There exists a term for the type of mathematical education Alexander Terrance experienced during his childhood: Drill and kill.

“There was an abundance of rote learning, many formulas, and countless worksheets,” Terrance, who is now the principal of Hoech Middle School in the Ritenour School District, reminisced. “That method might have worked for some, but many students grew up despising math. We didn’t believe we were proficient at it, and we couldn’t comprehend how this math material would be relevant in our lives.”

Terrance aspired for a better experience for his pupils. Thus, he was enthusiastic to join Math314, WashU’s pioneering initiative aimed at enhancing math education and student success. Over the past three years, educational specialists from WashU’s Institute for School Partnership have collaborated with Ritenour math instructors to create improved lessons and evaluation methods. The outcomes are encouraging. The portion of middle school students in the district who achieve proficient or advanced scores in math has risen from 16% in 2021, the inaugural year of Ritenour’s full engagement in Math314, to 24% in 2024. This marks a growth rate of 50%; the statewide average stands at 18%.

Equally crucial: Students express increased self-assurance and delight — indeed, delight — in mathematics.

“The activities are both demanding and collaborative. The pupils are learning to articulate their thought processes and justify their reasoning,” said Terrance. “One might assume that as the difficulty increases, enthusiasm would wane. However, the opposite is true. When I inquire of students, ‘What’s your preferred subject?’ I’m astonished by how many express that they truly enjoy math now.”

ISP initiated Math314 in 2019. At that time, 33% of the nation’s eighth graders demonstrated proficiency in math, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Today, those figures have declined; only 28% meet proficiency criteria. The reasons are numerous and intricate. However, ISP was established on the premise that with the appropriate tools and training, any educator can impact students positively.

ISP’s leading initiative, the mySci curriculum, provides evidence. Crafted by and for local educators, mySci offers teachers continuous professional development along with the necessary resources for engaging, hands-on scientific activities. The outcome: mySci instructors report feeling more capable of teaching complex scientific principles, and mySci students outperform their counterparts on standardized assessments.

Math314, while not a curriculum, closely resembles mySci. Both programs assist educators in identifying and applying advanced tasks while utilizing data to evaluate effectiveness. Furthermore, similar to mySci, Math314 collaborates with districts to address their unique requirements.

“This can’t be a one-size-fits-all approach as each district faces its own challenges, demographics, and starting points,” stated Carmen Stayton, ISP’s director of Math314. “There is a considerable amount to accomplish before we even enter a classroom.”

For many districts, this effort begins with the adoption of a high-quality, inquiry-driven curriculum that aligns with Common Core state standards. The challenging part follows: teaching educators a new teaching methodology.

For an extended period, math instruction adhered to a “I do, we do, you do” model — the instructor demonstrates how to solve a problem, then students replicate the steps. Pupils who can swiftly calculate the square root of 64 or divide 1/4 by 9/10 are considered proficient and tracked for more advanced courses, which are highly sought after by top universities and tech or science employers. Those who do not fit this mold are often overlooked. Math314 instructional specialists understand that a significant number of these students are — or have the potential to be — capable in mathematics.

“If you gathered the finest mathematicians globally and asked them to resolve a problem, each would devise a different solution strategy,” remarked Vicki May, ISP’s executive director. “That’s why we implement an inquiry-based approach that allows for multiple methods of tackling a problem. Students learn to justify their mathematical reasoning and discover connections between their own work and that of their peers. Of course, students ought to master their multiplication tables as this kind of fluency boosts their confidence. However, Math314 goes further by facilitating a more profound and adaptable understanding of mathematical concepts.”

At Hoech, this includes a planning period or “professional learning community (PLC)” session guided by ISP instructional specialist Jing Qiu on curriculum execution and another PLC session led by Hoech instructional coach LaTanya Buckner focusing on instruction and data. On this occasion, eighth-grade educators are scrutinizing, question by question, a recent assessment to ascertain which concepts are causing difficulties for students. They concur that students appear to struggle with ordered pairs. They appreciate the word problem presented in the textbook and devise a strategy to help students visualize the scenario.

“At Ritenour Middle, the teachers noted that due to their extensive focus on systems, the functions unit progressed smoothly and students managed to formulate equations for linear functions much more rapidly,” Qiu updates the team. “Therefore, indeed, this is the unit where we should invest more time.”

Eighth-grade teacher Stephanie Ratermann expressed that these planning sessions distinguish Math314 from other professional development programs. After 19 years in teaching, she possesses considerable expertise. Nonetheless, that does not imply her learning journey is complete.

“There’s a common belief that once you draft your lesson, you’re finished,” Ratermann noted. “However, what was effective in the past may not hold true today. You must be adaptable. That’s where the PLCs are invaluable. We discuss pacing, we explore scaffolding, and we consider strategies to ensure every student — regardless of their starting point — develops the capability to persist with challenging problems and the self-assurance to contribute in class.”

Alongside Ritenour, Math314 is partnering with educators in the Clayton, Hazelwood, Kirkwood, Mehlville, St. Charles, University City, and Webster Groves school districts. Mehlville recorded the largest increase in MAP scores among all area districts, improving by 7.5 points. Maplewood-Richmond Heights, which recently concluded its partnership with Math314, ranked second in growth.

Situated in St. Ann, Hoech Middle School caters to approximately 650 middle school pupils. About 45% identify as Black, 26% as Hispanic, 16% as white, and 10% as multiracial, with a considerable number from low-income backgrounds. Upon Terrance’s arrival in 2022, some community members questioned whether he should delay new educational initiatives until classroom conduct improved. He countered that such a decision would be misguided.

“There can

There exists a mindset that suggests until conduct improves, academics cannot enhance. Yet, you cannot approach educational institutions with that perspective,” Terrance stated. “What we’ve observed is that Math314 has transformed the environment of those classrooms, with conduct and academics advancing simultaneously. This is not to imply we lack hurdles — we certainly do. However, we have witnessed substantial progress. The students are more involved; they are thrilled about math; they have a positive impression of their educators.”

Amos’ classroom supports Terrance’s evaluation. Today, she introduces a type of word problem that has puzzled countless children across generations: Jada possesses a mix of 17 quarters and dimes. If Jada has $2, what assortment of coins must Jada hold? However, first she constructs a graph that outlines all the potential options.

“What do we observe?” Amos inquires. “Reflect on it and discuss it.”

The pupils turn to their classmates and exchange their thoughts.

“Both axes equal 17,” one student points out.

“Correct. What else?” Amos prompts.

“One endpoint is 17, 0; the other is 17, 0,” suggests another.

“Alright, that’s significant,” Amos affirms. “Continue the discussion. You all are bright. You can derive the answer if you collaborate.”

After a brief period, Guadalupe exclaims the solution.

“Oh, they all sum up to 17,” she exclaims.

“Exactly. Class, what’s 3 + 14? What’s 6 + 11? What’s 10 + 7? Correct — they all amount to 17. Let’s give a round of applause for Guadalupe,” Amos encourages, as the entire class applauds.

Qiu offers Guadalupe a smile.

“I have genuinely observed the class’s confidence blossoming in mathematics,” Qiu remarked after the lesson. “There were pupils who would refrain from sharing, even when they had accurate answers. Now, there’s a visible eagerness to explore new concepts and discuss their solutions with their peers. Part of this is due to Monica — she is a remarkably skilled educator with very high standards. However, it’s also a byproduct of this community we’ve cultivated here, where everyone — both teachers and learners — is eager to develop.”

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