Hyland Elementary 24-25

When we began focusing on Numeracy, we recognized the need to shift our approach to mathematics instruction to better support the development of students’ problem-solving skills. Many students approached math with hesitation, often feeling stuck or prioritizing the “right” answer over engaging with the process. This mindset limited their confidence, creativity, and willingness to take risks. To address this, we explored Peter Liljedahl’s Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics, a research-based framework that places thinking, collaboration, and curiosity at the center of learning.

With our grade 7 cohort, we implemented strategies inspired by this framework to foster deeper engagement with mathematical ideas and strengthen students’ problem-solving abilities. We introduced rich, non-routine tasks and structured our classrooms to promote active participation—using vertical non-permanent surfaces and random groupings to encourage discussion and risk-taking. These changes helped shift the focus from correct answers to flexible thinking and multiple approaches.

Student feedback on strategies used:

Random Groupings

It’s really fun because you get to see other thoughts and how they do it.  It makes math easier and more fun.

I feel like you can learn and interact more.

It’s really fun because you get to see other thoughts and how they do it.  It makes math easier and more fun.

Vertical Boards

It really helps because we can get other people’s opinions

I think more when I’m standing

Teacher feedback on strategies used:

I found those kids who normally” look busy” were more engaged.  I found them asking questions and asking for help.  Previously, they might have just sat around and “looked busy”.  Kids were very excited about doing Math. Students asked, “we’re allowed to do Math in groups?”  They were excited to work through the problem-solving together.

The students were engaged in the Math groups.  As a teacher, I felt the pressure of balancing everything in grade 7.

With the support of our district numeracy helping teacher, teachers and students had the opportunity to learn about different problem-solving strategies, including Same but Different and Numberless Word Problems.

Same but Different is a teaching strategy where students compare two similar math problems that have subtle differences. This approach encourages students to think critically about mathematical structure rather than just focusing on getting the right answer. By analyzing what’s the same and what’s different, students deepen their understanding of concepts and operations. It also promotes rich classroom discussions, helping students articulate their thinking and learn from each other.

Numberless Word Problems remove the numbers from a word problem initially, allowing students to focus on understanding the context and relationships involved. This helps shift the focus from rushing to solve to first making sense of the situation. It supports comprehension, reduces anxiety, and encourages students to think about what information is needed and why. Once students understand the problem, the numbers are added back in, and they are better prepared to solve it meaningfully.

By integrating these strategies into our classrooms, we’ve seen a noticeable shift in how our cohort of learners approaches math. They are more engaged, collaborative, and willing to take risks in their thinking. As we continue to build thinking classrooms, we’re excited to see students grow not only in their skills but also in their confidence and enjoyment of math.

Evidence gathered by our cohort indicates that this year’s numeracy instruction had a positive effect on student learning. Between October and May, we noted encouraging growth in students’ problem-solving skills. The proportion of students in the 'Emerging' category declined, while four students made remarkable gains, advancing to the 'Exceeding' category. This shift highlights both the progress of our most challenged learners and the continued advancement of those already performing well.

Over the past two school years, there has been a modest but encouraging improvement in numeracy achievement. In 2023/2024, 55% of students demonstrated numeracy proficiency. This result was slightly below both the district average (56%) and the provincial average (60%). It is worth noting that this data may be slightly skewed due to the inclusion of MACC (Multi-Age Cluster Class) students, who are identified as highly gifted.  

 In 2024/2025, student performance increased to 59%, with district and provincial averages also rising to 56% and 60% respectively. While overall achievement remains just below the provincial standard, the upward trend suggests that recent efforts may be having a positive impact.

Continued support and targeted strategies will be important to sustain this momentum and close the remaining gap.

Moving Forward
We will continue to build on the strategies we introduced with our Grade 7 cohort to deepen mathematical engagement and strengthen problem-solving skills. Inspired by this framework, we will maintain our use of rich, non-routine tasks and classroom structures that promote active participation. Tools such as vertical non-permanent surfaces and random groupings have proven effective in encouraging dialogue, flexible thinking, and risk-taking. As we move ahead, our focus remains on supporting students in developing multiple approaches to problem-solving rather than simply arriving at correct answers.

At the same time, we are closely examining emerging data from reading assessments across primary grades. In our Grade 1 cohort, 62% of students are currently at the "Emerging" level, with only 10% meeting ("Proficient") and 19% exceeding ("Extending") grade-level expectations. This is a significant concern and highlights the urgent need for focused attention on foundational literacy development. Similar trends are observed in Grades 2 and 3, where 41% and 33% of students, respectively, are still at the "Emerging" level. These findings underscore the importance of making early literacy a school-wide priority moving forward, with targeted interventions and supports to ensure all students build the skills necessary for long-term academic success.

Next year, literacy will play an important role in our Student Learning Plan. To support this, we will implement several strategic initiatives aimed at strengthening early literacy outcomes:

• Shift to Grade-Specific LST Groupings
  We will restructure our Learning Support Teacher (LST) model to focus on grade-specific groupings. This will allow educators to tailor interventions more precisely to the developmental needs of each grade level.
  Research consistently shows that students who are not reading proficiently by the end of Grade 1 are at significantly higher risk for ongoing academic challenges. Early support can:
  • Prevent long-term learning gaps
  • Improve student confidence and engagement
  • Reduce the need for intensive interventions in later grades
• Facilitate Grade Group Collaboration
  We will provide structured opportunities for educators to collaborate within grade groups, fostering shared strategies and consistent literacy practices.
• Provide UFLI Resources and “Lunch and Learn” Sessions
  Educators will have access to UFLI (University of Florida Literacy Institute) resources, along with informal professional learning opportunities through “Lunch and Learn” sessions.
• Align Learning Resources and LRS Funding
  We will continue to align our Learning Resource Support (LRS) funding with the goals of our Student Learning Plan to ensure targeted and effective resource allocation.
• Explore DIBELS Implementation
  Interested staff will have the opportunity to explore the use of DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) as a tool for assessing and supporting early literacy development.