Critical Analysis: Voyager Sopris Learning

Critical Analysis

In 2010, Voyager Sopris Learning’s research-based mathematics enter the classrooms of Davidson County first in the summer school program, then in the classroom. As an effective teacher, I struggled with the notion of standing in front of a class and reading a prescribe script, that deviation from the text meant insubordination. We used the explicit mathematic instruction for 30-minute intervention which targeted students with low state assessment scores. All math teachers’ value-added scores declined which indicated failing students’ score. Explicit mathematics instructions used to eliminate math difficulties can dampen students’ critical thinking ability. Therefore, the elements of explicit mathematics instruction - teacher
It is a disservice to preschoolers and first-graders when teachers modeling is the foundation of the entire curriculum. The authors agree that teachers must use clear unambiguous language and manip¬ulatives which helps students to transition to abstract math symbols and ideas. Yet, teachers dive into place values concepts, without students understanding the quantified value of a number, different way a number can be represented, the ins-and-outs of the 1 to 100 chart, vocabulary, and more. Teacher-centered-classroom robs students of inquiry activities which generates background knowledge, encourages questions and sparks critical thinking. Guided practice is essential and the forum where students apply their new found knowledge. The authors seem to imply that guided practice modeled by the teacher may have a lecture effect if the lesson is not balance. If the lesson is not balanced with verbal-linguistic, logical-mathematical, visual-spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic (Eight Multiple Intelligences), then young children lose out on the experience of applying multiple learning approaches and becoming an intrinsic