Math Recovery

How our Title I teacher and schools improve student success in mathematics?

The mathematics educational experience is not working for many students.

Math Recovery and Add+Vantage Math Recovery is a national professional development program that helps teachers to respond to the need to meet high levels of accountability for all students to learn important mathematics. It empowers teachers to improve mathematics instruction by putting into practice new research in the areas of assessing, teaching and learning numbers.

Math Recovery

Math Recovery Intervention is for coaches or interventionists whose role is to be the Math Specialist at his or her school. Math Recovery consists of targeted one-on-one instruction in whole number concepts designed for intense short-term intervention in mathematics for primary students. Math Recovery Intervention Specialists participate in 10-13 days of face-to-face professional development and individual coaching support groups from Title I program specialists.

Trained math specialists use focused diagnostic assessment to provide instruction aimed at a student’s zone of proximal development. Math Recovery Intervention Specialists select from a bank of problem-centered tasks during a complete instructional cycle involving 25-30 minute lessons, 4-5 days per week for 12-15 weeks to help students fill in the gaps in mathematical concepts.

Add+Vantage Math (AVMR) Professional Development Courses

The theory and strategies from Math Recovery Early intervention are equally relevant and useful for classroom teachers. AVMR courses provide classroom teachers with a similar developmental framework, diagnostic assessments, and tools for designing/differentiating instruction. During this PD teachers undertake a study of how children think about number and construct new number knowledge and arithmetical strategies.

AVMR is unique because teachers undergo 4-8 days of intensive professional development to help them understand this mathematical continuum, how to assess gaps and how to provide targeted instruction. The first 4-day course focuses on Addition & Subtraction and other related number topics. The second 4-day course covers Place Value and Multiplication & Division. There is also a blended learning course covering Fractions. This information is research based and can be used to support Tier Il interventions for struggling students but it can also be used to make modification to core curriculum to help more children access Tier I instruction.

Links

• Why use Math Recovery & AddVantage Math?
• What does the data say about this evidence based school improvement strategy?
• How is Math Recovery/AddVantage Math aligned to APS Goals?
• How does a teacher become a Math Recovery Intervention Specialist?
• How does a teacher become an AddVantage Math trained teacher?
• What support is available for schools utilizing these trainings?

Why use Math Recovery/AddVantage Math?

Research has demonstrated that children grow mathematical skills along a continuum similar to literacy. If we can find where children are struggling along this continuum, we can intervene with deliberate instructional strategies that leads to strong mathematical sense. A comprehensive range of instructional activities has been developed for use in Add+Vantage Math (AVMR). These are comprehensive in the sense that they address what we would regard as all of the important aspects of students' early arithmetical learning.

What does the data say about this evidence based school improvement strategy?

Student Results:

76% of Add+VantageMR@ students (K-5) met or exceeded the projected growth on NWEA Mathematics Measure of Academic Progress (MAP). (Math Recovery)

Student Growth:

A combined 86.11% of the responding teachers saw improvement in their students. Precisely 69.38% had Add+VantageMR@and Math Recovery@ data to confidently report student growth.

Improved Teacher Content Knowledge:

Mean score of participants on mathematics content knowledge test increased from 70% to 79% after the completion of the Add+VantageMR@ Course I and Add+VantageMR© Course 2.

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) research site gives Math Recovery a moderate success rating.

How is Math Recovery aligned to APS Goals?

Math Recovery and AddVantage Math are aligned to the APS Early Learning Goal #1 as well as the College and Career Readiness Goal #2. The standards referenced as mathematical early learning targets are directly supported by the models for development, assessments and instructional tools that teachers gain in these professional development sessions.

How does a teacher become a Math Recovery Intervention Specialist?

Math Recovery Intervention Specialists (MRIS) go through comprehensive training that prepares them to provide math intervention to K-5 students. The Math Recovery Intervention Specialists at the participating elementary schools:

• Provide early intervention for at-risk students, serving one-on-one and/or providing Tier II small group intervention
• Provide instruction at students’ current level and advances students’ knowledge, skill and conceptual understanding
• Use diagnostic assessments and a developmental framework that generate a detailed profile of a student’s current understanding and subsequent progress resulting from intervention
• Attend collegial meetings throughout the year to continually update teaching practice
• Provide short-term intervention (10 to 12 weeks) as a supplement to classroom instruction
• Provide ongoing support and PD for teachers trained in Add+Vantage Math
• New MRIS candidates receive a minimum of 10-13 days of professional development as well as at least six coaching visits during their training year. Continuing MRIS teachers can request coaching and planning support as needed. Collegial meetings for all MRIS teachers are held monthly.

Professional Development Courses for AddVantage Math Teachers

AVMR Course 1 (four days) professional development focuses on the foundational learning of whole number topics such as number words and numerals, structuring numbers, addition and subtraction, and topics that affect the development of future mathematical understanding.

AVMR Course 2 (four days, Course 1 is a prerequisite) professional development expands and deepens knowledge and understanding of the mathematical development for all students by implementing diagnostic assessments for multiplication and division and place value understanding.

AVMR Fractions course is a blended learning course, containing both independent learning modules and team meetings. Course materials include Developing Fractions Knowledge from SAGE Publishing, assessment materials, and instructional settings. AVMR Fractions takes place over about 8 -12 weeks through seven session/modules of learning, which will include a variation of some after-school team meetings in conjunction with some half or whole-day team meetings that will occur during the school day.

What support is available for schools?

Support for Schools with teams of Add+Vantage Math trained teachers

• PD for leadership teams to develop their ability to support a shift in math instructional practices at their sites
• Follow-up sessions for teachers who want to continue to develop their understanding of how elementary-aged children learn to think mathematically

Support for Schools with a Math Intervention teacher

• PD for interventionists to support/develop appropriate math intervention instruction and pedagogy for K-5 students