Mathematics
Cognitively Guided Instruction
Hollyglen Elementary is proud of our Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) in Mathematics.
CGI is based on thirty years of research on the way children think about mathematics. In the book, Children's Mathematics Cognitively Guided Instruction, the authors state, "CGI teachers have found many ways to productively pose problems, elicit their children's mathematical thinking, and engage students with each other's mathematical ideas"(Caprenter et.al).
CGI also allows our teachers to differentiate instruction to reach the needs of all our learners.
Some CGI practices you may see in the classroom are students completing counting collections, story problems (that are differentiated by number set) and or number talks. During these times the students are explaining their thinking to their teacher or peers.
Our Teachers continue to learn in grow in the area of CGI through our Cotsen Foundation for the Art of Teaching grant.
This grant provided our school with over $25,000 to help sustain our CGI practices.
Through the grant, we expanded our leadership team to two members from each grade level and trained them in implementing the PEDR cycle (Plan, Execute, Debrief, and Reflect upon lessons). We are using our trimester CGI math lab days to implement with PEDR cycle with our entire staff.
In addition, we are having monthly inquiry meetings after-school where teaches come and explore a different part of CGI such as number talks or how to formulate the best questions to ask your students to push their thinking further.
