Ashland Middle School
I teach both 7th and 8th graders. I have 7th grade level math, pre-algebra, 8th grade level math, and algebra. Core Focus is challenging all of my students. Being able to teach both 7th and 8th, I’m seeing how this curriculum lays out a scope and sequence that meets the requirements of the CCSS very well.
I use an active board every day. Importing the power point lessons to my flipcharts is easy and allows the lessons to be presented in a very workable way.
As a middle school, we decided to jump right into the CCSS. I’m finding that Core Focus has been perfect. It has allowed me to understand the standards better and it has allowed me to teach them in an effective way. I’m very pleased with Core Focus.
Kraxberger Middle School
Core Focus is designed to meet the needs of all populations including Special Education, English Language Learners (ELL) and the Talented and Gifted (TAG) populations. It has tiered lessons for struggling students. It contains Spanish worksheets for ELL students and the extension activities like the TIC-TAC-TOEs and Challenge Worksheets to keep the TAG students engaged.
The Core Focus materials have been aligned to the CCSS Mathematical Practices. Each Teacher’s Editions list ways to elicit math practices from our students in each lesson. We did not have to spend a bunch of time as a district re-inventing the wheel.
I have personally taught using many different math curriculum sources throughout the years and I can without hesitation say that Core Focus on Math is the best that I have taught from. It has been a true privilege and honor to have met and worked with Shannon McCaw and her curriculum.
Again, it has made our job at Kraxberger Middle School in the Gladstone School District much more pleasurable and satisfying. We feel as though the students and staff are benefitting greatly from this well thought out curriculum!