Dear fellow petitioners, Just a couple of short notes. A parent recently told me she had concerns with her daughter still being taught multiple convoluted "strategies". This one pertains to the Estimation unit. The teacher/principal still thought the program of studies mandated them to teach multiple strategies for operations. The parent did the following: "I inquired with Alberta Ed’s K-9 Math Team Leader Kathy McCabe (kathy.mccabe@gov.ab.ca) and she said that [teaching multiple strategies] is not the case." I've been told that some school boards (eg. Calgary Board of Education) had not notified teachers accordingly of the curriculum changes that we had successfully advocated for (towards the increased emphasis on the basics, less emphasis on multiple strategies) because these boards are still partial to discovery math/Inspiring Ed. So, we need to speak up to remind them that your child does not have to be taught multiple convoluted strategies. Let the child master the most efficient and effective algorithms/approaches to mathematical operations so they they can go on to more challenging/higher mathematics. Perhaps, even contact Kathy McCabe. 2. A note from the Calgary Parents group. Please join them to support math excellence: All, We encourage those of you in Calgary to attend the Math Excellence Forum this upcoming Thursday- where a variety of speakers will be discussing how to achieve excellence in math. This is open to parents, educators, and administrators. Feel free to circulate to others who are interested in math! Some of the topics include: What are some best practices being used to achieve results in mathematics? What are the key K-8 math concepts children must master to be successful in higher level math? What specific ideas can parents use to support their child’s learning at home? How are the needs of different populations being met? For instance, what strategies have proven more successful for students with English as a second language? International Rankings – how does Alberta fit? What types of assessments are best? What is happening with curriculum design and changes? With all of the discussion taking place about diversifying our economy, how important are math achievement and rankings? Please note CAPSC has a number of tickets set aside for those unable to pay - on the registration page you can choose a 'no payment option'. You can also pay at the door. ​Math Excellence Night!​ Parents are curious to learn how schools are achieving strong results in this area, and how they can better support their children. In response, the Calgary Association of Parents & School Councils the 'Keys to Math Excellence' forum on January 28th. Speakers from schools and learning institutions with superior results in math will discuss strategies they use to ensure students are set up for success. Thursday, January 28th | 7 PM | Tickets $7 Performing Arts Centre | Webber Academy 1515-93 Street SW REGISTER for the Math Excellence Forum on January 28. ​This event is open to teachers, school council executive, administrators, and parents. Speakers include: STUART WACHOWICZ | Confucius Institute, Edmonton Stuart Wachowicz, B.Ed, B.Sc, M.Ed, is an educator with 44 years of experience. He taught for 25 years in Alberta, where he primarily taught mathematics and served as a school administrator. In 1997 he became Director of Curriculum for Edmonton Public Schools. He is one of the key architects of the education system that shot Alberta to the top of the world education rankings in the early 2000s. Upon retirement in 2009, Mr. Wachowicz became Director of the Confucius Institute in Edmonton, of which he is presently Chairman of the Board of Directors and Advisory Board. Mr. Wachowicz will be including a discussion on how strong math results were achieved in schools with a high English as a Second Language population. ANNA STOKKE | University of Winnipeg Anna Stokke is Associate Professor of Mathematics at the University of Winnipeg. She received a Ph.D in mathematics from the University of Alberta in 2003, an M.Sc (Math) from the University of Manitoba and a B.Sc (Math) from Brandon University. She is the President of Archimedes Math Schools, which is a non-profit organization that was founded by math professors in Winnipeg who recognize the need for a low cost after-school math program for elementary school children. Anna is a math education advocate and a cofounder of the Western Initiative for Strengthening Education in Math (WISE Math). She received a 2015-2016 YWCA/YMCA Women of Distinction Award in the Community Activism and Social Enterprise category for her work in math education. She also received the University of Winnipeg’s Clarence Atchison Award for Excellence in Community Service in October, 2015. NEIL WEBBER & JAY NIVEN | Webber Academy, Calgary Neil Webber, President/Head of School at Webber Academy, has a PhD in Mathematics Curriculum. Jay Niven, Senior High School Mathematics Instructor, holds a B.Ed and Masters degree in Mathematics teaching. Webber Academy is a non-denominational, co-educational, university preparatory private school offering Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12. There is an environment of high expectations for student achievement and behaviour. After 18 years of operation, Webber Academy has become an international school with students from many different backgrounds, cultures and religions. AARON RENART | The Renert School, Calgary Aaron Renert, M.Sc, LL.B, is a mathematics educator and the founder of Renert Education, a Calgary-based company that has been offering academic services to over 80,000 students since 1992. The company is known for its unwavering commitment to excellence in teaching. In its 26-year history, Renert has been an educational innovator and the first to offer diploma examination review courses and on-demand tutoring centres. Aaron is the curriculum lead and developer of Bright Minds – a revolutionary mathematics enrichment program that groomed dozens of math competition winners Aaron’s techniques and methods have helped thousands of students to overcome their fear of math and to thrive in the field. Renert’s latest project is The Renert School at Royal Vista, a K-12 private school which opened in September 2013. The school offers a new model of education dedicated to nurturing. http://capsc.ca/math-night-registration/ Kindest regards, Dr. Nhung Tran-Davies mrgranthd@yahoo.ca