TMPTMPProfessional Professional

Development SessionDevelopment SessionCase Writing as Tool for Case Writing as Tool for

Math Teacher Math Teacher Professional Professional

DevelopmentDevelopmentNovember 25, 2008November 25, 2008

Katherine K. MersethKatherine K. Merseth

Kay_Merseth@Harvard.eduKay_Merseth@Harvard.edu

What are Cases??What are Cases?? Cases are actual descriptions of Cases are actual descriptions of

real events presented for real events presented for discussion within a professional discussion within a professional development or teacher education development or teacher education setting.setting.

They are not “made-up.”They are not “made-up.”

They are based on situations or They are based on situations or concepts known to be challenging.concepts known to be challenging.

Characteristics of CasesCharacteristics of CasesThe Three C’sThe Three C’s

ComplexComplex

ConstructivistConstructivist

CollaborativeCollaborative

Encourage multiple perspectivesEncourage multiple perspectives Promote critical analysis and Promote critical analysis and

problem solvingproblem solving Engage veterans and novices in Engage veterans and novices in

the powerful exchangesthe powerful exchanges Do not seek one ‘right answer.’Do not seek one ‘right answer.’ Enable case reader to construct Enable case reader to construct

complex understandingcomplex understanding

Case Discussions as a Professional Development Tool

How Can Case Discussions be How Can Case Discussions be Important to Teacher Important to Teacher

Development?Development? At the heart of educational practice is decision-At the heart of educational practice is decision-

making and action. Practitioners must choose and making and action. Practitioners must choose and invariably these choices often involve competing invariably these choices often involve competing values that need reflection and discussionvalues that need reflection and discussion

Framing classrooms challenges with colleagues can Framing classrooms challenges with colleagues can be extremely powerfulbe extremely powerful

We are a can-do culture, and often simplistically We are a can-do culture, and often simplistically frame a teaching challenge. “Well, just do this…” or frame a teaching challenge. “Well, just do this…” or “I always do that..” “I always do that..”

Cases provide a non threatening platform for an Cases provide a non threatening platform for an exchange of ideasexchange of ideas

Have you ever participated in a case discussion, either of a

video case or a written case?

Yes No After you vote and we take a tally,

we will discuss your experience: What did you like? What did you not

like?

Written Vs. Video Cases

Positive Elements of Written Cases?

Negative Elements of Written Cases?

Positive Elements of Video Cases

Negative Elements of Video Cases?

Brief example of a video case

Example of a Written case

A Picture is worth a 1000 words What do you see as one of the key points for

discussion in this case? Please type your answer in the text box and send it to the main room

Who is the main character? Are there any contextual factors that seem

important to the case beyond mathematical content?

What elements make this case believable?

What advice do you have for the teacher?

Raise your hand and we will call on you.

Teacher Development Teacher Development through through WrittenWritten Cases Cases and Case Discussionsand Case Discussions

Rich Narratives based on real events in Rich Narratives based on real events in real schools and classrooms.real schools and classrooms.

Reflect the complexities and dynamic Reflect the complexities and dynamic nature of teaching and learning.nature of teaching and learning.

Math content present in all cases.Math content present in all cases. Focus on concepts considered “hard to Focus on concepts considered “hard to

teach” and “hard to learn.”teach” and “hard to learn.” Provide opportunities to discuss Provide opportunities to discuss

mathematics, pedagogy, student mathematics, pedagogy, student thinking and school context.thinking and school context.

Sentence completion

A case is a compelling professional development tool if it is ….

Encourage multiple perspectivesEncourage multiple perspectives Are believable Are believable Promote critical analysis and problem Promote critical analysis and problem

solvingsolving Engage readers in the powerful, Engage readers in the powerful,

sometimes emotional exchangessometimes emotional exchanges Do not seek to develop one ‘right Do not seek to develop one ‘right

answer’ or ‘one viewpoint’answer’ or ‘one viewpoint’ Enable collaborative problem solvingEnable collaborative problem solving

Strong Cases…

Have you ever tried to write up a description of a classroom

event? Yes No If you answered yes, what challenges

have you encountered?

