New Math Adoption

Today I went to the new math textbook introduction. Every 7-10 years, states around the country choose new textbooks for a particular subject. The purchasing is staggered out so school districts don't go broke buying all new textbooks in one year for all subjects. This year it was the math textbook's turn to be reviewed. We've been using Math Investigations at Windermere Primary School for a few years now, so it was no surprise when we choose a new math text that correlates with Investigations. Our new textbook is called enVision Math. This week representatives from Pearson are on hand to train all grade levels in how to use the new textbook. Today was 2nd and 3rd grades' opportunity to be trained. So, of course, I went. I'm glad I did. This might be a math textbook that I actually use. There are certainly quite a few resources that I know will be invaluable for the classroom, but I am an "Investigations" teacher. I actually had the good fortune to try out Investigations when it was in it's first printing and loved how it is based on research with children in actual math classes. Yes, sometimes it's difficult to find things to grade since most of the activities are hands-on explorations that kids do in small groups or pairs, but I think the company is getting better at that. They are developing more tasks that can be graded so it's not so hard when it's time to tell parents about their child's progress in math. What I like best about Investigations is that kids really end up understanding math concepts instead of just memorizing formulas or facts. That's really important when you come to a problem that you've never solved before. You have to be able to think about what you know, then use what's appropriate to help solve the problem. We do it everyday as adults and don't think anything of it but kids haven't had the life experience we've had, yet.

What really got me about this new textbook is the technology and online components available to us -- yes, even to parents. Families with computers will be able to access math games and the textbook online or by CD to assist their kids at home. I'm thinking again about Dr. Daggett's lecture back in June and think that this math book with its components will fit in nicely with our technologically savvy students. I saw a bank's advertisement on a billboard in Minnesota that bragged that their bank was "as connected as your teenager". It seems that our children outpace us in integrating technology into their lives. They don't have the reluctance that adults seem to harbor about technology. Not that all adults are technology-phobes, that's not what I mean at all. I am just amazed at how kids so easily incorporate new learning into their lives while it takes more effort for adults to do so. My principal has a vision that technology will be seamlessly integrated into each school day. She sends us lesson ideas and provides us with the equipment that we need as she is able, within her budget. I love her vision and I am striving to make it happen. It's hard though because I really have to think about where to integrate technology. Soon I'll be getting a Promethean board (no, I haven't been told I'll get one of those that will be installed in October, I'm just using the power of positive affirmations) and I'll raise my technology usage to a new level and then I'll learn some more and raise it even higher. Maybe this new math curriculum has ideas that I can already embed into my lessons without having to think up the ideas myself! Wouldn't that be nice? I'm one of those people who just need a spark and I can catch on fire with ideas...