It Doesn’t Take a Rocket Scientist to Change a Life..

..but rocket scientists are always welcome.

This year Austin Partners in Education will be focusing the Partners in Math program on 8^th grade.  Providing students with a strong foundation will enable success in algebra, which research consistently shows is critical to ensuring high school completion and college and career readiness. We are excited for this opportunity and have been able to make positive program enhancements for our new and returning volunteers.

This summer, the Partners in Math team (Elizabeth McCormick, Amy Moore, and Karolyn Gutierrez) has collaborated with a team of 8^th grade math teachers and AISD’s Secondary Math Curriculum Department. The group has been busy writing curriculum, ordering supplies and assembling volunteer binders.  Focusing on 8^th grade allows the program to have a more targeted approach in regards to curriculum and resources provided to volunteers.  Instead of teachers emailing lessons each week, the lessons have already been prepared and will be provided to each Math Coach (our new name for volunteers) in a binder when they attend training. 

Each week the lesson will include:
Lesson Snapshot – a brief summary of what the students will be learning about. 
Vocabulary – new terminology for students to learn
Background – Where should the students be at this point in their knowledge of math before this lesson?
Before the Math – Conversation starters that help build relationships with students.
The Lesson – Directions for the lesson along with a sample copy of the student worksheet (including with answers).
Facilitation Questions – Guided questioning to engage students
Understanding – A guide for helping the math coach ”check for understanding” with their students during the lesson.
Closure – Going beyond the “see ya next week”; helping the math coach bring the session to an end with their students.

This new resource will ease the minds of Coaches that have not been in an 8^th grade math class in a very long time.  Everything they need to have a positive experience is provided in an organized Coach binder.  We are not looking for the math experts, but volunteers who have a genuine interest in building relationships with students who need positive role models in their lives.

In addition, there will be ongoing trainings each month (beginning in October) on topics relevant to adolescence and learning.  Coaches will be provided with resources on the covered topics to continue in building their tool kits.

Nearly 250 weekly Math Coaches will be changing lives this year.
Will you be one?