, head of schools
Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas.
— Albert Einstein
After Tiger Woods won the 1997 Masters by 12 strokes, do you know what he did? He took three months off to deconstruct his swing. Why? Even though he had just won a major championship, he and his coach had discovered a defect that they believed would not stand up under pressure. Despite success, Woods sought continuous improvement.
At The Forest Schools, we aspire to a similar growth mindset.
Over the past few years, it has become clear that even though our learners on average outperform their peers nationally on math tests and are on average grade levels ahead in math progress, we still have work to do in supporting all learners to master math concepts and skills and to love and see relevance in math.
How is your hero experiencing and feeling about math? Are they learning to speak the language of math fluently? Are they thinking like mathematicians? We’ve seen learners learn to learn math on their own through collaboration, research, and trial and error. Still, we have room for growth.
Taking a pulse check
To date, our math program has had both bright spots and red flags. We’ve heard parents and caregivers say things like…
My hero loves conquering math at their own pace (a bright spot)
My hero isn’t choosing to do math…what do I do? (a red flag)
My hero is *really* learning math deeply because they’re having to figure it out on their own (a bright spot)
My hero can remember math in the short-term but isn’t storing it in their long-term memory (a red flag)
My hero loves math and is flying through the e-learning platforms (a bright spot)
My hero is just guessing or cheating on e-learning platforms and can’t do a problem on paper (a red flag)
We’ve heard heroes say things like…
I finished three math classes in one year! (a bright spot)
Math is hard, and I don’t like it (a red flag)
The videos are SO helpful, and I learn a lot (a bright spot)
I watched the videos and read the material, but I still don’t get it (a red flag)
I love working with my friends on math (a bright spot)
I’m stuck with math (a red flag)
As a learning organization, we are well positioned with the culture and conditions necessary to innovate. We’ve been asking ourselves, How do we get better? What changes should be made?
To that end, for the last six months Institute Partner and Consultant Andrea N. Parker, EdM began conducting a math audit to answer these basic questions:
When and how does math learning occur at Forest?
What are the tools and resources we have?
What are some of the challenges that Guides and heroes are experiencing with math learning as it stands?
What do we need to keep doing?
What should we stop doing, and what new approaches should we start taking?
Jon R. Star, PhD, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Next, in the months of March-April, Andrea engaged professional reviews from three math experts: Harvard professor and leading math researcher in the US, Jon Star, PhD; Country Lead at HundrED, Nathan Strenge; and Consultant Lynn Ellis. We are so grateful to these folks for helping us, and we learned deeply.
Bright spots and red flags
Here is what these experts told us after looking closely at our math program.
Some of the bright spots are:
The Forest Schools have relative success based on the “newness” of learner-led math—on average Forest School learners are 5-6 months ahead of grade level, while the rest of the country is 5-6 months behind (see Brookings and McKinsey).
There are high quality Quests and learning challenges that already exist.
Creative, flexible, and innovative Guides—together with heroes—have built a culture of learning at the schools (which is no small task!).
Quests especially have the potential for problem-solving and contextualized problems.
There are extremely high outcomes for heroes who are naturally motivated in math and who are well served through the current platforms, structure, and routines.
Areas for growth include:
For some learners, there is a need for a different structure, slightly less freedom, and more explicit instruction in math.
There is a need to spread out the staff’s deep math expertise (i.e. specialized guides) across more Studios.
Math learning on e-platforms should be complemented by more small group work, Socratic tutoring, and targeted practice.
There is a need for more real world math applications in Quest work.
Learners need more opportunities to show their math reasoning through writing, telling, or showing.
Guides of younger learners can use more manipulatives to give learners more practice and make abstract ideas concrete.
At the end of this school year, the team reviewed the expert feedback, brainstormed ideas, and developed a plan for improvements.
Improving our math learning model
After reviewing this expert feedback, our team of Guides and I worked over the summer and during pre-planning to improve our math learning program in ways that align with our mission and self-directed approach. We are excited to share with you the following changes in math learning for this year:
The addition of a “HELPDESK” staffed regularly by heroes and Guides at key moments during the day that learners can go to to ask questions and workshop math challenges.
Dedicated time in the weekly schedule for math, where all learners in a Studio are working on math at the same time.
During math blocks, intentional grouping of heroes around certain math topics—akin to “study groups”—so that heroes can wrestle through math challenges together in community.
More Target Practices in math, led by heroes and Guides both, so that learners discuss math concepts together, see world class examples of how math problems are solved, and get regular practice.
More math mentoring between learners so that learners get more opportunities to teach what they’ve learned and learn from those with deeper understanding. Moving forward, math mentoring will be a key part of every hero’s badge plan—specifically in their required Servant Leader badge—so that there is an expectation and process for learners to pass on their math learning to others.
The use—and posting on our Studio walls—of “thinking routines” so that learners can understand processes for breaking down problems and learn to think more like mathematicians.
More options for e-platforms so learners can study in ways that suit their preferences.
Incorporating more math-based activities into our already exciting Quests, so learners get more opportunities to use—what researchers call “transfer—their math knowledge and skills to address real world problems.
