Math Stars Expands to Middle Schools!
We are excited to announce that our long-running and highly successful after-school program, Math Stars, has expanded to serve sixth grade students at all of our sites! Middle school Math Stars builds upon the previous successes at the elementary school level and allows students to continue receiving the benefits of the program without interruption.
Parents and teachers have been asking for additional math support for their students, aligning with national concerns about math proficiency declining since the start of the pandemic. We were able to accelerate our plans to expand this program to meet the urgent needs of students. Sixth grade Math Stars has been such a hit, we’ve even had additional students trying to sneak in to see what all this excitement about math is all about!
As is the goal with all Greater Than’s programming and services, this project is designed to address and to lessen systemic barriers to the success of our students. By combining math skills education with an emphasis on social-emotional learning, we believe that Math Stars will continue to have powerful effects on students’ learning.
Math Stars is designed to not only strengthen students’ math skills but to match the focus on academics with a focus on changing attitudes and confidence around math. This program relies on culturally-responsive teaching methods and peer-to-peer learning to remove barriers to success. Math Stars and the associated curriculum aims to change how our students see themselves in relation to math, how they feel about math, how they approach math and how they feel included in the subject at large.
This is what a "Math Person" looks like!
The curriculum for middle school Math Stars was developed by Liesl McConchie, co-author of the best-selling book, Brain-Based Learning (Corwin Press) and author of All Students Can Learn Math. She is also currently co-authoring, with Dr. Eric Jenson, Teaching with the Brain in Mind (ASCD). McConchie’s work focuses on brain-based learning, equity in math, and closing the achievement gap for math students.
McConchie was able to attend the first family night of the new expansion. Both students and parents were very excited to meet an expert in the field and to learn more about the science behind social-emotional learning.
In the coming years, we expect to see meaningful and measurable impact on student academic outcomes, such as students entering Math Stars at below grade level not only being brought up to grade level but exceeding passed their grade level.
Every session includes an activity to help students foster a positive math identity.
We are hoping to expand the program to serve seventh graders in the 2023-24 school year. Can you help us invest in the new curriculum and programmatic costs? Your donation helps fund the academic, social-emotional, and holistic supports to students.