Every Day Counts in Algebra

Now in its second year, Summer Bridge Mathematics is the brainchild of Inglewood Superintendent Pamela Short-Powell. Its goal is to make sure new high school students have the foundation for success in algebra, a subject not only considered a "gatekeeper" class for the college-bound, but also required by a growing number of careers.

"Increasingly, the minimal skills required for college...are the same skills required to succeed in the workplace and to participate fully in our democratic society," said Jack O'Connell, State Superintendent of Public Instruction. "More than 75 percent of occupations requiring certification by exam demand a knowledge of algebra."

For the 60 students in this year's Summer Bridge program, which took place at Inglewood and Morningside High Schools, games were the route to a deep understanding of the subject. The theme was "Every Day Counts in Algebra." Every day, students started off working with numbers in a different way --from reviewing various forms of computation to solving algebraic expressions and analyzing complex word problems. The results were posted on a colorful wall that grew in size daily to reflect students' growing fluency in mathematics. Lessons and activities were based on the California State Standards.

It was the second half of each day, however--when they split into small groups to design and play their own math games--that kept students coming back. "There are rules in mathematics," explained Eleanor Wallace, the program's coordinator. "By playing real math games and either augmenting them or designing brand new games, students are thinking about the rules and concepts of math and are fully engaging in their learning." For the culminations on July 28th and 29th, students displayed their own games for family, friends, and administrators.

"The games help us to understand [math]," said Saquoya Pope, after she and fellow Monroe Middle School graduate Jaimi Burnley launched into a detailed explanation of the "Integers Game," in which students make strategic moves through a tic-tac-toe board, multiplying adjacent integers and adding them to their totals in an effort to come up with the largest number.

The game-based approach proved so popular among students that enrollment actually doubled in the first week of the class, according to Ann Stewart, who coached the teaching team at Morningside High School. Students at both schools credit their improved math understanding to Summer Bridge's small class size, intensive focus, patient teachers, and use of hands-on materials, not to mention the math games, which inspired a newfound interest in the subject among students.

"The program allows for a lot of creativity," said teacher Robert Louis. "The kids create things and do a lot of hands-on activities. We try to build self esteem and let them know algebra is no great mystery."

Key to the program's success was teacher teamwork and training. Each day, teachers met to study teaching strategies and discuss what works best in the classroom. The teaching staff included high school and middle school teachers. This multi-grade-level collaboration, known as "vertical teaming," allows teachers to benefit from their colleagues' expertise and to plan for students' success from one grade level to the next.

"I was able to take what I learned here and use it in my regular program," said Beverly Williams, a math teacher at Monroe who returned to teach Summer Bridge for a second time this year.

As a matter of fact, the teacher training component is only one of many professional development efforts district-wide--including a well-received program for Summer School teachers from 10 IUSD schools--that have had a positive impact on student learning. "The pass rate on the California High School Exit Exam rose at both high schools this year," explained Ann Stewart. "This is because of our concerted effort in this and other programs," she said, citing the new Intervention classes and the Gear-Up tutor program as well. Summer Bridge was implemented under the direction of Dr. Kenneth Crowe, Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services, and Alma Davis, Director of Instruction.

This summer, a young man who was once a math underachiever confided in his teacher that he was no longer afraid--he could make an effort, make a mistake, try again, and in the end, understand. Thanks to the Summer Bridge program, it is a realization that many Inglewood students have experienced, and one that will benefit them throughout their lives.