Students at Willoughby-Eastlake Schools’ North and South High Schools are tapping into their reasoning and math operations skills in an inventive new math course

By Mimi Vanderhaven

Hate to burst your collective bubble, darlings, but according to historians, the apple never fell on Galileo’s head to force him to “discover” gravity. He did, however, take note of falling apples that led to his aha moment of understanding weight, force and motion—tapping into heightened reasoning and problem-solving skills.

At Willoughby-Eastlake Schools, elevating the mathematics curriculum by developing problem-solving skills is at the forefront.

North High School and South High School were two of the first schools in the state to pilot an Advanced Quantitative Reasoning course for juniors, now in its second year. The Algebra II-equivalent course is designed to encourage students to apply their knowledge of math operations and reasoning skills while exhibiting strong problem-solving skills, collaborating with others and persevering through challenges to build their confidence and be better prepared for the real world.

North High teacher Dr. Paula Clark and South High teacher Angela Mazzolini encourage students through flexible classroom arrangements and student ownership of open-ended, experiential learning.

“It’s fabulous to hear them defend their thinking,” Angela says. “These communication and critical thinking skills are developed throughout the year but will stick with them for much longer than that.”

Dr. Clark explains that the course bridges upper-level mathematics content and critical thinking in authentic, real-world contexts. Ultimately, students experience rather than memorize mathematics.

Angela notes one of her favorite lessons requires students to analyze information from a traffic accident and create a logical mathematical model representing their argument.

“The information provided are things like road conditions, alleged speed and a few other clues the students use to create a regression model, deepening their understanding and practical use of an Algebra II concept,” she says. “Students then present and argue their side, similar to a court proceeding.”

Word about the class has apparently spread—enrollment this year nearly quadrupled over last year. These rock stars are well on their way to finding their own falling apples.

Look for these monthly stories to cover topics from grades K-12 in the Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools System. Find out more at WESchools.org.