Is Magic Math a program? I was very impressed with the attitudes of the adults and the children. We need to be teaching our students how to problem solve and be thinkers.

Linda

Staff comment:

Hi Linda,

Isn't this an inspiring story? You will find more information about this school's math curriculum in the article that accompanies this video segment. Click on "More to this story." There is also a nice Q&A with Principal Mickey Garrison. It's my understanding that the school uses different math curricula and vendors at different grade levels. There isn't one Magic Math program.

I work with students who often have great trouble in math - but more importantly, they usually have difficulty with problem solving, planning, memory and/or other excutive functions. I use a problem solving strategy from Solve It! and use a same approach in my content classes. It's amazing how well some of the skills can all come together!! They read, paraphrase, visualize, hypothesize, estimate, compute and check and we can apply that all over the place - good learning. .. Even my truly anti-math students are learning that they have an inner mathematician :). It's very exciting to see another whole school following a similar philosophy with great sucess!

the children ae really smart. (:
i am so amazed by how they learn so quickly. and are so healthy.

Please help me I am so desperate my son is having trouble in math, his teacher says that he is not improvment at school, please help me.

Staff comment:

Karla,

Did your child's teacher have any suggestions for how you might be able to help him learn math?

If you live near a science center or children's museum, check if they have any classes or workshops that teach math concepts in a way that is fun and engaging for kids.

Additionally, there are some Web sites like FunBrain.com (with free online games for kids that teach math skills) and EducationWorld.com/math that have ideas for making math fun to learn.

Remember, as a parent, you are your child's first teacher. By posting your comment on this site, you're showing that you are willing to go the extra step. Find resources so that you can be a math teacher!

The principal in the video could not have been more correct when she stated that "To often adults make excuses and minimize students ability to learn". I believe that it is excuses on our ability to teach or think outside the old school box. How soon can I get information on Math Magic to use with my students. I believe that students who live in poor communities are just as able as any other students. They have just not had the enrichment opportunities or the mathematical thinking presented to them. It's time we remove our blinders as we teach.

Staff comment:

For more information about this school's math curricula, see Edutopia.org's interview with the school's principal.

The companion article to this video also provides more context; see "More to this story," above. You can also contact the school directly and ask questions!

The topic of math is an interest of mine. I watched the video of Fullerton school and I enjoyed how much the children enjoyed math. I am interested in what other math programs and philosophies you have to share with me. My school district is currently looking into a math program and interested in any feedback.

I am a Math Specialist currently working with a math initiative in South Dakota called "SD Counts". We are beginning our 3rd year of training using the CGI approach to learning. In my ESA (Educational Service Agency) I have 18 Math Leaders each from a different school district who I work with and train on a monthly basis, coaching in also included. I know I have teachers who previously to taught and showed the basic algorithim and the steps for solving a problem that would NEVER go back to this method after their training in CGI and using the problem-solving approach in their classrooms. Year 1, our focus was Number Sense and Operations, Year 2 was Algebraic Thinking and Year 3 will be Geometry.

The success stories of my Math Leaders are huge. If you would like to visit more about the model we have established in South Dakota, I would love to visit.

We now will have two years of test data. Year 1 showed 5th grade students who were in a classroom where the teacher had implemented CGI in the classroom and were Math Leaders were a little higher than those that did not have teachers who were participating in SD Counts.