The Alliance for Science, in partnership with the SF Public Schools, last year launched an effort (the "Math Blitz") to help remediate the math skill level of most of the District's middle-schoolers. The idea for the Blitz originated with the Alliance, but SFPS has now taken over the leadership organizational role. SFPS provides all of the curricular material for the Blitz.

The basic idea is that once every week, for one hour, an SFAFS volunteer goes to a 6th, 7th or 8th grade math class and works with a teacher to help students with a combination of (a) a bit of drill in fundamental math facts, and (b) more fun activities built around "personal math" (e.g. "How many weeks at $50 per week will it take you to save up for a $2000 car?"), or estimating interesting quantities that use a bit of math to get an answer (e.g. "How many cars are there in NM? " or "How many disposable diapers are sold in the U.S. in one year?"), or working on math puzzles, or ....

There will also be built in a bit of competition to enliven things somewhat, possibly culminating late in the second semester with a District-wide "Math Expo."

The idea is that the same volunteer goes each time to the same class in order to build continuity and good relationships with the students and the teachers.

We will continue this year with our pilot program in 14 classrooms. There will be at least one class from each of the five SFPS middle schools holding 6th through 8th grade classes (Capshaw, DeVargas, El Dorado, Gonzales).

Blitz activity will be held during 11 weeks each semester, according to the following schedule:

Fall 2011 Weeks Beginning:
September 12, 19, 26
October 3, 17, 24, 31    (No Blitz week of Oct 10)
November 7, 14, 28      (No Blitz week of Nov 21)
December 5.

Spring 2012 Weeks Beginning:
January 9, 16, 23, 30
February 6, 13, 20, 27   
March 5     
April 16, 23.

Teaching materials for each semester will be circulated to volunteers well ahead of time.

We're also offering an honorarium for tutors of $15/contact hour. If you'd like to join the Math Blitz effort, please contact Robert at the SFAFS address given in red on the left.

Thank you!

Results from Blitz Year 1

The Blitz began on January 17, 2011 in 13 classrooms in the SFPS District. Each of the five middle schools had at least one classroom participating in the Blitz. Eight volunteers, four from SFAFS ranks and four undergraduate students from St. John's College, participated over the 17 weeks that the Blitz took place. Some volunteers took more than one class.

The ways in which volunteers were used varied considerably. Some worked with the whole class, others with breakout groups. All teachers report a positive experience. Students were eager for the Blitz days to come each week and they generally responded well to the volunteers and to the subject matter as well. The goal of making math more attractive and fun was thus at least partially achieved.

In the coming year the program will be more tightly organized. There will be 11 sessions each semester at each middle school. A major difference will be that each week the volunteers and teachers will be using the same material with the students. This will make comparisons between classes and volunteers quite a bit easier. In addition to recruiting volunteers from the SFAFS ranks and from St. John's College, we hope also to have participants from the student teaching classes at Santa Fe Community College.