Teaching Children Who Struggle with Mathematics: A Systematic Approach to Analysis and Correction

Supplement for Mathematics Methods courses.

Rich with case studies and assorted examples, this brief, targeted text is dedicated to helping future teachers address the cognitive needs of children in Grades 1-6 who do not understand mathematical concepts and/or are not as skillful as they should be with those concepts. The authors present a systematic, three-step approach to assess students' math strengths and weaknesses and plan instruction accordingly. This involves: 1) using the Data Analysis Sheet (DAS) to assess and record learners' skills and error patterns; 2) complete a Mathematics Improvement Plan (MIP) with specific instructional approaches to improve skills students need; and, 3) set up the activities and intervention strategies to improve student performance. This approach allows teachers to meet individual needs.

Helene J. Sherman, Ed.D., is a professor and the associate dean for undergraduate education in the College of Education at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She has taught at the elementary, middle school mathematics, community college, and university levels, and she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in K-8 mathematics teaching methods. Dr. Sherman has had her work published in numerous professional educational journals and has coauthored three books for teaching metric measurement across the curriculum. She has directed and codirected federal and statewide grant projects in St. Louis area school districts, focusing on classroom applications of mathematics teaching methods. She presents workshops throughout the country on methods for teaching mathematics to elementary and middle grade students. Dr. Sherman has won several teaching awards, among which are the 2003 Missouri Governor's Award for Excellence in Teaching, the 2000 College of Education Distinguished Teaching Award, the 1998 Emerson Electric Outstanding Teaching Award, and the 1997 Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She is married and has two grown children and three grandchildren.

Lloyd I. Richardson received his Ph.D. in mathematics education from Vanderbilt University's Peabody College. He has 38 years of teaching experience at the middle school, high school, and university levels. His experiences include serving as chair of a high school mathematics department, director of the Center for Excellence in Metropolitan Education at University of Missouri-St. Louis, director of the NSF Summer Science Camp, and director of numerous other federally funded precollegiate programs in mathematics education. He has taught in the mathematics department at three universities. He currently holds joint appointments in the College of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Missouri-St. Louis as distinguished teaching professor in education and mathematics. He is the author or coauthor of two books, eleven monographs, and numerous professional journal articles. He has also produced a commercial mathematics readiness test and a manipulative fraction kit. He is a recreational woodworker and fisherman.

George J. Yard received his Ph.D. in special education from St. Louis University. During his 28 years at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, he taught in the field of behavior disorders while serving in a number of leadership positions, including area leader of special education, coordinator of graduate studies, and chair of the department of behavioral studies. Dr. Yard has authored and coauthored numerous articles and monographs and has served as editor of The Journal of the National Association of Adults with Special Learning Needs. He has conducted research addressing the curricular aspect of serving children with disabilities, served as consultant to school districts throughout the Midwest, and was an advisor to law firms and the federal District Court system on issues involving individuals with disabilities. Dr. Yard currently lives in Houston, Texas, where he continues to teach at the college level and serves as a certified mediator for issues involving the Americans with Disabilities Act. He was named associate professor emeritus by the University of Missouri-St. Louis in 2000.