Last spring, BCP created a math workgroup comprising math educators and school leaders from across the BCP network of schools. Recognizing that the six BCP neighborhood charter schools used various math curricula to varying degrees of proficiency, BCP knew that students and educators would be best served with a unified approach to teaching and learning math.
The goal is to achieve the kind of consistent success BCP has had with student reading achievements through the Direct Instruction program since 1996, a research-based, proven reading instruction program.
Since the first meeting in April 2023, the math workgroup has met five times to analyze math professional development and math curricula. First, the group identified BCP needs for training and support, and then focused on evaluating promising math programs to pilot, based on an analysis tool developed by the group.
As a result of this deep-dive focus, this fall, BCP is piloting two programs selected by the group: iReady Math, piloted in selected classrooms at Pimlico and City Springs; and HMH Into Math, piloted in selected classrooms at Wolfe Street.
The group is carefully monitoring the progress of students and teachers in the pilot classrooms. One of the metrics for evaluation will be comparing NEWA MAP growth scores for the classes using these programs against the other programs in use at our schools. We will also take observational data in comparison classes to compare rates of engagement and student success with daily work.
In addition, Wolfe Street is piloting MAP Accelerator as a 3rd -5th grade math intervention in the After School program. This work is supported by a grant from the Johns Hopkins Neighborhood Fund. The math workgroup also is developing additional math coaching and training to all BCP schools.
I am so impressed with the work of our math teachers and BCP administrators who have embraced the charge to evaluate how we’re teaching math and provide the best curriculum to move us forward. These master educators have the needs of our students firmly front and center and are using what BCP has known for decades about the best, proven teaching methods to ensure student mastery of a subject.
Read Laura Doherty’s blog post on improving BCP’s Math curriculum.
What’s next for Math at BCP?
The math work group will reconvene after 3-4 months of implementation and observation have occurred. The goal is to evaluate the data and test scores in summer 2024 to choose a math curriculum for all BCP programs to use, rolling out extensive training and support in preparation for the 2024-25 school year.
