Mainstay Math Kits Make Learning Fun
By Linda Pliagas
As a school district administrator, Chris Woodworth got tired of seeing teachers dish out one math worksheet after another. “They were worksheeting the kids to death,” she recalls.
Students kept getting paperwork, however they were not “getting it”. Test scores were spiraling downward and she noticed the kids were frustrated and bored. “The teachers were not worried about whether the students were actually learning the material,” she admits, and explains, “Math is sequential and cumulative, so if you miss one step, the bottom can fall out. That’s why you have to make children relate math to something meaningful.”
As a lifelong-learner herself (she has two master’s degrees and is working on her doctorate), Woodworth knew there had to be a better way to teach mathematics, so she set out on a mission to compile materials that would make the subject enjoyable.
“Kids are naturally inquisitive,” she says, “There is nothing more fun than watching kids get excited about learning.”
In 2006, Woodworth launched Mainstay Math, LLC. The company set out to develop, market and sell colorful, creative math kits to bring the joy back into mathematics education.
Each grade level has its own kit. Each kit is comprised of two books, “hands-on” manipulatives, games, web sites, art projects or puzzles. Children love how each kit is different and unique and educators love the fact that an assessment sheet is included so that learning can be measured.
The “6 E’s to Excellence” is the cornerstone of each Mainstay Math kit. The six E’s are: 1. Enjoy the literature. 2. Echo the ideas. 3. Examine the pieces. 4. Extend your thinking. 5. Explore other possibilities. 6. Evaluate your progress.
Woodworth explains this further: “Each kit is designed around the 6E process, which is the procedural backbone that establishes a routine to quickly enhance the understanding of each math concept.”
Each lesson is contained in a vibrant storable box, which is color-coded to the major curriculum strands: Green for numeration; yellow for algebraic relationships/patterning; red for geometry; purple for measurement; turquoise for probability and statistics, and finally orange for problem solving.
“We used color for easy identification, and again as an organizational tool,” she says, and adds that when she created the kits, she developed them so that children could interact with each other and also with the adult teaching them. She feels that personal interaction is a fundamental aspect in learning, especially something so abstract as mathematical equations and concepts.
“Children can work through the kit in an hour and a half,” she explains, adding that once they finish one lesson, they can then start another one the next day.
Woodworth is proud that she has compiled all of her years of expertise with curriculum development into her Mainstay Math kits and has been able to “put all the pieces together.” The kits are also constantly being updated and improved as Woodworth continues to research and discover new resources and methods.
When asked what advice she has for homeschooling parents, she replies: “I think we all need a mentor. Plus, let’s not forget the power of modeling. If you have a positive attitude about math, then the kids will also be excited.” L.P. |