Good cases have dilemmas Good cases have dilemmas embedded in themembedded in them

  

Dilemmas are messy, complicated, Dilemmas are messy, complicated, and and conflict-filledconflict-filled situations that situations that require undesirable choices require undesirable choices between competing, highly between competing, highly prized values that cannot be prized values that cannot be simultaneouslysimultaneously or fully satisfied.” or fully satisfied.”

-- Larry Cuban, -- Larry Cuban, How can I fix it? How can I fix it? p. 10 p. 10

The Key Features of a The Key Features of a Dilemma are where Dilemma are where

Reasonable people disagree about a Reasonable people disagree about a course of actioncourse of action

Unattractive choices exist due to Unattractive choices exist due to constraints (money, time, laws, constraints (money, time, laws, cultural and political assumptions)cultural and political assumptions)

Managed by “satisficing” (We satisfy Managed by “satisficing” (We satisfy by sacrificing—Hebert Simon) by sacrificing—Hebert Simon)

Dilemmas are Dilemmas are not solvednot solved, only , only managedmanaged

Starting the ProcessStarting the Process

Generating content ideas…Generating content ideas… Offering what students often say…Offering what students often say… Thinking how teachers often Thinking how teachers often

respond…respond…

Finding a topicFinding a topic

Find a powerful, engaging classroom Find a powerful, engaging classroom situation that is rich with situation that is rich with mathematical content and potentially mathematical content and potentially or decision faced in administering a or decision faced in administering a TMP siteTMP site

What are some possible examples? What are some possible examples?

Math topics known to be difficult to teach

What might be some possible examples?

Type in your idea and we will discuss

Building up the content

Student ‘alternative’ understandings of the topic

Teachers approaches to address to topic?

How do you as a teacher know what the students know?

Describing a realistic conext

Look at another ExampleLook at another Example

What is Pi?What is Pi? What makes the case believable? What makes the case believable? Notice the power of dialogue: Voice and Notice the power of dialogue: Voice and

dialogue are essential, because people’s dialogue are essential, because people’s characteristic phrasings, cadences, characteristic phrasings, cadences, pauses, and hesitations give important pauses, and hesitations give important clues to their ways of thinking. clues to their ways of thinking.

Other elements that appear Other elements that appear important…?important…?

Math Cases for Professional Math Cases for Professional DevelopmentDevelopment

Strong math content—topic that is Strong math content—topic that is known to be difficult to teachknown to be difficult to teach

Potential Ideas about how to approach Potential Ideas about how to approach topic existtopic exist

Student work, dialogue, typical Student work, dialogue, typical confusions are includedconfusions are included

Context in which case is placed is Context in which case is placed is realistic and could be important to the realistic and could be important to the teachers’ decisions about what to do teachers’ decisions about what to do

Cases can also be used to capture site experiences and

challenges with TMP

What might be some possible topics? What do you think would be an

important topic for sites to share? Why is this important?

Elements of good written Elements of good written casescases

The story is a web of decisions that The story is a web of decisions that will lead to consequenceswill lead to consequences

Decisions involve a protagonist (or a Decisions involve a protagonist (or a couple) who must analyze the couple) who must analyze the situation, identify alternative courses situation, identify alternative courses of action, and do something—usually of action, and do something—usually under pressure.under pressure.

The story takes place in a complex, The story takes place in a complex, yet realistic contextyet realistic context

Elements of good written cases Elements of good written cases whether about math teaching whether about math teaching

or site issues…or site issues… The story has one main decision point The story has one main decision point

but several minor forks in the path that but several minor forks in the path that will influence the final decision. will influence the final decision.

The events perplex the character who The events perplex the character who experiences them; the decision is not experiences them; the decision is not obviousobvious

When analyzed the case events yield When analyzed the case events yield common rules of thumb that can apply common rules of thumb that can apply to a variety of similar situations. to a variety of similar situations.

Next steps

Find a writing ‘buddy’ Share outlines Build one or two characters Start with the challenge, then fill in with

background about the characters and the context

Deepen the topic Finish with a return to the challenge No more than 6-8 pages