Informative Teacher Materials Support Instruction
Teachers receive eight separate Teacher Editions, one for each Ramp-Up unit. The Teacher Editions are accompanied by several other resources that support long-term planning and development as well as daily, minute-by-minute instruction. These include the multi-media resources on the Getting Started CD; an invaluable reference called the Concept Book; and the Assessments and Handouts Resource.
Teacher Editions
The Teacher Editions explicitly state and develop each unit’s mathematics. An extensive unit overview appears on the first few pages. The Teacher Editions are loaded with instructional assistance and have been shown to increase teachers’ content knowledge, even as the teachers are instructing students. They discuss misconceptions, highlight examples of the most common errors, provide in-depth descriptions of concepts, and supply multiple suggestions for introducing new vocabulary. Special icons appear throughout the editions, noting specific ways to differentiate for English language learners and special needs students.
The spiral-bound Teacher Editions include mini-reproductions of the Student Edition pages for easy reference.
Striving students require special attention, longer study periods, and careful monitoring. The Teacher Editions provides help with all of this and more, including
- Explanations and examples of critical concepts
- Ideas on how to introduce new concepts
- Descriptions of what problems or mistakes to watch for in student work
- Suggestions for how to manage discussions and keep them on track
- Questions to prompt deeper interaction with the math
- Sample student work, when necessary
- “Scaffolding for Success” notes to assist with English language learners and special needs students
Materials support each workshop segment
| Segment |
What the materials do |
| Opening |
Explain the Opening’s purpose and goal and give suggestions on how teachers can best introduce the material |
| Work Time |
Provide student work samples so teachers know what to expect and include a line of questioning to deepen students’ interactions with the math |
| Closing |
Describe how to connect important concepts |
| Skills |
Reflect the progression of content and provide the practice that is necessary to achieve automaticity |
| Review and Consolidation |
Include problems at different levels of rigor so teachers can differentiate instruction |
Getting Started Resource and CD
The Getting Started Resource and CD is a professional development tool. Materials on the CD are designed to help teachers reflect on their usual teaching practices while considering new strategies and new approaches to mathematics instruction. Articles, interviews, and videos bring the program to life and help explain its unique structure. The CD also includes a description of the course philosophy, an overview of the research, practical planning tools, and many printable resources.
Concept Book
The Concept Book is a powerful reference that describes in detail virtually all of the math concepts students need to learn to succeed in algebra and beyond. Though lessons are cross-referenced, the book is not organized lesson-by-lesson. The concepts create a framework for the book and a reliable “go-to” resource for students. It is a conceptual reference book that connects related concepts: both physically, on nearby pages, and mentally, with numerous examples, explicit definitions, explanations, and multiple visual representations. The Concept Book is an integral part of the course and is used daily in the classroom by students.
Assessments and Handouts Resource with CD
The assessments and handouts resource and accompanying CD are important tools that help teachers evaluate their students’ progress as they move toward algebra readiness. They encompass the entire course and contain important information on the management, structure, analysis, and theory of assessment. Many assessments can be printed right off the CD. Handouts (for special lesson activities or problems) are also included on the CD for easy printing of lesson materials.
Online Community of Learning
The online Community of Learning provides teachers with any-time access to an extensive array of instructional resources.
