OTTUMWA, IOWA -- The Ottumwa Community School District is taking a different approach when it comes to teaching math.
A new routine called, “Everyday Math,” has been implemented in kindergarten through sixth grade classrooms.
According to the district, students now spend 90 minutes of daily instruction on math. 60 minutes on core instruction and the other 30 minutes on things like computation practice, games and instruction centers.
Evans Middle School 6th grade teacher Chris Gravett tells us that he is seeing improvements.
“When you do something in unit one, it is going to be touched-on again in unit two, and then again in unit 3; and you just keep building on it. Rather than doing a quick assignment and then being done with it for four to sixth months, you get to it where you master the skill. The kids have picked up on it and they liked it,” said Gravett
The Ottumwa Community School District says the primary difference between the new way, and the old way of teaching, is the collaboration efforts, plus the development of skills and the use of games in the classroom.