Five Easy Steps to a Balanced Math Program: A Practical Guide for K-8 Classroom Teachers

by Larry Ainsworth, Jan Christinson

Five-step model for balancing computational skill withconceptual understanding that can be implemented with any math program.

171 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Larry Ainsworth is the author or co-author of more than 20 books, including his most popular titles: Rigorous Curriculum Design; Common Formative Assessments 2.0; Prioritizing Common Core State Standards; Power Standards; “Unwrapping” Common Core State Standards, and “Unwrapping” the Standards.

Larry’s comprehensive new book series, Integrating Teaching and Learning: “Timeless Essentials” for Creating Integrated Units of Study (2024), explains and illustrates in detail how PK-12 educators can develop quality units of study that intentionally align standards, assessments, instruction, and data analysis to positively impact student learning.

Currently an independent author-consultant, Larry served as the Executive Director of Professional Development at The Leadership and Learning Center in Englewood, Colorado, from 1999 to 2013. He traveled nationally and internationally to assist school systems in implementing best practices related to standards, assessment, curriculum, and instruction across all grades and content areas. Throughout his career as an education consultant, Larry has delivered keynote addresses and breakout sessions across North America and in Argentina and Switzerland, and regularly worked on-site and virtually to assist leaders and educators in understanding and implementing “timeless” education practices in all content areas, pre-kindergarten through grade 12.

Drawing upon 24 years of experience as an upper elementary and middle school classroom teacher in demographically diverse schools in several U.S. states, Larry brings a varied background and wide range of professional experiences to each of his presentations.

Reviews

[Monique · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book that will change math classrooms across the country. The five steps are clearly laid out, sensible, and examples are given. I've already recommended that my school use this approach for our new math PLC (grades 4-12) and to design the intervention course I am currently teaching. One word of caution: Do not buy it on the kindle because you will lose all the valuable reproducibles. I got mine on the kindle and will probably buy a hard copy for the reproducibles.

Edit: This is for the secondary grades edition, not the K-8.