Winchester Public Schools

Each of the five elementary schools is committed to mathematical instruction based on and consistently aligned with the mathematical standards outlined in the Department of Education’s Massachusetts Curriculum Framework. Throughout the grades, students develop proficiency in counting and cardinality; operations and algebraic thinking; number and operations in base ten; number and operations--fractions; measurement and data; and geometry. 

Teachers use a combination of inquiry-based, Concrete-Representational-Abstract, and targeted explicit instruction. Their instruction, along with a variety of games, and other engaging activities, allows students to gain number sense and fact fluency, and develop a deep conceptual understanding of their grade-level standards while fostering curiosity and positive feelings about mathematics.

At each grade, teachers provide opportunities to develop the mathematical practices listed above by teaching with a relational understanding lens that builds upon one’s knowledge, providing time to engage in rigorous problem-solving tasks, having students model abstract concepts with math manipulatives, and encouraging discourse between students that both sharpen and deepen their understanding of math skills.  

The work done in elementary math classes results in the same fundamental skill set as it always has; however, with an eye on the 21st-century skills needed for future success, teachers now purposefully plan activities that not only result in a strong set of mathematical skills but also build important competencies such as the ability to collaborate on challenging tasks, the tenacity and capability to make sense and solve complex problems,  the aptitude to think critically and flexibly and the opportunity to find enjoyment in the process.