Education Department Update: Summer Programs

We wanted to take this opportunity to give you all an update on upcoming summer Education releases so that you may engage parents in key conversations related to summer enrollment.

Strategically, we chose the following topics of emphasis for our summer program recommendations:

• Numerical Fluency
• Multiplication Fact Fluency
• Fractions
• Problem Solving
• Algebra Readiness
• Geometry Readiness

We wanted to ensure you have access to programs that you can tailor to the complex needs of your summer enrollments. There are several ways you can accomplish this:

#1: All students must take an assessment, even on short-term summer enrollments. This will allow you to establish a baseline for the student, identify their needs objectively, and will award you the opportunity to show progress as you near the end of their summer enrollment with an eye toward conversion into the fall.

#2: The current Summer Power Math materials have been used successfully in the system, so we have once again chosen to make these a part of our summer recommendations. There will be a refreshed fractions workout, as well as workouts created for Numerical Fluency, Multiplication Fact Fluency, and problem solving. These will provide a condensed, targeted look at these topics for students who have the prerequisite skills and stem from a strategic repackaging of our current PK, FO, and WOB materials.  Our current Power Math materials are not being replaced (i.e. “Jump Start 4/6” or “Percents”) and will remain active.

#3: We will also be creating shortened initial assessments to use with students who would like to preview Algebra or Geometry using the Algebra Readiness and Geometry Readiness curriculum. This will allow students who are preparing for these courses to engage in a more manageable prep program for the summer.

#4: Another potential summer strategy would be to give a child an assessment and reorder a student’s Learning Plan so that one (or more) of those topics is weighted heavily toward the top. For example, if a parent contacts your center expressing a desire to have their child work on fractional concepts, this could be done at most any level.  You can administer the level assessment, add mandatory add-on, evaluate the prerequisite skills for fractional concepts at that level, and move key PKs on fractions toward the top.

#5: While summer is the perfect time to focus on goals associated with the student’s Learning Plan, keep in mind that activities, manipulatives, and games should also play a key role in the student’s center experience.  Allow students to explore math concepts in multiple ways and have fun while doing it.

In summary,

• The topic-based nature of the summer offerings means you can have conversations with prospective parents centered around how the Mathnasium program targets them.
• All students must be assessed, even on short-term enrollments.
• A refreshed fractions Power Math Workout is being put together, and Power Math Workouts are being created for problem solving, Numerical Fluency, and Multiplication Fact Fluency.
• Shortened assessments are being put together for Algebra Readiness and Geometry Readiness.
• Learning Plans can be reordered strategically to emphasize certain topics provided the student has the prerequisite skills.

Upon release of these materials in Radius, a document with comprehensive instructions for implementation will be provided.

If you have any further questions, please contact support@mathnasium.com ^[1].

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