Annandale Community:
I am excited to share that the Annandale Pyramid Math Teachers recently came together to align and strengthen math instruction from kindergarten through 12th grade. After two years of dedicated work, including extensive observations of math instruction across our schools, pyramid principals and math leaders have crafted a unified vision statement to guide this work:
In the Annandale Pyramid, mathematics teaching and learning focuses on developing an understanding of concepts and procedures through problem-solving, reasoning, and discourse.
Our Pyramid Math Kickoff provided every math teacher in our pyramid (Braddock ES, Weyanoke ES, Annandale Terrace ES Columbia ES, Bren Mar Park ES, North Springfield ES, Holmes MS, Poe MS, and Annandale HS) the opportunity to plan the first unit of the year together. They also were able to attend sessions tailored to their interests, with topics ranging from lesson planning and building a classroom community, to increasing student discourse and ensuring that every student can access mathematics.
The feedback from these sessions was overwhelmingly positive. Here are just a few reflections from our educators:
- “I got goosebumps hearing the references to the FCPS Vision of Excellence in Mathematics. I truly believe that the work we launched today and the work I know we will continue to do throughout the year is going to help students.”
- "Thanks for a great learning session! Do this again with upcoming content."
- "It was great to be around new faces and get a better understanding of how to plan for student-centered discourse."
- "I loved this! It was wonderful to connect with former colleagues and align our thinking as a pyramid."
- "The unpacking portion was really helpful. It’s nice to get takeaways from colleagues outside of my school team."
- "This was great! Thanks for a quick and informative PD!"
I am proud of the collaborative spirit that has brought us this far and excited about the path ahead. Together, as a pyramid, we are not just teaching math—we are building a strong foundation for our students' success.
As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions.
Shawn DeRose, Principal
|
