How does the ACSI Purposeful Design Math series differ from other math series?
Anita L. Gordon, Former ACSI Math Services Consultant, Math Instructor—University of Colorado, Colorado Springs
The approach to math education used in our math series emphasizes the development of math concepts and the ability to solve application problems.There are other math series that teach the basic math facts and operations, but they do not develop the concepts with the use of manipulatives, investigations, and hands-on activities as our series does. In the Purposeful Design series, the importance of students learning the basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division skills has not been minimized, but these operations are presented in a manner that leads the students to understand exactly what they are doing. Current research in math education shows that concept development and application are essential to quality math education. It is also necessary to present arithmetic in a manner that will equip the students and enable them to be successful in each succeeding grade level. In the ACSI Purposeful Design Math series, the algebra and geometry strands begin with the kindergarten level and continue to develop through the intermediate grades.This will better prepare the students for those subjects in high school.
In the beginning of each lesson, real-life application problems are used to engage the students.While you may see fewer problems on the page, as compared to some other books, the problems have been designed to provide a proper balance of practice, application, and review. Our teacher editions provide all the directed instruction, blackline masters, and overhead transparencies that the teacher needs. Since our emphasis is on concept development, our teacher materials contain the directions for the proper use of manipulatives, hands-on activities, and games that relate directly to the lessons. These valuable components, not readily available from an outside source, are what we have chosen to include, rather than just more pages of drill and practice.
Please see the product descriptions and sample pages for the various grade levels at Purposeful Design Publications. In addition, a copy of the Scope and Sequence (grades K–6) is available free of charge. A separate Intermediate Scope and Sequence is available for the middle school series. If you are considering a change to your mathematics program, you may benefit from the following National Council of Teachers of Mathematics publication: Administrator’s Guide: How to Support and Improve Mathematics Education in Your School (also available from ACSI, catalog #6516).This manual outlines the development of a school mathematics program that allows all students to have the opportunity to receive high-quality mathematics instruction that will prepare them for life.
Math by Design volume 1 number 1