A study of the effects of first year implementation of the Everyday Mathematics Program in a second grade classroom

The effects of the first year of the Everyday Mathematics Program for a group of 21 second graders was evaluated through a pre and post-test study during the 2000-2001 school year. The students in the study had not experienced the program in kindergarten and grade one. Math achievement was evaluated using the individually administered KeyMath Diagnostic Inventory of Essential Math Skills. Scores reflected progress in the areas of Basic Concepts, Operations and Applications. Student perceptions about math were measured using an Interest Inventory fall/spring. In addition, teacher perceptions and parent reflections were gathered to assess adaptability reactions. Standard scores, scaled scores and percentile ranks demonstrated growth in all areas. The largest area of growth was in basic concepts, specifically, numeration. Advances in multiplication and division concepts increased raw scores in the area of operations. All students did not demonstrate mastery of basic addition and subtraction facts to 18 even though percentile scores in these areas increased. The smallest area of growth was in measurement. Home Links did not directly correlate with level of achievement. Teachers acknowledged overall acceptance of the program and praise for instructional design, however, they felt assessment and level of adaptability were weak. Teachers of students with special needs noted level of compactness and complexity as an area of concern for students with special needs. Limitations of the study include the lack of a control group and the duration of the study. Implications for future research include a longitudinal study of this same group over several years in the program