Teach This Now: The Math Transition Edition

Teach This Now: The Math Transition Edition

April 8, 2022|Education, Florida, B.E.S.T. Standards, Florida's Standards

Did you know there is a Transition Guide for mathematics written to be used literally RIGHT NOW? 

Instructional Guidance for Transition to the New B.E.S.T. Standards for Mathematics

Wait, there’s a guide that tells us what’s different with the math standards so I can prepare my students now?  

YES, and very few Florida educators and leaders even know it exists. Keep reading to learn the what you’ll find in this time-sensitive guide.  

What is the "Instructional Guidance for Transition to the New B.E.S.T. Standards for Mathematics?"

A long name for a short manual, this 35-page Transition Guide is written for THIS school year, 2021-2022. Just turn to the grade (or subject) you teach right now, and it will give you two to three short pages of benchmarks that students need to learn now to lessen the gap between the MAFS of this year and the B.E.S.T. of next year. 

Check out this excerpt from the 2nd grade portion of the Transition Guide.  Second graders need to know what's "new" or "different" in this school year, because it will not be explicitly taught as a benchmark in third grade. 

This needs to be taught now, this year, so that when your right-now 2nd graders move to 3rd grade next year, they won’t have significant gaps due to the MAFS to B.E.S.T. transition.

Check out this excerpt from the 7th grade portion of the Transition Guide.  Several concepts in middle school have been moved and distributed to other courses and grade-levels. The writers did a phenomenal job making easy-to-view tables like the one below to help us see the changes. 

Teaching these concepts now in 7th grade will help diminish any gaps when students progress to more advanced courses such as Pre-Algebra, Algebra, and Geometry.

With your last weeks of school, and once any state testing is over, use your remaining math time to set your students up for success. Teach them the benchmarks from the Transition Guide. Not only will it help your students lessen the learning gaps in this transition year from MAFS to B.E.S.T., but it will also give you an opportunity to start teaching the B.E.S.T. and get a head start with your own understanding of these new benchmarks.  

And while you’re at it, try weaving in the Mathematical Thinking and Reasoning Standards too!  You can check out that blog post here.

Subscribe to future posts by clicking here 

For B.E.S.T. training for your school, check out our website or contact me directly. We’ve been helping schools all over the state, and would love to help your school be ready for the B.E.S.T. and the F.A.S.T.   

Let’s Talk it Out on the Socials: (links at the bottom of the page)

Did you know this guide existed?  How will you share this with colleagues?  How might you use this with the time left?

[email protected] www.UncomplicateEd.com

Click image to subscribe to future posts

Share this post: