<p>Math Learning Contract – from Susan Winebrenner’s Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom</p><p>Note: Students test out of concepts or types of problems they have already mastered. Students join the whole class for non-mastered topics. They use their “bought” time to work on a related project—that interests them. This is “instead of” credit – not extra credit.</p><p>I. Basic Procedures:</p><p>1. Collect extension materials for the unit. 2. Prepare a master Learning Contract (see template) (One short line equals one day/work period.) a. List content by topics or concepts b. List page numbers or chapters c. Below, list options for extensions (alternative projects) d. Offer “your idea” section for student choice</p><p>Allow students to choose any activity that relates to the subject. All activities should be self-correcting or teacher must schedule conferences periodically.</p><p>3. Include Working Conditions (see example) 4. Pre-test: off all students the opportunity to test-out of certain sections. (This assessment should be similar to your end-of-unit test. It’s not fair to make the pre-test more comprehensive than the post-test.) 5. Correct the pre-tests. Do not allow any ss. to grade the pretests. 6. Prepare contracts: check off when individuals must join the class. 7. Tip: In your grade book, draw a red box around lessons the ss. must join the whole class. (Or keep a copy of each approved contract). 8. Create your cooperative groups now. It may be best to group the highest in one group, and the rest heterogeneously. 9. Meet with ss who scored 80% or higher on pretest. (Do not reveal any scores though.) 10. Students may NOT work ahead. They must wait for direct instruction on the pages they did not pre-test out of. 11. Explain extensions center, procedures for self-correcting, and how ss. should keep a daily record of extension work. 12. Explain how they will be graded. (Give credit for grade-level work already mastered. Working on the contract should mean more challenging, interesting work – not just more work.) On days when ss. join the class, enter these actual earned grades. On independent work days, enter the grade they earned on the pre-test. You may assign points based on work effort or conduct. Average the grades at the end of the unit. 13.Tip 2: In the contract, create checkpoint dates. If a student is not following the contract (after a week or so) he must re-join the whole class and the deal is off!</p>