Walnut Road Elementary 25-26

OUR FOCUS

Numeracy is a key focus for all of our learners, as it shapes how students make sense of and engage with the world. Our goal is for each learner to develop strong number sense, think flexibly, communicate their reasoning clearly, and apply their understanding in meaningful ways. Grounded in the BC Curriculum, we are focusing on developing students’ reasoning, communication, and computational fluency through consistent and intentional practice. As a school, our focus is on strengthening sense-making, fact fluency, and the use of a shared mathematical language.

Our student learning goals, as they relate to numeracy, include:

• Using flexible strategies to make sense of numbers and solve problems in a variety of ways.
• Developing computational fluency and automaticity with number facts to support efficient thinking.
• Communicating mathematical thinking clearly using consistent and shared language to explain reasoning.

Across Walnut Road, all learners engage in daily, structured numeracy experiences that support these goals. These include approaches such as number talks, math routines, guided practice, and opportunities for collaborative problem solving. These structures create consistency across classrooms and support the development of both conceptual understanding and fluency. To better understand student growth, we are monitoring a cohort of learners and using this evidence to guide next instructional steps.

Students actively engage in mathematical thinking across all areas of the curriculum. Through the use of manipulatives, visual representations, mental math strategies, and discussion, students build understanding and make connections between ideas. Opportunities to talk about math, explain thinking, and use common language frameworks are embedded throughout instruction. This ongoing process of sharing, reflecting, and refining thinking supports students in developing both confidence and clarity in their mathematical understanding.

Our cohort of two primary and four intermediate classes enjoyed using the term "Trickster" to describe a math problem when they were unsure which strategy to apply first. These challenging questions required additional support and encouraged students to explore new approaches. The experience created a positive sense of productive struggle and helped students understand that it is okay not to know the answer right away. They learned that trying a different strategy and looking at the problem from another perspective can often lead them to a solution. 

Having the students identify how they came to an answer provided valuable information for teachers. By observing which questions students found most challenging, teachers were able to identify the specific skills and concepts that required further instruction. When only a small group of students needed additional support, teachers could target their interventions more precisely, ensuring that instruction was responsive to student needs.

This year's Spring Fair provided a wonderful opportunity for families and students to have fun learning together through math games. Families played a variety of engaging games that reinforced the numeracy skills students had been developing throughout the school year. The event demonstrated that practicing math skills can be engaging, interactive, and accessible for all learners. Families were encouraged to continue using these game-based strategies at home, supporting the development of numeracy skills, confidence, and math fact fluency through fun and meaningful learning experiences.

OUR NEXT STEPS

As we begin the first year of our school-wide shift from literacy to numeracy, we are building on the collaborative structures and instructional practices that supported student growth in writing. Our initial work has focused on developing number sense and fact fluency through daily number talks and strategy-based instruction.

Spring assessment data showed meaningful growth in students' mathematical efficiency. More importantly, the assessment process provided deeper insight than simply looking at whether students answered questions correctly. By examining how students solved problems, teachers were able to identify specific instructional needs and recognize growth as students progressed from counting and repeated addition strategies toward more efficient and flexible approaches.

Teachers also observed significant growth in students' ability to verbalize and justify their mathematical thinking. Many students demonstrated increased confidence in explaining strategies, comparing approaches, and participating in mathematical discussions.

The assessment data helped teachers identify the skills requiring further instruction and pinpoint students who would benefit from targeted support. While many learners demonstrated increasing fluency and confidence, a smaller group continues to require explicit instruction, visual supports, and guided practice. Going forward, teachers will use this data to inform small-group instruction and provide timely interventions that are responsive to student needs.

As we continue this work, we will strengthen our assessment practices by beginning data collection earlier in the school year, incorporating a mid-year check-in, and using ongoing evidence of learning to monitor growth and adjust instruction. Our goal is to develop flexible mathematical thinkers who demonstrate confidence, efficiency, and automaticity with basic facts.

MOVING FORWARD

As we enter the second year of our Numeracy Student Learning Plan, our focus will be on further developing a common language of numeracy across the school while strengthening instructional practices that support number sense, fact fluency, and mathematical reasoning. This work is informed by student learning data collected throughout the year, ongoing staff collaboration, and a shared commitment to responsive, evidence-informed teaching that fosters deep mathematical understanding and supports the success of all learners.

We are excited to continue this journey as a school community and remain committed to ensuring every student develops the skills, confidence, and positive mathematical identity needed to thrive as a learner, problem solver, and mathematician.