District 64 and Maine Township High School District 207 hosted a unique, joint presentation (VIEW HERE) on Wednesday, October 17 regarding the introduction of Integrated Math beginning in the 2019-20 school year.
What is Integrated Math?
Traditionally, high school mathematics in the United States has been taught in the sequence of Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2. Integrated mathematics re-imagines these courses as Math 1, Math 2, and Math 3, where algebraic, geometric, and statistical thinking are embedded throughout all three courses. Spiraling concepts in this way supports the continued practice of mathematical skills and concepts to help embed them in long-term memory.
After three years of Integrated Math, students will have mastered the concepts presented in a traditional three-year pathway. However, we expect students’ problem-solving and reasoning skills to be much stronger, because Integrated Math more deeply explores the relationships among algebraic, geometric, and statistical concepts. Through the Integrated Math curriculum, students are challenged to solve “math tasks” rather than simply focusing on mastering algorithms.
How will this impact District 64 offerings?
- In District 64, some students enroll in high school level math classes through an accelerated math course sequence. Because District 64’s math sequence aligns with District 207, current 6th grade Channels of Challenge students and current 7th grade Accelerated Math students will transition to Math 1 in 2019-20. Beginning in 2020-21, 8th grade Channels of Challenge students will participate in Math 2.
- Students who are currently enrolled in an Algebra I class or higher will not move to an Integrated Math pathway in middle school or high school. This includes current 7th grade Channels of Challenge students who will enroll in Algebra 2 next year. Current 8th grade Accelerated math students will complete the high school placement test this spring and move along the traditional pathway in District 207.
What happens after students complete the required 3-year high school math sequence?
After completing three years of high school math, in either the middle school and/or high school setting, all students have the opportunity to participate in “traditional” fourth year courses in District 207 including: PreCalculus, Discrete math (dual credit), AP Calculus AB/BC, Multivariable Calculus, and AP Statistics.
To learn more, please see this link to FAQs provided by District 207.