Frankenmuth

In the winter of 2018, List teachers received training from the Institute for Excellence in Education's Focused Instructional Model (FIM) for math. Teachers used FIM for a few months at the end of the school year in order to get the program up and running in classrooms. The 2018-2019 school year was the first full year of implementation and staff members celebrated math growth on state assessments that Spring. Jill Waliczek, principal at List, said, "The Focused Instructional Model in Math has provided us with not only a focus on the power standards that our students need most, but also data to support curricular decision making. We have never experienced such purposeful focus on math, based on solid data, to drive our instructional practices." Jan Zimba, 4th grade teacher, said, The Frankenmuth class of 2027 (current 5th graders) were 50.7% proficient in 2018 as 3rd graders, and jumped up to 76.4% proficient as 4th graders (after 1 year of FIM implementation). This cohort of students gained 25.7 points while the state average for the same grade level dropped 3.2. Jan's 4th grade teammate, Angie Zimmerman, shared, "Because of being exposed repeatedly over time to the main fourth grade standards, the students are inquisitive to figure out and understand their new expectations. When it comes time focus on the exact standard, the students have a strong desire to understand what we are learning. Then, they come to the topic with some background which prepares them for their new learning." There is a similar story for the 3rd graders who in 2018 were 50.7% proficient on the M-STEP (5.0 points above the state of Michigan average for 3rd grade and 9.7 points above the Saginaw County average). 3rd graders in 2019 were 66.3% proficient (19.6 points above the state average and 26.5 points above the Saginaw County average). Gary Karney, 3rd grade teacher, feels as though FIM has been beneficial for his students. "The FIM program and Math Simulations positively impacted our students' math thinking and growth." 4th graders in 2018 were 62.2% proficient on the M-STEP (20.2 points above the state of Michigan average and 25.4 points above the Saginaw County average). 4th graders in 2019 were 75.4% proficient (34.6 points above the state average and 38.6 points above the Saginaw County average). The teachers at List Elementary have commented that their students are excited to take risks and tackle difficult problems with an open mind. Students understand that they need to work hard and have a growth mindset when it comes to learning difficult math concepts. Students cycle through key grade level content. Previewing upcoming topics provides the scaffolding necessary to get students ready to learn a new topic. Reviewing important concepts from the past helps solidify those concepts in the minds of the students. In 2019-2020, teachers and students at List and EFR have implemented "Math Simulations" – a program developed by IEE to help eliminate test taking anxiety felt by so many students. The Simulations provide a safe arena where students can practice the skills and expectations needed LIST ELEMENTARY CELEBRATES MATH GROWTH "Initially, I was a little skeptical about the effectiveness of using FIM to supplement our math instruction. The implementation and buy-in wasn't without its challenges. Our coach continued to encourage us to stick with it and use FIM with fidelity. Well, it certainly was a win-win for our students and our fourth grade team." 16

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