{"id":591,"date":"2021-03-30T15:09:59","date_gmt":"2021-03-30T15:09:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/empower\/?page_id=591"},"modified":"2026-01-04T19:15:23","modified_gmt":"2026-01-04T19:15:23","slug":"how-is-empower-different","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/empower\/how-is-empower-different\/","title":{"rendered":"How is EMPower Different?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading is-style-highlight-purple\"><strong>Unique features of<em>\u00a0<\/em>EMPower<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a><em>EMPower<\/em><\/a>&nbsp;is not a traditional textbook series. Each title includes a Teacher Book and a Student Book, both of which are designed to support the teacher and student as they explore math in a way that is far different than the traditional chapter design where whole numbers begin the story and algebra concludes it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Four essential features set&nbsp;<em>EMPower&nbsp;<\/em>apart from other math resources:&nbsp;<strong>content, sequence, andragogy, and teacher support.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Content:&nbsp;<\/strong>What is &#8220;basic&#8221; has been rethought through the lens of the math that adults need to be able to do in today\u2019s workforce. Adults need to be flexible, fluent, and confident in their number sense, estimation, and problem-solving skills.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sequence:&nbsp;<\/strong>Algebraic, statistical, and geometrical ideas are developed alongside foundational number sense instead of waiting halfway through or until the end of a book.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Andragogy:<\/strong>&nbsp;Classrooms are learning communities where learners share strategies and results of mathematical investigations and problem solve with others, just as they do outside of class.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Teacher support:<\/strong>&nbsp;Each&nbsp;<em>EMPower<\/em>&nbsp;teacher book provides instructional support, math background, ways to make lessons easier and harder, and a sample lesson in action so instructors can create engaging mathematics learning experiences based on the development work of fellow adult education instructors.&nbsp;<br><br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading is-style-highlight-purple\"><strong>EMPower\u00a0emphasizes:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"accordion\" id=\"accordion-81\"><div class=\"card\"><div class=\"card-header\" id=\"headingfaq-343\">\n\t\t\t\t        <h5 class=\"mb-0\">\n\t\t\t\t          <button class=\"btn btn-link\" type=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-target=\"#collapsefaq-343\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapsefaq-343\">\n\t\t\t\t            Coherent progressions at all levels\n\t\t\t\t          <\/button>\n\t\t\t\t        <\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t      <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t      <div id=\"collapsefaq-343\" class=\"collapse\" aria-labelledby=\"headingfaq-343\" data-parent=\"#accordion-81\">\n\t\t\t\t        <div class=\"card-body\"><p>Students gain solid footing in all content areas (data analysis, geometry, measurement, algebra, and number and operation sense ) at all student levels (see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nctm.org\/uploadedFiles\/Standards_and_Positions\/PSSM_ExecutiveSummary.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Executive Summary of NCTM\u2019s Principles and Standards for School Mathematics, p. 4-5<\/a>)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t      <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t    <\/div><div class=\"card\"><div class=\"card-header\" id=\"headingfaq-518\">\n\t\t\t\t        <h5 class=\"mb-0\">\n\t\t\t\t          <button class=\"btn btn-link\" type=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-target=\"#collapsefaq-518\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapsefaq-518\">\n\t\t\t\t            Reliance on benchmark numbers\n\t\t\t\t          <\/button>\n\t\t\t\t        <\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t      <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t      <div id=\"collapsefaq-518\" class=\"collapse\" aria-labelledby=\"headingfaq-518\" data-parent=\"#accordion-81\">\n\t\t\t\t        <div class=\"card-body\"><p>Students make mental calculations with powers and multiples of 10 and common fractions and their decimal and percent equivalents.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t      <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t    <\/div><div class=\"card\"><div class=\"card-header\" id=\"headingfaq-505\">\n\t\t\t\t        <h5 class=\"mb-0\">\n\t\t\t\t          <button class=\"btn btn-link\" type=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-target=\"#collapsefaq-505\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapsefaq-505\">\n\t\t\t\t            Reasoning and estimation first\n\t\t\t\t          <\/button>\n\t\t\t\t        <\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t      <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t      <div id=\"collapsefaq-505\" class=\"collapse\" aria-labelledby=\"headingfaq-505\" data-parent=\"#accordion-81\">\n\t\t\t\t        <div class=\"card-body\"><p>Before consideration of formal operations with rational numbers, students are taught to apply reasoning and estimation, especially on proportions, and parts of quantities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t      <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t    <\/div><div class=\"card\"><div class=\"card-header\" id=\"headingfaq-254\">\n\t\t\t\t        <h5 class=\"mb-0\">\n\t\t\t\t          <button class=\"btn btn-link\" type=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-target=\"#collapsefaq-254\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapsefaq-254\">\n\t\t\t\t            Making decisions about data\n\t\t\t\t          <\/button>\n\t\t\t\t        <\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t      <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t      <div id=\"collapsefaq-254\" class=\"collapse\" aria-labelledby=\"headingfaq-254\" data-parent=\"#accordion-81\">\n\t\t\t\t        <div class=\"card-body\"><p>Students generate data and interpret graphical representations to make informed decisions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t      <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t    <\/div><div class=\"card\"><div class=\"card-header\" id=\"headingfaq-726\">\n\t\t\t\t        <h5 class=\"mb-0\">\n\t\t\t\t          <button class=\"btn btn-link\" type=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-target=\"#collapsefaq-726\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapsefaq-726\">\n\t\t\t\t            Exploration and discovery\n\t\t\t\t          <\/button>\n\t\t\t\t        <\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t      <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t      <div id=\"collapsefaq-726\" class=\"collapse\" aria-labelledby=\"headingfaq-726\" data-parent=\"#accordion-81\">\n\t\t\t\t        <div class=\"card-body\"><p>Students have opportunities to see and touch geometry and measurement concepts and applications, so they have a concrete understanding of spatial relationships.