Lastly, more math “manipulatives” for younger learners so that they can learn concepts through developmentally appropriate hands-on experiences. A manipulative is an object that is designed so that learners can understand a mathematical concept by manipulating it, hence its name.
Math learning in each Studio
Here’s how the above improvements will look and feel in each Studio beginning this year.
At The Forest School in Fayetteville…
SPARK
Heroes will use Montessori manipulatives to master PreK-Level 1 math skills. They will have a binder to show mastery. If a hero meets mastery before the end of the year, then an assessment will be given and the hero will begin on an e-learning platform.
ELEMENTARY
Heroes will complete an assessment at the beginning of the school year to determine basic knowledge of math skills. They will be grouped by level for daily Target Practices (15-20 min blocks) that cover a specific topic. Each topic will be reviewed 2-3 times throughout the school year. We will also incorporate Math Power Hour, where heroes will complete a 15-minute chunk of Math facts, and then work on their math platform. This will make the ideal time for mentorship and additional help from the math help desk if needed. Manipulatives will be available for heroes that need additional hands on materials and will be used during target practices.
MIDDLE
In middle school, heroes will have a 1-hour math block each day to work on their chosen math topic. We will begin with a pre-assessment to determine their basic knowledge of mathematical concepts. Led by Guides, heroes will identify their own motivations to learn math. We will then connect their motivators to real life concepts so that they are able to see the value in what is being learned. This will be implemented by a series of supports: Quest hands-on projects such as labs; hero will be able to go to the “math helpdesk” that will be lead by heroes and Guides where they will be able to get specific help with their particular topic; a series of launches covering the previous math topic heroes have learned; and incentives chosen by heroes.
HIGH
For high school, learners will express what their likes and dislikes are for math. Specifically, learners will complete a self-survey that guides them to pinpoint what it is that is hindering them from wanting to learn math. Next, each learner will create a list of rewards for themselves to help them accomplish their math goals per session, and pick a place on the wall in the room to post it for daily inspiration. In addition, heroes will be able to go to the HELPDESK that will be led by heroes and Guides. During this time heroes will be able to ask questions and get specific help with their particular topic. Throughout the year, Guides will incorporate more launches that are geared to real life problems specific to math…as we all know most learners say, “When will I ever use this again in life?” Providing connection can help close the gap of learners wanting and not wanting to learn math standards. Along with real world related launches, fun challenges are going to be added, such as making children’s videos explaining various math concepts!
At The Forest School Online…
ELEMENTARY
In the Elementary Studio, we will develop math mindsets like grit and collaboration within our Studio culture as we increase our math engagement together during Circles, morning launches, and check-ins. We will also offer mentoring blocks that consist of peer mentors schoolwide. All learners will be presented with the opportunity to become a mentor for a learner in their Studio or another Studio. Learners that become mentors will earn credit toward their Servant Leader Badges. Additionally, Guides will be intentional when finding experts that provide world class math expertise. For example, we will invite professional experts in the STEM fields to share how math mindsets are critical to their career roles and to give live feedback to our learners during Quest challenges and our exhibitions.
MIDDLE
In the Middle School Studio, we will develop Studio norms around math engagement during studio time and self-directed Core Skills time. At the beginning of morning launch, we will allocate 1-2 “Questions of the Day” each week to a math challenge or mental math problem, as well as have some of our Morning Launches be themed around mathematical concepts that include problem solving. In addition, Guides will prioritize integrating math concepts and skill building into signature learning experiences such as Quests, Story Arts, and Civilization when it is applicable. One Quest this year will be centered around Financial Literacy and will include multiple math components. Guides will invite experts from different math-centered careers to help build an appreciation and understanding of the relevance of math. Learners will have the opportunity to engage in small-group math work during core skills, which the learners will set up with each other. Learners will also have the option to be a part of math mentoring for learners in the Elementary Studio or in lower levels of the Middle School Studio, and will be able to earn community service hours, which can be applied to their Servant Leader Badge, for their time volunteering as a math mentor.
HIGH
In the High School Studio, we will spend time setting expectations and norms for math mastery during Core Skills time. Math concepts will be woven into signature learning experiences such as morning Socratic Launches and Quests, to strengthen conceptual understanding of math concepts. Guides and visiting experts will be encouraged to discuss their own journeys with math, as well as how math concepts are relevant to their work. Guides will include check-ins about math engagement and progress during each weekly 1-on-1 check-in. Additionally, a math mentoring option will be offered to learners. High school learners will be paired with Elementary or Middle School learners to work on math problems together. Learners who choose to participate in a mentoring partnership will have the ability to earn hours for their Servant Leader badge.
Next steps
Given these changes, what can you do as a parent or caregiver?
Encourage use of math concepts and numbers when at home or out and about.
Find a math game or book they enjoy and will commit to doing for 20 min a couple of times per week.
Model how you use math in your home/work life.
If your hero has math anxiety, talk through it with them and consider seeking support.
What can your hero do?
List some questions they are curious about in math.
Become a math tutor for a younger learner in their community.
Come up with a list of goals for the upcoming session.
Make a plan of how to improve and share it with their Running Partner or other accountability friend.
As always, we welcome your ongoing feedback via our Weekly Surveys, or via email to one of our division heads.