Godfrey-Lee — Godfrey Elementary fifth-graders are learning to feel confident and competent in their math skills, thanks to a new perspective.
Vertical learning encourages students to get out of their seats and work collaboratively with their classmates to solve equations and story problems.
In Erin Kapolka’s classroom, small groups huddled in front of several whiteboards along the four walls. Kapolka said each group is assigned randomly to encourage students to work with new people and discourage an academic hierarchy.
“We’re using our big brains,” fifth-grader Abygail said to her two group members before they decided which strategy to use for decimal subtraction.
The trio decided to use the takeaway strategy to solve for 9.37 minus 6.6. Abygail drew a number line and they collectively figured out how to subtract small amounts to reach whole numbers on the timeline, then added their increments together to find the total difference.
“Teamwork makes it easier, because we get to work together to solve the problems,” she said. “You can talk about ideas and see if they agree. And if they don’t, you can try something else.”
Her teammate Jaela added, “Math wasn’t fun before, but now it is, when we work as a group.”
Sara Dewey, Godfrey’s instructional coach, said one of the district’s overall goals is to increase opportunities for student response in all subjects.
Since implementing vertical learning in all fifth-grade classes, Dewey said teachers have seen an increase in unit assessment scores, as well as pre-unit assessment scores.
Kapolka said 18 of her 22 students’ scores increased on their NWEA MAP math tests this semester.
“Our students are loving it,” she said. “When kids are in their seats, they’re not actively thinking as much. In a group, they hold each other accountable. They’re not on their own; they’re helping each other.”
‘Math wasn’t fun before, but now it is, when we work as a group.’
— Jaela, fifth grade
Godfrey Elementary teachers also participate in Collaborative Learning Labs, training supported by Kent ISD, where they spend an hour planning a lesson together and then take turns facilitating the lesson in a classroom.
Afterward, they debrief and discuss how to improve it so they can implement it in another classroom, Dewey said.
Subtracting Decimals, Adding Confidence
Students also worked in their small groups on exercises to empower them to take on new challenges and not be afraid to make mistakes.
“We’re turning negative talk into positive affirmations by having the students write ‘I can’t’ statements and turning them into ‘I can’ statements,” Kapolka explained.
Those statements are written on a large piece of paper next to each whiteboard, in case students need a confidence boost.
“Vertical learning facilitates productive struggle while learning new math concepts,” Dewey said. “They might be scared to take a risk or raise their hand to share how they solved a problem, but we want to turn this into a positive learning experience.”
Toward the end of the lesson, the class formed a semi-circle around the large whiteboard at the front of the room and Kapolka encouraged one brave group to talk through how they solved the problem in front of the class.
“Which strategy did this team use: the difference strategy or the takeaway strategy?” Kapolka asked.
Dewey instructed the fifth-graders to hold a thumbs-up next to their hearts when they knew the answer and then turn and talk about it with the person next to them.
“It’s so exciting as a coach to watch them learn this way,” she said, “because they’re excited.”
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