{"id":14298,"date":"2025-10-02T11:04:47","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T15:04:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/?p=14298"},"modified":"2025-10-02T11:04:47","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T15:04:47","slug":"math-coaches-collaborate-for-computational-fun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/math-coaches-collaborate-for-computational-fun\/","title":{"rendered":"Math coaches collaborate for computational fun"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Math coaches, including Tara Schooley of Newtown Elementary, shared ideas on presenting the computational fluency game \u201cRatio Race\u201d to third grade students.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Department of Teaching and Learning Elementary Mathematics Coordinator Johanna Ortiz discussed learning intentions and more with math coaches during the group\u2019s monthly meeting.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Almost every VBCPS elementary school has a math coach. About 50 of them get together regularly to exchange ideas and practice teaching methods. Their first meeting of the school year showed how learning math can be fun.<\/p>\n

For example, Point O\u2019 View Elementary math coach Jamie McLemore led a \u201cRatio Race\u201d game for her team that focused on helping third graders with computations.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are working on our division!\u201d she exclaimed to the \u201cstudents,\u201d who were actually other math coaches.<\/p>\n

She asked them to place a paper clip under a pencil\u2019s tip and spin it until it landed on a number within a circle on a piece of paper.\u00a0 Directions were to divide the number by five and record it on a game sheet.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I spin 45, I\u2019m going to divide by five and write an answer,\u201d McLemore told them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first person to finish wins.\u201d<\/p>\n

Department of Teaching and Learning Elementary Mathematics Coordinator Johanna Ortiz said the coaches support teachers and students.<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir job is to help teachers perfect their craft through professional learning communities (PLCs) and coaching,\u201d Ortiz said.<\/p>\n

Coaches lead PLCs, a collaboration with each grade level\u2019s kindergarten through fifth grade teachers. They meet at least every other week during the school year, analyzing data, sharing practices and helping teachers implement improvement strategies.<\/p>\n

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Part of the immersive experience at the elementary school math coaches’ meeting was practicing the use of manipulatives called Exploragons to teach students about polygons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Coaches divide into teams and choose someone for several roles:<\/p>\n