Get to Know Your Student’s Math Program

Today’s math instruction is based on what we know about how students learn best. While it may look different from what many of us experienced growing up, the goal is the same: helping students become confident, capable problem solvers.

This page will help you learn about your student’s math program, what instruction looks like in the classroom, and how you can stay connected with their teacher.

Our mathematics program is designed to help your student become a strong, independent mathematical thinker. Rather than focusing only on memorizing steps, students learn how math works, why it works, and how to apply it in real life.

The program:

• Emphasizes learning through problem solving and hands-on experiences in every lesson
• Engages students in peer conversations about mathematical thinking (called discourse)
• Builds conceptual understanding by helping students understand the “why” behind the math

To hear why math shouldn’t be quiet, watch this video.

A typical math lesson is engaging and collaborative. During instruction, your student’s teacher will facilitate conversations and monitor student thinking. You might see students using drawings, number lines, or blocks. These help them visualize and understand math in a deeper way.

Many lessons follow the Try–Discuss–Connect framework, which helps structure the learning in clear, meaningful steps.

Here’s what your student might experience each day:

• A warm-up or number routine
• A problem to make sense of and begin to solve (Try)
• Discussion time in partners and as a class to compare strategies and explain thinking (Discuss)
• Time to make connections between math concepts (Connect)
• Practice time to apply what they’ve learned and to build fluency and confidence

This approach encourages students to think deeply, communicate clearly, and see math as something they can make sense of.

Learn more about Try–Discuss–Connect.

The i-Ready Diagnostic is an adaptive assessment that adjusts to each student’s responses to identify their strengths and areas for growth.

The purpose of the i-Ready Diagnostic is not to give your student a grade but instead to determine how best to support their learning. It will help your student’s teacher determine their needs, personalize their learning, and monitor progress throughout the year.

You don’t need to have all the answers to support your student in math. Staying connected with your student’s teacher is one of the best ways to help.

Be sure to:

• Read communications from the teacher. They may include updates about what your student is learning and tips for supporting math at home.
• Ahead of each math lesson, look out for Family Letters. They explain upcoming math topics and family-friendly activities using the math students are learning. Teachers may send Family Letters home ahead of each new lesson. You can also find them in your student’s Worktext or on your student’s digital bookshelf by logging in to the Student Digital Experience.

Partner with your student’s teacher at conferences. Hear how your student is doing in math, ask questions, and learn how to support learning at home.

You play an important role in helping your student grow as a mathematician. Learn more about supporting your student’s learning at home from the link below.

Support Math Learning at Home.