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  • Viability of a Grade Level in Math

    Viability of a Grade Level in Math

    When I am asked to consult or evaluate a student, often the student is years behind in math. As a result, I am often asked to determine the grade level of the student’s achievement. Regressing the math achievement to a single number is not viable. This post provides an explanation. Common Scenario Here is a…

  • Problems with Determining Math Grade Level for a Student

    A common scenario involves a school official reporting out the grade level in math for a student. For example, a 7th grade student I was helping had tested at a 4th grade level. As a result, the student spent much of her 7th grade year working on 4th grade math. There are a couple problems…

  • Asking for Examples of Mastery for IEP Objectives

    To ensure the IEP team is on the same page as to what mastery of an objective looks like, the person writing the objective can take two steps: provide an example problem that would be used to assess mastery (and the example problem would have the same language as used in the objective) provide an…

  • Levels of Learning

    Levels of Learning

    Learning is not a singular threshold to be met. There are different levels of learning – a continuum (see photo below taken from the book Teaching Mathematics Meaningfully). A student demonstrating proficiency (fluency) is far different from a student simply showing some level of understanding (acquisition). I remember learning to drive a car with a…