“One of the endlessly alluring aspects of mathematics is that its thorniest paradoxes have a way of blooming into beautiful theories.” -Philip J. Davis
Math comprehension is more than just nu
mbers. It involves estimating, sorting, and measuring. For children to succeed in math, several brain functions need to work together. Children depend on working memory to recall math facts and formulas, language skills to solve multi-step word problems and explain their thinking, and sequential and spatial ordering to understand geometric forms and the ordering of numbers. For math students who struggle with any of these functions, even the best quality class instruction is often not enough to help them break through the walls of division, fractions, and pre-algebra. As gaps in knowledge get larger and children have increasing difficulty grasping advanced concepts, their anxiety levels may rise.
Karen strives to help children overcome their fear of learning math by building confidence and self-efficacy. Developing a growth mindset (the belief that intelligence isn’t set in stone – it can change) and realizing that they can overcome any challenge through hard work and practice allows children to take on more difficult problems.
Confidence also grows when students develop a more constructive relationship with their mistakes and learn to view them as learning opportunities. Karen addresses the specific needs of each student, encourages different approaches to solving the same problem, and provides additional opportunities to build essential skills for computational and procedural fluency. She provides the scaffolding that children need to master these skills and concepts one step at a time.
- Over 13 years of experience teaching the Boulder Valley School District curriculum
- Extensive experience with Math Expressions, Middle School Connected Mathematics (CM3), and Everyday Math
- Frequent communication with teachers to clarify and strengthen objectives, regularly utilizing the teacher’s website to stay on top of current topics and test dates.
- Provision of summer support to review previously learned skills and help students prepare for the coming school year (especially helpful for students entering middle school).