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Welcome to Orange City Schools Math Add+Vantage Website

We know that when students first begin school there are already vast differences in their number knowledge. Some students have not acquired the informal background knowledge needed to be successful in the more formal school mathematics.

If a student is not successful early in the school experience, negative feelings toward mathematics and a lack of self-confidence can emerge. Over time, as the knowledge gap widens, finding success becomes even more difficult.

Our goal with Math Recovery/Math Add+Vantage is to provide these students with assistance before they experience too much failure. The goal is to help these students advance to the level at which they can successfully learn with their peers.

Number and number relationships that seem obvious to adults may not seem so for children. Children’s understandings can vary greatly from the adult knowledge.

The development of this knowledge does not come from telling, but rather through the child’s personal construction of the knowledge. Children must have personal experiences to learn and relate various forms of number.

Math Add+Vantage has its focus in the number operation and concept strand of mathematics and its emphasis on assessment and intervention. The instructional strategies include the following key topics:

Forward and Backward Number Word Sequences

Addition and Subtraction
Tens and Ones

These early arithmetical concepts are the foundation for all future mathematics and learning in mathematics.

What can we do at home?

Mathematics at home does not need to be formal pencil/paper instruction. You can support the instruction taking place, and in the classroom, through playing games and by talking about mathematics in day-to-day events.

Playing games with your child involving numbers, dice, and counting provides for important experiences in making sense of mathematics.

There are lots of opportunities around us for counting, reading numbers, comparing numbers, comparing quantities, adding and subtracting, and simply talking about mathematics. These opportunities occur while at home, driving in the car, shopping, taking a walk……just about everywhere.

Encouraging your child to explain how they arrived at their answer can provide great information into their way of thinking. Try to present a new opportunity for the child to correct the mathematical strategy rather than scolding and saying, “That’s wrong.”

A strong partnership between school and home will have a positive impact on your child’s educational experience. If you have any questions, please contact me at: dmschultz@orangecsd.org.

Dana Schultz

Math Recovery Intervention Specialist

Orange City Schools

Verbal ability with number words

Counting forward and backward

Counting on or back from a given number

Skip counting (counting by 2’s, 5’s, and 10’s).

Reading and writing numerals

Recognizing and using spatial patterns (such as dice, dominos, and finger patterns).

Relating quantity to numerals and verbal counting words.

Focusing on concepts and the development of strategies rather than mere memorization of number facts.

Beginnings and basics of the place value system with knowledge of two digit numerals as related to quantity.

Numeral Identification
Structuring Numbers