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The IM Curriculum: A Parent's Guide

How the IM curriculum helps students develop deep understanding and procedural fluency through carefully crafted and sequenced problems.

Jimena Pineda avatar
Written by Jimena Pineda
Updated over a week ago

The Illustrative Mathematics (IM) curriculum is a problem-based curriculum that makes rigorous middle school mathematics accessible to all learners.

In a problem-based curriculum, students spend most of their time in class working on carefully crafted and sequenced problems. These problems are designed to help students develop a deep understanding of mathematical concepts and procedures, and to apply their knowledge to new situations.

Students in an IM classroom collaborate with their classmates, talk about math, listen to each other's ideas, justify their thinking, and critique the reasoning of others. They also learn to communicate their ideas both verbally and in writing.

The IM curriculum includes a variety of supports to help students succeed, including lesson summaries, practice problem sets, learning targets, and family support materials.

Here are some tips for helping your student be successful in an IM classroom:

  • If your student is stuck on a problem, encourage them to brainstorm different strategies, make a guess, or draw a diagram.

  • Help your student to see the value in sharing their rough-draft ideas, even if they are not sure if they are right.

  • Encourage your student to listen to their classmates' ideas and ask questions.

  • Help your student to reflect on their learning by writing notes about what they understand and what they still need to learn.

The IM curriculum is designed to help students develop the skills and understanding they need to be successful in mathematics and in life. With your support, your student can thrive in an IM classroom.

In summary:

  • The IM curriculum is based on the idea that students learn best by doing.

  • The problems in the IM curriculum are designed to be challenging but doable, and they are sequenced in a way that builds on what students have already learned.

  • The IM curriculum emphasizes the importance of communication and collaboration.

  • The IM curriculum includes a variety of assessments to help teachers track students' progress.

Contact us:

  1. Through the in-app Chat on the ChalkTalk platform

  2. Schedule a meeting using this calendar

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