When planning math instruction, writing activities probably do not come to mind; but, research tells us they should.

There is a common tendency today to link higher math standards for our students with the kind of achievement we see in other countries. A complementary thread is to link high standards in math to the broad trends in our ever-changing, information economy. By implication, we need to ensure all students are proficient in this discipline.

The need has never been greater for well-designed mathematics instruction that promotes confidence in teachers and guides students to success.

In the early days of research as a co-author of Voyager Sopris Learning’s TransMath, I spent a lot of time observing struggling math students in the classroom. I soon discovered these students had much more than a deficit in math content knowledge. They also had lost all confidence in their ability to learn math.

While many parts of the country are experiencing record amounts of snow and cold temperatures, we already are thinking about summer—sunshine, the end of school, and the inevitable summer slide in learning. But is the summer slide inevitable?

There are many commonly proposed solutions to the shortage of qualified teachers for secondary students who are struggling in math or have learning disabilities. These solutions are expensive, complex, and they will take considerable time to implement. Many of them have been with us for years and have yet to be seriously implemented. So, what can be done in the short term?