Cicero School District 99

The Math Department is made up of educators who are deeply passionate about helping students truly understand mathematics. We see math not as a set of isolated facts, but as a series of problems to be explored—problems that can be solved in multiple ways, with answers that must be reasoned, justified, and defended.

Math should be both tangible and experiential. We believe students learn best when they can use their hands—working with manipulatives and visual models to understand not just what the answer is, but why it works. Our goal is to develop math thinkers, not just fact memorizers.

To support this goal, we use carefully chosen resources that promote mathematical thinking and foster rich conversations about math. From Pre-K through eighth grade, students are continually challenged to answer questions like, “Why is that correct?” and “How do you know?” We know that learning to think this way is key to writing equations, understanding algorithms, and solving real-world math problems with confidence and creativity.