Welcome to 8th Grade Math! My name is Mrs. Smith and I am excited to be a part of your last year at Florence Sawyer School.
My teaching journey actually began right here at Florence Sawyer School! Since then, my family had the wonderful opportunity to live in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where I taught 5th grade, followed by a few years living and teaching in Tucson, Arizona, before making our way back to Massachusetts. Throughout all of these experiences, I have always considered Florence Sawyer School to be my true educational home. I am incredibly excited and grateful to be back teaching 8th grade in this wonderful community!
In both Grade 8 Math and Algebra, we use the Illustrative Mathematics curriculum. This a problem-based program where math isn't about memorizing steps, but about making sense of big ideas through active collaboration. Every day, you will work in small groups to explore rich mathematical tasks, share your strategies at the board, and construct arguments to explain why your thinking works. I believe every student belongs in our math community, and I'm here to guide and support you as we tackle challenging problems together!
As part of the IM framework, students will daily practice the habits of mind that mathematicians use:
Productive Struggle: Persevere through complex problems even when the solution path isn't immediately obvious.
Mathematical Discourse: Use precise vocabulary to explain reasoning, critique peer arguments constructively, and listen actively during whole-class discussions.
Multiple Representations: Connect mathematical concepts across diagrams, tables, graphs, verbal descriptions, and algebraic equations.
Please feel free to reach out at any time with questions or concerns. My email is esmith2@nrsd.net.