changing hearts and minds to improve mathematics instruction ramona unified school district
TRANSCRIPT
Changing Hearts and Minds to Improve
Mathematics Instruction
Ramona Unified School District
Where we started…
First steps on the Journey
Discuss…
What’s your diploma worth?
Doing the same thing over and over again and
expecting different results
-Albert Einstein
Insanity…
What our students have to say:
VIDEO of students
High Quality Mathematics Instruction
The results of a number of studies have revealed that professional development, collaboration between teachers, and collegiality between teachers and school leaders are rarely effective unless they are tied to a shared vision of high-quality instruction that gives them meaning and purpose (Newmann & Associates, 1996; Peterson, McCartney, & Elmore, 1996; Rosenholtz, 1985, 1989; Rowan, 1990).
-Charles Munter (2014) Developing Visions of High-Quality Mathematics
Instruction
Research…
A teacher is engaged in high quality instruction when there are clear learning intentions and success criteria communicated to the students. Students are actively engaged in mathematical conversations, "discovering" the content, guided by the a teacher's questions to drive discussion forward and students themselves are validating both the mathematics and their own learning.
In addition students are provided with opportunities for a productive struggle, engaged in rich problems, presented in well prepared lessons by teachers that use the entire classroom environment, through group work, direct instruction, discussion, activating prior knowledge and closing the lesson incorporating some form of formative assessment.
RUSD HQMI
Discuss…
Do you have high quality instruction statements?
If not, what do you use to focus instructional
improvement in your district?
Our Journey
Questions we asked ourselves…
What are we currently offering students? How are our students doing? Are we really preparing our students for
college and careers? What happens to students in our current
system (Algebra IA/IB)? Are we willing to continue to allow 30% of
our freshmen students to be non-college bound?
How do we better prepare our students for college and career?
How does this affect the students in our current system?
What do we do for the students currently accelerated in middle school?
When should students be accelerated?
How do we inform the community/parents?
Eliminate Algebra IA/IB
Where did we go from there?
All students enrolled in any Algebra I (including IA and IB) were placed into Algebra I.
Began to structure each course (Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II) to align to CCSS
Course Sequence
Intervention is critical!
Tutoring before school, during the school day (ELT), after school, evenings
Special Education Mathematics support course offered
In order to re-take assessments, students MUST attend tutoring opportunities
Additional Issues… New CCSS Algebra I course is MASSIVE!!
Debate on how to break the course up or if this was too much for students in one year.
Led the team to ask about Integrated option
PATHWAYS
With the common
core standards
The decision was made!
Integrated is the best pathway for our STUDENTS!
Needed Admin Support to…
Agree Integrated approach was best for our students
Focus on first course the first year
Create a general plan for a 2-year rollout
Create a plan to support teachers through this process
Teachers initiated the discussion, administration
supported!
Collaboration: where we started
Focus on our HQMI Statement… Instruction has to change
How do we teach?
Choose a curriculum to force us to teach in a different way
Collaboration: what we committed to
Common planning
Creating Common Assessments (spiraling concepts previously covered) Analyzing student work
Grading/Scoring TOGETHER
Test needs to reflect what students are learning – Correlation between test and learning
Our teachers at work:
VIDEO of teachers collaborating
Ensuring Success
Tutoring/Intervention Assets grant has helped make this possible
(funding)
Include Special Education in the conversations
Find your teacher leaders! And let them lead!
TIME! – Release time and paid collaboration
Our Journey…
Discuss…
Where are you in your journey?
Who have you engaged in this conversation?
RUSD Next Steps…
As a district…
Write course descriptions for Integrated Math courses School Board approved a-g approved
Create course sequencing for 6th-12th grade
Continue release time and outside specialist support for teachers
Accountability – Maintain the work
Expand conversations with middle school
Find a way to provide necessary technology
As a math team…
Maintain the discussion around common grading, common assessments, planning
Align the curriculum to the Common Core Standards
Identify “gaps” in the new curriculum and pull resources to help support the standards
Create semester end finals that are standards based
Create standards based learning intentions and success criteria
In the classroom…
Support student discussion by taking the focus off the teacher
Demonstrating: less algorithm/rote practice, more real life connections
Support all student learning with resources beyond the curriculum
What our teachers have to say:
VIDEO of students
Questions for YOU to consider…
What are your next steps as a district?
What can you take from today’s presentation to your staff tomorrow?
