What do you need to know about seventh grade mathematics? 

In terms of school years, this is a very important one for the child; in middle school, as you move towards a greater focus on high school and beyond, it is time for students to really take responsibility for their own learning and progress; in order to achieve true educational success, students must be the driving force behind their learning; they must take the initiative. To encourage growth and support their inquiring minds, it is my job to provide an effective classroom platform that meets each student’s needs, allowing for multiple entry points and opportunities to grasp the required concepts. Students will be provided with ample opportunity to demonstrate a willingness to learn and to reveal their desire to improve; it will be up to the individual student, with our unending support, to make true on the promise of great potential and future success. With this in mind, I would like to inform you of my expectations, while outlining the lesson structures that your child will experience over the course of the coming year.

The student will participate in eight 45-minute mathematics sessions per week, with each session student-led and consisting of four closely connected stages:

Stage 1: Lesson Prompt/Starter

Students will be introduced to a new concept or the foundations of a prior lesson will be built upon; they will be asked to take the lead on discussions and participate as guides through a lesson focused on problem solving strategies for a specific skill related to the learning objective. Each and every student plays a vital role and will be expected to lead when reviewing examples/solutions. This stage is vitally important, as it provides the foundations for the successful mathematical practice.

Would you like to know what your child is learning and when they are learning it? Keep up to date, by visiting my website, REIDMATH.com, where you will find this year’s seventh grade curriculum and schedule, in addition to all other pertinent information and support resources (such as standards based video tutorials and additional practice) that the student may use to help reinforce their understanding.

Stage 2: What do you know? What do you notice? What can we ask?

Following our opening discussion, students will work with partners to apply what we have just learned and reinforce, or support, their understanding with an opportunity to clear up any uncertainties.

Stage 3: Group Activity / Reflect & Share

Working with partners, this stage allows students to check their own understanding of the basic concepts, while working alongside other students. The activity that groups will face will be dependent on the day’s lesson and will range from tasks where groups are asked to solve multi-step problems to those where students are expected to create their own problems and identify possible misconceptions.

For group problem solving tasks, there are generally three parts to this process. Firstly, each individual within each group will be asked to independently solve a carefully selected problem. Secondly, each group will then participate in a discussion regarding the problem solving process and each student’s work, before agreeing upon what they believe to be the accurate and complete solution. Finally, all groups will participate in a class-wide share out.

Stage 4: Assessment / Mastery Check-In / Presenting Your Understanding

Following the group work and discussion regarding the lesson’s learning objective, students will be asked to demonstrate their understanding. This may be as simple as each independently responding to a problem posed to the entire class, or pairs of students having a conversation about what it is they have learned today, or a quick write / journal entry or reflection upon their newfound comprehension. Incomplete lesson work must be finished for homework.

The focus here is on measuring each student’s ability to apply the skills related to the day’s learning objective; they will complete the problem solving process related to a standards-based rigorous task, which encourages them to focus on error analysis and self-assessment.

Stage 5: Independent Learning 

All students will now be asked to work solo to complete the lesson’s conclusion during both class and homework time, which will be individualized based on performance level.

What are the homework expectations? Independent learning and homework go hand in hand; the focus of our work is that learning is student-led, with our attention always on improvement and reinforcement. In order to ensure the student’s greatest possible progress, the student must be provided with ample opportunity to practice the necessary skills. Each student will be given regular home assignments in the following forms: daily lesson completion and conclusion, including the creation of an interactive notebook (look herefor a step-by-step guide); online skill practice completing at least four IXL skills per week (due every Friday); unit projects; test corrections (due one week from the test’s return). Reminders for all homework will be posted both in class and online. Late homework will result in half-credit.  

What about quizzes, tests, and other assessments? The student can expect at least one form of assessment every single week, for which they will be prepared – as long as they are completing class and homework assignments; therefore, no excuse for a lack of preparation will be accepted. Following the completion of a lesson and or unit, each student will then be faced with a summative assessment that tests their comprehension of the lesson (or unit) in its entirety. There will be no excuses. All students must be ready for this test and will be well prepared, assuming they are held responsible for the completion of homework and the effective use of class time. It is important to note that all students will be given every opportunity to correct mistakes and improve their grade, following test corrections and error analysis.  

How will all of the above work be graded? The primary focus of all assessments will be to inform the student about their performance, providing them with an idea as to where they currently stand on a standards-based rubric versus where they need to be and the steps they can take to get there. What about the specific grading system? A student’s grade will depend on three distinct measurements: summative assessments (portfolios, standards based tests, and unit exams) – 50%, performance assessments (classroom assignments, homework, notebook, and quizzes) – 40%, and classroom standards (participation, student readiness, and teamwork) – 10%. Please, be aware that there will be a quiz or test every single week. Grades will be updated regularly and will be available to view on Skedula.com.

What can you do to support your child’s success? Encourage the student’s inquisitiveness and encourage perseverance in their learning, through enrichment and intervention activities that can be found online, on these sites:

ReidMath.com

Please, familiarize yourself with this site! This is where you find the latest news and updates for our mathematics class. Everything on my website is in place to provide the student with every opportunity to be successful in each lesson, from The 5 Keys to Success (a printed version is attached) to carefully curated lesson videos and other resources in my curriculum section. You will also find a detailed resource sheet for each unit (containing examples and helpful links), in addition to other resources (such as links to other useful sites and bonus activities) for each unit of the common core curriculum. Check out the supporting resources for Unit 1: Integers!

Algebra Nation

Algebra is an important course for all students in New York City. Not only is it a high school graduation requirement, but it’s a course that has important implications for your student’s higher level math courses and his/her college and career prospects. Algebra Nation is designed to help your student master Algebra 1 and perform well on the Algebra 1 Regents exam. Log-in information will be provided.

IXL

Over the past year, this has proved wonderfully supportive and is a powerful resource that truly tests a student’s conceptual understanding and reacts to each individual’s performance. Each student starts at zero and, with each correctly solved problem, they move closer to 100 and skill mastery. Also, the questions become progressively more difficult; so, if a student reaches 100%, they have truly mastered that skill. To its core, it is a formative assessment tool: if a student makes a mistake, then an explanation for the correct solution is provided, thus allowing the student to learn from their mistake and then provides a relevant follow up question.

Khan Academy

Like IXL, Khan Academy is a great resource for videos and assessment exercises. In fact, it serves as a major support tool for each unit. 

What are the required everyday classroom supplies?

A pocket folder (to keep all handouts/assessments), a grid notebook for journal entries and lesson notes, post-it notes, a box of pencils, an eraser, a sharpener, a ruler, and a TI-84 Plus graphing calculator (strongly recommended).

All things considered, eighth grade is a crucial turning point in the story of a student’s success, where both parent and teacher must work together to cultivate an environment of respect for education and one that strengthens the student’s desire to improve and to reach their potential. Together, we are a team and I look forward to working with you to ensure your child is successfully prepared for high school.

Please, feel free to contact me anytime, via email, with any questions or concerns.