Instructional Administrators for Math
• Middle School level: Beverly Cotten
• High School level: Michael Piscitelli
The Mathematics Cabinet endorses the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics. These standards, along with the New York State learning standards in mathematics, science and technology, as well as the mathematics core curriculum are the basis of Guilderland’s mathematics instruction.
We have selected mathematics programs K-12 which will produce students who are mathematically literate in a world where mathematics is rapidly growing and is critically needed in many occupations. The mathematics curriculum is an operational plan for instruction which clearly outlines what students need to achieve and what teachers need to do to help students achieve at high levels.
Our goals match those of NCTM:
“1) That they learn to value mathematics, 2) that they
become confident in their ability to do mathematics, 3) that they become
mathematical problem solvers, 4) that they learn to communicate
mathematically, and 5) that they learn to reason mathematically. These goals
imply that students should be exposed to numerous and varied interrelated
experiences that encourage them to value the mathematical enterprise, to
develop mathematical habits of mind, and to understand and appreciate the
role of mathematics in human affairs; that they should be encouraged to
explore, to guess, and even to make and correct errors so that they gain
confidence in their ability to solve complex problems and that they should
read, write and discuss mathematics.”
(National Council of T eachers of Mathematics)
The classrooms we envision are places where students explore, conjecture and reason logically as they use a variety of mathematical methods and tools to solve problems. Mathematics in such learning environments is more than a collection of skills; it includes reasoning, investigation, and various forms of communication.
Elementary level
Everyday Mathematics, developed through the University of Chicago Mathematics project, is taught in grades K to 5. Everyday Mathematics is a research-based curriculum which balances skills and concepts. In each grade children develop understanding of basic facts and operations, mathematical modeling, equivalence, functions, reasoning, estimation, measurement and mental arithmetic. Teacher training is provided on an ongoing basis. Grades 3-5 are tested annually by NYS Math tests.
Middle School level
Each year students in grades 6, 7 & 8 are tested on the New York State Mathematics curriculum. The Middle School program, Applications and Connections, stresses total student involvement in problem solving situations. The students are instructed in all content and process strands in the New York State core curriculum. Problem solving and developing strategies for checking reasonableness of results are important emphases. Demanding higher order thinking skills continues to be the focus of the mathematics program. Some students are able to begin an accelerated program which allows them to start a high school level mathematics course (Integrated Algebra) in grade 8. Academic Intervention Services are also available to students with academic needs in math as well as a summer remedial program. A math and science enrichment program has recently been added to expose students to real world applications via problem-based investigations and independent study.
High School level
The primary goal of the mathematics department at the
high school level is to promote increased student participation, confidence,
and success in the study of mathematics. The Mathematics Department offers a
wide variety of courses that prepare students for either future study or
careers.
All students must complete at least three years of mathematics and pass one
Regents examination. Students may complete as many as six courses with
approximately eighty percent completing at least four. Many of our seniors
take AP Calculus, AP Computer Science or PreCalculus for which they may earn
college credit or advanced standing.
Visit the links below for a brief description of the health curriculum by building-level: