Lincoln Middle School teachers outline plan to boost algebra readiness and adopt manipulatives

Teachers from Lincoln Middle School presented their math professional learning community (PLC) work at the Jan. 28 Pullman School District board meeting, describing a coordinated effort across sixth through eighth grades to improve algebra readiness.

Ruby (sixth‑grade math), Savannah Hovling (seventh grade) and Johanna Erickson (eighth grade) said the team identified recurring skill gaps and moved to vertical alignment of essential standards and interventions. "One of the key responsibilities that we have as middle level math teachers is to prepare kids to be successful in algebra," Ruby said, explaining the district’s focus on continuity across grades and shared instructional vocabulary.

The teachers described adopting algebra tiles, previously used as a seventh‑grade intervention, as tier‑1 instruction so students see the strategy earlier and build toward more advanced area‑model work in eighth grade. They also described using consistent annotation strategies (boxing, circling) and assessment‑blueprint review to help students transfer classroom skills to standardized tests. The presenters said a grant award funded new math manipulatives that the team will deploy across grades.

The building set an explicit target: increase math proficiency by about 5% across grade levels. Teachers and board members described ongoing assessment and intervention work, and staff framed the effort as iterative: successes so far will be scaled and refined. There was no formal board action on the showcase other than the board’s acceptance of the presentation.

Next steps: teachers will continue PLC work, implement the manipulatives funded by the grant, and report progress through standard building and district channels.