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Leader Learning x Teacher Learning

for Student Success

Highlighting Professional

Development

Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District Grant:

Professional Development in Mathematics

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DISTRICT DEMOGRAPHICS

Suburb of Minneapolis 10,600 Students 10 Elementary Schools, 3 Junior Highs, 1 High School 22% Free and Reduced Lunch 25% Minority; 9% ESL; 11% Special Education

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Guarantee for Better Student Learning

ADOPTION-INITIATION

Opening up the Process

IMPL

EMEN

TATI

ON

Build

ing

Cap

acity

and

Ret

hink

ing

Lead

ersh

ip

INC

OR

PO

RA

TION

Sustaining C

apacity and

Leadership

WHAT WE TEACH

HOW WE TEACH IT

HOW WE MEASURE IT

NO SMALL TASK:

CHANGING MATH CHANGING MINDS

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Mathematical Knowledge Required for Teaching

The demands of teaching require that teachers possess a specialized knowledge of mathematics that differs from common content knowledge. The ability to decompress or “unpack” mathematical concepts is essential as teachers strive to manage the development of their students’ understanding. Hence, teaching requires a pedagogical content knowledge comprised of a much deeper understanding of mathematics than has been typically recognized.

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CURRICULUM RENEWALA Vision For Improvement

Action Taken

Organizational StructureStrategic Plan

District Math Coordinator

Teaching PracticesFocus on Teaching Rather

than Teachers

Professional DevelopmentIncreased Professional

Development

Budget Allocation Federal Title Programs

LeadershipTraining for Principals,

Mentors for Elementary, and Board of Education

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MINNESOTA

DEPARTMENT

OF EDUCATION

(MDE)

COLLEGE AND

UNIVERSITY

MATH

CONSULTANTDISTRICT 191

PUBLISHER

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A Community of LearnersThis project was strengthened by the perspectives and knowledge the team brought to the collaboration. The learning was not only for the participants—the planning enriched the practices of all involved.

-Nancy Nutting, consultant

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Elementary Math Mentor Model• Team of 5-7 teachers in each building, including

Special Education and Title 1 staff

• Facilitate late start sessions examining student work

• Help set pacing schedule

• Develop common assessments

• Share expectations and enthusiasm for the curriculum

• Assist in Summer 2005 Institute and facilitate complete use of the curriculum in each building in 2005-2006

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Sioux Trail Team

My own understanding has grown and now I am able to take my students to a higher level because I am at a higher level. Had I just had an inservice on a curriculum, I would have only taken it as far as my own understanding would allow. Without this deeper understanding, my teaching would have reverted to past habits that were more comfortable. Learning the math content at a deeper level has increased my ability to help students understand mathematical concepts.

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2004-2006 Professional Development

• Building capacity among teachers

through Summer Institutes, Professional Development Days, Late Start Days, Department Meetings and Staff Meetings

• Rethinking leadership among administrators and teachers through administrative sessions focused on mathematics and collegial work among staff

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Summer Institute 2004

• Over 75 teachers from all elementary school sites (including Title I and Special Ed)

• Ten full days in June, 2004Learning components of Everyday MathematicsLearning significant math content: number sense,

computation, geometry, algebraic conceptsWorking as school teams and grade level teams

District 191 Elementary Staff Development in Mathematics - 2004-05

Sept. 1½ day Professional Development

DayAll elementary teachers/admin

5 schools AM, 5 schools PM – at grade band sites

Mentors from 5 schools AM. 5 schools PM, meet at

specified site

Oct. 18½ day Professional Development Day

All elementary teachers/admin

5 schools AM, 5 schools PM – at grade band sitesMentors from 5 schools

AM. 5 schools PM, meet at

specified site

Jan. 28½ day Professional Development Day

All elementary teachers/admin

5 schools AM, 5 schools PM – at grade band sitesMentors: Grades 3-6 AM

and K-2 PM, at Vista View

Feb. 11½ day Professional Development Day

All elementary teachers/admin

5 schools AM, 5 schools PM – at grade band sitesMentors: Grades K-2 AM

and 3-6 PM, at Vista View

School based Study Groups – Reading Helping Children Learn Mathematics

Sept 232 hr. late start – mentors + rest of staff at school sitesFocus on Student Work

from Everyday Math

Nov. 102 hr. late start –

mentors + rest of staff at school sitesFocus on Student

Work from Everyday Math

Dec. 72 hr. late start Building Plans

Mar. 22 hr. late start –

mentors + rest of staff at school sitesFocus on Student

Work from Everyday Math

May 102 hr. late start –

mentors + rest of staff at school sitesFocus on Student

Work from Everyday Math

Sept. 14 or 15Math Mentors meet in grade

band groups

Nov. 3 or 4Math Mentors meet in

grade band groups

Feb. 22 or 23Math Mentors meet in

grade band groups

April 18 or 22Math Mentors meet in

grade band groups

School based Staff Meetings may include professional development in mathematics and discussion of math program

