Scottsdale Unified: What doesn't work in Everyday Math

As part of their math adoption process, Scottsdale Unified surveyed the staff to see what was and was not working with the current elementary math materials [Everyday Math]. The responses to what was not working were numerous and significant.

What's NOT Working

Accountability
Alignment of Galileo and adoption is poor
Basic calculations
Benchmark testing – Galileo
Computation skills
Concept of subtraction
Consistency in using adoption
Discrete Math
Enrichment
Fidelity of implementation
Games
Home connection
Kinder doesn’t have enough practice to learn basic math concepts
Lack consistency of different teachers at diff. grade levels; K-3 shouldn’t have gaps
LRC – need one way to do algorithm
LRC students not given enough time or practice to learn word/symbol association
Math facts
More concentrated practice
More instructional time needed
More teaching to mastery before you move on
Multiple ways can confuse kids
Need more built in differentiation for each concept
Need to supplement with math facts
Need to teach any program with fidelity
New kids have no idea what frames & arrows are
Not enough “in depth” teaching for kids
Not enough articulation between levels – elem to middle
Not enough manipulatives/set per class
Not following prescribed instructional materials
Not getting to certain standards adequately
One size does not fit all learners
Pace
Place Value
Probability materials
Prof. training of adoptions is not enough – needs to be on-going
Quick and efficient calculation of math
Repetition
Schedule
Shallow exposure on concepts
Skill practice
Slower spiral of instruction for at risk kids
Some EM units don’t cover basic skills
Spiral
Students coming from other districts are lost
Teaching/using many different methods are great for “math thinkers” hard for “non math thinkers”
Technology
Time articulation
Traditional instruction vs. Creative instruction
Transition from elementary to middle school
Vertex edge graphs
Weakness in mastery of multiplication and pre-algebra; inconsistent skills