Wantagh Showcases Magma Math to Program Developers

Developers of Magma Math visited three Wantagh schools on Oct. 8 to see the program in action and get valuable feedback from administrators, teachers and students. After being piloted in the spring by 17 elementary and secondary teachers, Magma Math was implemented as an additional tool for math instruction this year in grades 3-12.

Magma Math representatives from Sweden, where the program was developed, and the United States visited classrooms at Wantagh High School, Wantagh Middle School and Wantagh Elementary School. They saw how teachers incorporate the supplemental tool into their instruction. 

Christine Gill, director of STEM 6-12, and Dr. Jessica Ryan, elementary supervisor of STEM, coordinated the visit and said it was an honor to host Magma Math developers to gain insight into the district’s math curriculum and use of resources. They noted that Magma Math combines traditional math instruction with modern instructional technology, and is designed to increase student engagement and thinking  

Throughout the classroom visits, developers were able to see how students showed their thinking as they solved problems. Magma Math records each student’s stroke marks as they use a stylus on their Chromebooks screens.

One of the benefits of the program, Ms. Gill and Dr. Ryan explained, is the immediate data it provides to teachers. Because there are often different ways to solve a problem, teachers can see how each student approached it and the process they took to reach a solution. They can then provide additional support or a greater challenge to individual students, and also see if there are any skills or strategies that need to be reinforced in a whole-class lesson. 

Teachers can also anonymously bring up the work of different students, fostering meaningful class discussion.

“Magma Math is giving our students an opportunity to engage in mathematical discourse using technology,” Dr. Ryan said. “We already have fantastic teachers and our students want to learn. This gives them another pathway to showcase their thinking.”

Ms. Gill added that students will enter a world where they have to collaborate with others, show their thinking and justify their reasoning. It is important for them to be given the tools now to foster those life skills. 

“Wantagh does a great job at mixing traditional instruction with the latest innovations,” Ms. Gill said. “It was exciting for us to showcase how we use this tool in our elementary, middle and high school classrooms, in conjunction with other programs, to support student learning.”