Mathematics

Research on mathematics teaching demonstrates some compelling ideas about student learning:

  • Students are capable of learning algebraic and geometric reasoning far earlier than we had previously thought;
  • Students must master algebra to find success with any higher levels of math;
  • Students who learn mathematical concepts when they are ready are more successful throughout their schooling than those who rush into advanced math courses before mastering basic concepts. They also fare better on standardized testing.

In the Middle School, as abstract thinking skills mature, math classes comprise algebra, statistical analysis, independent analytical projects, and geometric construction activities, among many other age-appropriate investigations. Fifth graders solidify conceptual understanding of fractions, decimals, and percentages in addition to the algorithms to manipulate numbers. Sixth graders build bridges and load-test them; they make geometric shapes come alive in computer simulations; they encounter the equations that produce interactive spirals and fractals; they invent games to test probability theories; and they play innovative math games to build logical thinking.

All students in seventh and eighth grades complete a two-year course in introductory algebra. We offer different levels of algebra, but instead of mere acceleration, the curriculum allows time for teachers to ensure that students gain a deep understanding of fundamental concepts such as solving problems with multiple variables, graphing linear and exponential equations, and solving quadratic equations by many different approaches.

In all Middle School grades, students have an opportunity to participate in the Math Olympiad and Mathcounts, programs designed to foster creative and flexible mathematical thinking in competitive forums.

Recent evidence demonstrates the folly of moving students through math as quickly as possible. Instead, a developmentally appropriate curriculum offers students the chance to master algebra rather than merely to become familiar with the foundation of all higher mathematics.

A note about girls and math: Our approach to math, and to algebra in particular, is critical to determining girls’ future success in math as well as their potential success in almost any career. For example, “Women who are excluded from STM [science/technology/mathematics] education,” according to Lawrence I. Aguele and Uche N. V. Agwagah, in the Journal of the Social Sciences, 2007, “will limit their earning power and employment prospects and may continue to languish in stereotyped occupations. It is indeed clear that women without STM education will be seriously disadvantaged in the world of work, to the detriment of the society in general.” For more information about girls and math: