Students across grade levels have often viewed math as an abstract puzzle of letters and numbers randomly placed into equations. If you were to ask a group of adults about their least favorite subject in school, many would likely say math. However, at Altar Valley Middle School, our dedicated math teachers are on a mission to transform this mindset. They are showing students that math is not just a subject—it’s a part of everyday life and is accessible to all. As principal, I am incredibly proud of the engaging instruction and, more importantly, the meaningful learning taking place in our 6th-8th grade math classrooms.

Students often face significant challenges in math class, but it is also a space for remarkable academic growth. In Arizona, the state standards for math emphasize critical thinking and problem-solving, highlighting real-world applications. 

A typical day in math involves students engaging in independent exploration and collaborating in groups to refine their conjectures.This collaborative approach truly nurtures a vibrant sense of community and shared learning among students, deepening their understanding and appreciation of mathematics. Every day is filled with hands-on learning, where students enjoy working with manipulatives like colorful geometric shapes to better grasp abstract concepts. They might create equations to represent real-life expenses over time or discover the perfect ratio of lemon juice to sugar water for whipping up the ideal lemonade. By applying math to real-life situations, we highlight its relevance and significance, making the learning experience not just engaging but incredibly meaningful!

“This year, we learned about important math topics like ratios, algebra, negative numbers, and the Least Common Multiple (LCM). Ratios compare amounts, like 3:6 or 3/6, and work a lot like fractions. Algebra uses letters to stand for unknown numbers, like finding x in 6 + x = 11. Negative numbers are less than zero, and the farther left they are on a number line, the smaller they get. The LCM helps find the smallest number that two numbers both multiply into, which is super helpful in math problems!” - 6th grade

“My year of math has been going great so far. In math, the first thing we did was scale copies. I had some trouble initially, but soon, I got through it. We went from lesson to lesson, and we are on the third book, Unit 7 of 9.” - Garrett E. 7th

Besides scaled copies, we have deepened our understanding of percentages, equations, and inequalities-. We explored and applied rules about operations with rational numbers, angle relationships, and proportional relationships. We still have so much more to learn! 

“So, this year of math was something because of the change in math. It was one thing for a day, then another; it was kind of crazy…I have grown in my math ability, and on the benchmark test, I grew a lot.” - Isaiah B. 7th