PACE ("Program for Acceleration and Curriculum Enhancement") is a program that helps to enhance and accelerate the curriculum for students that have demonstrated a high level of academic achievement. As the PACE teacher here at Grinnell, I teach accelerated math classes for 4th and 5th grade students, as well as work with smaller groups of students in grades K-5 to provide enrichment activities in the areas of reading and math.
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PACE Math (4th and 5th grade only): As part of the PACE program, accelerated classes in mathematics are offered to students who have evidenced a high level of achievement in math. These students have demonstrated mastery of much of the curriculum at their grade level and beyond.
Students participating in this program work with me and study material that is appropriate for their ability. I ensure that students have mastered the skills expected for their grade level. Skills not mastered are taught and practiced.
The students are also given challenging problems to solve, lessons that teach more advanced skills, and more practice with various problem solving strategies. The work done in this class is not in addition to the regular math curriculum, but it is a replacement for that regular curriculum. I provide the report card grade for math and confer with parents about their child's progress as needed.
The purpose of homework that is assigned is not always a matter of practicing concepts or skills that have been taught. It also involves various types of challenging problems to solve. The goal is to get the students to think for themselves, stretch their minds, and have some fun with math.
Some parental help, in terms of hints or suggested strategies, is acceptable, but the main goal is to get the students to strain their brains. Parents should not be surprised if their child becomes frustrated when things are difficult. Remember, these children are not necessarily accustomed to having to work very hard to do well in math.
One of the main goals of the program is to make school a more exciting and challenging place for students of high ability. If, at any time, a child feels uncomfortable with the program for any reason, parents should contact me so that we can determine the best course of action.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me! My e-mail is: klockwood@sau10.org