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Summer Institute 2005

• Extensive training for all Elementary Staff• Mentors assist their colleagues with lessons

learned• Content focused on number sense,

algebraic thinking, and geometry• Extended support from University/College

professors, publisher consultants, and teacher experts

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Summer 2005 Teacher Quotes

• I felt a lot of aha’s throughout the two weeks. Finally many math concepts had meaning to me.

• …Math for me has always been teaching/learning a traditional algorithm, mastering it, and then moving on. Now, I’ve learned to connect math to become more meaningful and understandable

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Summer 2005 Teacher Quotes

• With the addition of each lesson, discussion, and activity, my knowledge and confidence has increased.

• I’ve become more flexible in my own mathematical thinking.

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Summer 2005 Evaluation

• My questions and concerns were effectively addressed during the training.

• I learned from the knowledge and experiences of the others in the room.

• I gained new knowledge and/or skills to teach math.

• I am confident about my ability to teach Everyday Math.

Over 90% of teachers respondedstrongly agree or agree to:

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District 191 Elementary Staff Development in Mathematics - 2005-06

August 30 October 17 January 23 February 24 ½ Day Professional Development Day

All elementary teachers/admin

Grades 1, 3, 5 AM Grades K, 2, 4, 6 PM

½ Day Professional Development Day

All elementary teachers/admin

Grades K, 2, 4, 6 AM Grades 1, 3, 5 PM

½ Day Professional Development Day

All elementary teachers/admin

Grades 1, 3, 5 AM Grades K, 2, 4, 6 PM

½ Day Professional Development Day

All elementary teachers/admin

Grades K, 2, 4, 6 AM Grades 1, 3, 5 PM

SITE WORK Math Mentors meet with grade level within their buildings.

September 29 November 9 December 6 March 8 May 9

2 hr. late start – Performance

Appraisal

2 hr. late start – Performance

Appraisal

2 hr. late start Building Plans

2 hr. late start – mentors + rest

of staff at school sites

Focus on Math

2 hr. late start – Performance

Appraisal

November 29 December 1 February 28 March 2 Grades 3-6 Math

Mentors Grades K-2 Math

Mentors Grades 3-6 Math

Mentors Grades K-2 Math

Mentors

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Summer Institute 2006

• Approximately 120 K-8 teachers attending• Teachers selected 2 math content areas to

study in depth throughout the 8 days• Instructional concerns include the

following: differentiating instruction, Special Education, ELL, Title I, Gifted & Talented, Struggling Students, and Math Games

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Administrators

Three professional development sessions– Set goals, develop strategies– Experience mathematics from the curriculum

materials– Discuss research about best instructional

practices in mathematics– Examine tools to help lead the implementation

of new learning materials

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Quote - Elementary Teacher I have a clearer understanding about

what my students know and how to address their missing information or misunderstandings. I have the materials and information to move students further in math understandings than ever before. I believe my students are developing a stronger understanding of mathematics, its application and the relationships within math topics.

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CAREI Findings

• Students in Math Mentor classrooms averaged higher change scores across all three grade-band groups (grade 3 to 4; grade 4 to 5; grade 5 to 6).

• A significant statistical difference was found for the 4th to 5th grade and 5th to 6th grade groups which shows that students in Math Mentor classrooms increased their composite mathematics standard scores on the ITBS at a rate greater than that of their peers in non-Math Mentor classrooms.

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CAREI Findings

• There appears to be a difference in the level of questioning Math Mentors use in interacting with their students about mathematics that is not as prevalent in non-Math Mentor classrooms. Math Mentors, in their second year of implementation, generally engage students in higher order thinking and address the mathematical content in a deeper way than their colleagues.

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CAREI Findings• District 191’s elementary mathematics teachers

generally feel that students are having greater success and are more excited about mathematics when compared to previous classes.

• They feel that students with high and average mathematical abilities are having more success using Everyday Math, but have concerns about how students with low mathematical abilities are faring with the Everyday Math curriculum.

• Teachers are very confident in the ability of Everyday Math to help students meet grade level standards and in their own abilities to accurately assess student learning.