(Newswire.net — May 15, 2020) — Teach to One: Math began in New York City as a school-based approach that integrates multiple learning modalities to provide teacher-led mathematical learning experiences. What makes these modalities unique is that they are personalized for every student each day. Teach to One has been applauded for its dynamic approach to math education and innovative solutions that solve educational gaps. The 14 Teach to One partner schools foster a cohesive community of participating educators that motivate students to meet and exceed their learning potentials.
The Evolution of Teach to One
From the New York City Department of Education emerged the transformative Teach to One: Math approach. Christopher Rush and Joel Rose, Teach to One’s co-founders, started as leaders of a New York City Department of Education modality called School of One. School of One was created as an approach to middle school math that integrated technology in the development and implementation of personalized curriculum. This solution to educational gaps in middle school education made national headlines. In fact, Time magazine named School of One one of the Best Inventions of the Year in 2009.
In 2011, Rose founded New Classrooms Innovation Partners, a New York-based nonprofit. Rush serves as the organization’s chief program officer, and Rose serves as the organization’s chief executive officer. New Classrooms: Innovation Partners is credited with scaling the instructional approach of School of One and developing Teach to One. Since Rose and Rush had identified significant math education gaps among sixth and seventh grade students, math curriculum for these grades was Teach to One’s initial focus. Teach to One, by way of New Classrooms: Innovation Partners, has since expanded to incorporate education gaps in fifth and eighth grades. The content can reach all the way from second grade through high school. Teach to One hopes to expand into all grades eventually and even become multidisciplinary with a science branch.
Meeting and Exceeding the Potential of Students and Educators
Access to quality education relies on an ample supply of physical resources and a skilled workforce of teachers. It’s important for educators to remember that quality education is innovative, evolving, and forward thinking. There is no one-size-fits-all technique for every student, especially when it comes to math education. When transitioning to increasingly complex topics, math students cannot excel unless they have mastered basic skill sets. However, the trend of cumulative learning, most notably in densely populated school districts with limited resources and teachers, tends to widen math knowledge gaps. This forces students to catch up to their classmates and puts them at a disadvantage when processing new material.
Without intervention, these gaps pose serious threats to college preparedness and long-term educational success. Teach to One was designed with these gaps in mind. When students begin a new school year at a Teach to One partner school, a starting point for each student is established. From there, each student receives a bi-weekly modality aimed at helping them reach a specific goal, and their activity is monitored to determine ongoing comprehension success. The approach permits repeated lessons if necessary, which is a comparative advantage to cumulative learning tactics. If lessons are to be repeated, then they can be presented in several new formats based on the student’s most effective learning styles. Students and teachers also participate in exit interviews at the end of each day to evaluate the lesson’s efficacy, determine if a lesson needs to be repeated, and assess whether the student should proceed to the next lesson.
Teach to One implements algorithms and classroom-specific information to organize a daily math curriculum for 10,000 students per day. This innovative approach to math education is made possible by the company’s New York offices, whose responsibilities include daily curriculum development. Each lesson also takes into account the state’s testing requirements and the student’s tendencies.
Teach to One: Math does wonders not just for participating students but for teachers as well. Whether collaborating on new techniques or extracurricular bonding, Teach to One fosters community. After Ector County Independent School District introduced Teach to One to its virtual classrooms, the district reported high student attendance and participation rates. Teachers also shared that they were able to touch base with each other about their unique tactics and how these measures could be adopted in their virtual classrooms. In Chicago, Teach to One teachers shared that they started taking Zumba classes with each other as a way to stay fit and have fun. The collaborative community that Teach to One helps foster among teachers in turn boosts the enthusiasm, confidence, and performance of their students.
Looking Forward
Teach to One: Math is an approach to math education like no other. This shift from the traditional educational mindset allows teachers to tailor lessons to each student based on their daily schedule, yearly progress, and overall learning style. Since the evolution of School of One that began out of the New York City Department of Education, Teach to One has pioneered personalized learning in math education. The Teach to One approach will forever change how students and teachers understand their responsibilities, enhance their math skills, and broaden their future in education.