Building the bridge to understanding math
All Lower School students will be learning a deeper understanding of mathematics in the same way. Starting this school year, Doherty and Lotspeich Lower Schools are both using Bridges Mathematics, a curriculum that focuses on mathematical understanding and conceptual knowledge. “It is about fully contextualizing math and learning critical thinking skills,” Head of Lotspeich Susan Miller said. Previously, both lower schools were using the same math program but different versions of it. When it was time to update the math curriculum, numerous programs were evaluated and piloted in the classroom before Bridges was selected, with an overwhelmingly positive reception from teachers at both lower schools. “We want students to understand there may be multiple ways to solve a problem, and reach the correct answer. It strengthens students’ reasoning and logic, when they’re taught how to address a problem instead of memorizing an equation,” Miller said.