Left to right: Numeracy Coordinators Rhonda Giesbrecht and Nicki Nightingale, Assistant Superintendent Penny Rose
What began as a collaborative project between Peace Wapiti Public School Division (PWPSD), Westwind School Division, Horizon School Division, and the University of Lethbridge has turned into an inspiring professional sharing and learning opportunity. Building Equity in Middle Years Numeracy Through Number Talks was designed to address equity and student learning gaps in numeracy through the implementation of Number Talks, short, daily exercises aimed at building number sense, in students in Grades 4-8.
The project included the implementation of a high leverage teaching strategy to develop number skills in middle school students. Participants included 30 teachers and approximately 300 students throughout the three school divisions.
As part of the research process, PWPSD staff have been sharing information they’ve collected at conferences throughout Alberta, and this summer will expand their audience to the rest of Canada and beyond. In June, PWPSD Numeracy Coordinator Rhonda Giesbrecht will head to Laval, Quebec to present at the Canadian Mathematics Education Study Group. She will be joined by Dr. Richelle Marynowski from the University of Lethbridge.
Later this summer, Numeracy Coordinator Nicki Nightingale, Assistant Superintendent Penny Rose, and Dr. Richelle Marynowski will bring the team’s research to the International Congress of Mathematical Education in Sydney, Australia and then to the Psychology of Mathematics Education and a Teacher Professional Development Day in Auckland, New Zealand.
Assistant Superintendent Rose says she is extremely proud of all the hard work that has gone into the research project and is looking forward to sharing the information with educators from all over the world. “Our team has worked extremely hard, and our teachers and students have played an essential role in this project. Our PWPSD participants have all gained from the chance to contribute to academic research, and they are so proud of what they’ve learned along the way.” Assistant Superintendent Rose says it’s been thrilling to share research findings from Alberta math classrooms and would like to thank all the teachers and students who participated in the project.
PWPSD would also like to extend its immense gratitude to the University of Lethbridge for sponsoring the team’s travel and conference fees.