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t      <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t    <\/div><div class=\"card\"><div class=\"card-header\" id=\"headingfaq-455\">\n\t\t\t\t        <h5 class=\"mb-0\">\n\t\t\t\t          <button class=\"btn btn-link\" type=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-target=\"#collapsefaq-455\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapsefaq-455\">\n\t\t\t\t            Keeping the situation central\n\t\t\t\t          <\/button>\n\t\t\t\t        <\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t      <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t      <div id=\"collapsefaq-455\" class=\"collapse\" aria-labelledby=\"headingfaq-455\" data-parent=\"#accordion-81\">\n\t\t\t\t        <div class=\"card-body\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-564 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/empower\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2021\/03\/SPBR_wheel_graphic.png\" alt=\"Seeking Patterns wheel\" width=\"270\" height=\"216\" \/>Leading with patterns and relationships in contextual situations Students to engage with the algebraic content more deeply and with a variety of representations, including diagrams, tables, graphs, verbal rules, and symbolic notation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t      <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t    <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading is-style-highlight-purple\"><br><strong>EMPower\u00a0is research-based and aligned to standards<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<p>Use&nbsp;<em>EMPower&nbsp;<\/em>knowing that the mathematics content and instructional strategies built into every book and lesson are grounded in research, including&nbsp;NCTM\u2019s&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/standards.nctm.org\/document\/index.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Principles and Standards for School Mathematics<\/a>, as well as frameworks that are adult-focused, such as the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/eric.ed.gov\/?id=ED437557\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Equipped for the Future Content Standards<\/a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.doe.mass.edu\/acls\/frameworks\/archive.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Massachusetts ABE Curriculum Frameworks for Mathematics and Numeracy.<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"890\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/empower\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2021\/03\/TIAN_30numberofday-890x1024.png\" alt=\"number of the day\" class=\"wp-image-589\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/empower\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2021\/03\/TIAN_30numberofday-890x1024.png 890w, https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/empower\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2021\/03\/TIAN_30numberofday-261x300.png 261w, https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/empower\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2021\/03\/TIAN_30numberofday-768x883.png 768w, https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/empower\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2021\/03\/TIAN_30numberofday.png 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 890px) 100vw, 890px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/lincs.ed.gov\/publications\/pdf\/CCRStandardsAdultEd.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">College and Career Readiness Standards<\/a>&nbsp;(CCRSAE) informed the revisions to the three&nbsp;<em>EMPower Plus<\/em>&nbsp;books.&nbsp;All lessons and instructional routines throughout the 7-book series comply with the CCRSAE and the eight Mathematical Practices.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/empower\/how-is-empower-different\/alignment-of-empower-to-ccr-standards\/\">Learn more about the&nbsp;alignment of&nbsp;<em>EMPower<\/em>\u2122 series to CCRSAE<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/empower\/get-empower\/\">Browse sample EMPower lessons<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-outline is-style-outline--1\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/qr-codes.io\/2M8sn8xzI8A\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(252,185,0) 0%,rgb(255,105,0) 49%)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Purchase EMPower on Amazon<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/empower\/faqs\/empower-different\/\">&nbsp;&raquo;&nbsp;Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"106,1,139,218","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-591","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/empower\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/591","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/empower\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/empower\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/empower\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/empower\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=591"}],"version-history":[{"count":30,"href":"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/empower\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/591\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1178,"href":"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/empower\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/591\/revisions\/1178"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/empower\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=591"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}