COLORADO — Math can be challenging for many students. Recognizing the need for additional math support, the Colorado Department of Education partnered with 18 teachers statewide to develop a free online math toolkit.
This resource is designed to help students and families break down complex math problems into simpler, more manageable steps.
One of the contributing teachers, Selena Lucero, a seventh-grade math teacher at Fountain Middle School, focused on making ratios and proportions easier to grasp.
“My idea first was, how can I bring ratios and proportions into the toolkit, but also incorporate strategies such as double number lines, tape diagrams, or hands-on activities that students can use?” explained Lucero.
The toolkit is divided by grade level and includes interactive activities, assessments, and lesson plans that can be used both in the classroom and at home.
Eighth-grade student Dylan Gessner has already put the toolkit to the test. He shared that he struggled with math last year, particularly in areas like volume, fractions, and percentages.
“Percents took me a while to get down. Getting them into fraction and decimal form was difficult for me,” said Gessner.
To strengthen his understanding, Gessner explored the toolkit for an hour, working through problems involving fractions, variables, and graphs. He emphasized the importance of immediate feedback in his learning process.
“Being able to see the answer sheet right after so you know what you got wrong and what you need to work on, that's definitely valuable and very helpful,” he added.
His final thoughts on the toolkit?
“I’ll definitely tell my teacher about this so she can recommend it to other students who are struggling,” said Gessner.
Since 2020, math scores in Colorado have been on the decline, making additional resources like this toolkit crucial for student success. Teachers hope it will help students feel more confident in their math skills.
“I just want our students to be more confident math learners with the tools provided and understand that if they don’t get something right now, that’s okay, we can continue to reteach until they feel successful,” said Lucero.
The toolkit is now available online for students, parents, and teachers. click here to learn more.
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