“We like that Math Nation builds conceptual understanding so that when procedures are introduced, students understand what they’re doing and why. They’re not just mimicking a procedure the teacher did on the board,” said Young. “The curriculum is layered so that each unit builds upon the others and it all comes together in an integrated way at the end of the year.”

“Before, my students’ math scores were average. Now their growth is remarkable,” said Mosely. “Math Nation has been instrumental in my students’ success. It trains them to think in a different way and at a different level.” 

“On the NWEA MAP assessment, Martha’s students were growing multiple years rather than just a full year. They were outscoring students across the district,” said Dr. Lisa Cassidy, principal of LMS. “After that first year with Math Nation, other principals were calling and asking, ‘What are you doing in that eighth grade math class? How are students growing so much?’” 

“The Math Nation curriculum builds and spirals at the same time. It weaves in concepts and skills so that by the time we get to the unit on a topic, like functions for example, students have already been exposed to some foundational things along the way. It also helps students capture key concepts or skills they may have missed in the past,” she said. “In every lesson, it’s clear which standards we’re working on, which standards we’re building on, and which standards we’re working toward. It’s very intentional. Math starts clicking with the kids.”

“Our previous textbook kept my students at a DOK Level 1,” she said. “With Math Nation, they’re moving to higher levels of thinking. Instead of just calling out answers, we’re discussing ‘why?’ and ‘how?’ and ‘what happens if?’ Students are enjoying discovering their voice in mathematics. The changes are even surprising them. Instead of saying, ‘I don't know how to do this,’ now they’re saying, ‘How can I think this through to discover what I can do?’ I can see their reasoning skills maturing right before my eyes.”

“Math talk in the classroom is at a higher level,” said Cassidy. “Student engagement is higher, too.”

“We mandated it across the board because we couldn’t deny the results,” said Cassidy.

“We provided substitutes so teachers could meet to plan the next unit and do vertical planning, too,” said Cassidy. “Martha is now a mentor for our teachers and other schools in the district. It has been a huge benefit to have a teacher who can say, ‘I’ve been where you are. Now let me show you where we’re going.’”

“Once I became familiar with the flow of the lessons and the online resources in Math Nation, it became very easy to plan,” said Mosely. “Assessing has also become easier because Math Nation provides everything I need, and it aligns with the standards.” 

“Math Nation is stretching the thinking process for our students. Regardless of the specific test or assessment they’re given, when you can get them thinking at higher levels, you’re going to see success across the board,” said Cassidy. “Even at the winter mark, we were seeing kids that had already grown three and four years in math on the MAP assessment. That’s unreal with COVID and the gaps we were seeing.”

“Students’ winter MAP scores really showed improvement, and almost every student who completed their spring MAP test went up significantly, which is thrilling,” she said.

Mosely agrees. “I have a goal card for each student. I give them a goal for the fall. Then I write down their progress and give them a new goal for the winter. I do the same for the spring. After the spring MAP test this year, one student looked up at me, crying. She blew the top off her goal! She went up 23 points. She said that last year she hated math and felt like she couldn’t do it. Now she knows she can.”

“With Math Nation, students now have a better understanding of math and are more flexible in their thinking,” said Young. “We’re also seeing growth in our formative assessments in the classrooms that are effectively using Math Nation. As a result, more teachers are buying into the program. I have a seventh grade teacher who said her students no longer immediately shut down when they see a fraction. I have an eighth grade teacher who said that she’s impressed with how well her students work together and how much their comprehension of math concepts has improved. Teachers like the online tools and the way that Math Nation is laid out. They like how the content is layered so if students don’t master something immediately, it keeps coming back. They say that planning is much easier now.”

“The main thing I tell other teachers about Math Nation is to just trust the curriculum,” said Mosely. “Math Nation covers everything I need to teach in eighth grade. If you feel like you’re running out of time, you can even see which lessons you can skip and which lessons are critical, which helps in planning. For leaders, I would say to be positive and encouraging. Give teachers the opportunity to talk with somebody who’s implemented Math Nation in their district or another district.” 

“As I said, I was hesitant to use Math Nation at first. I didn’t like having to change what I had always done, but I am so glad I did for my students’ sake,” said Mosely. “The proof is in the results.”