Upgrade!Math Staff Development

October 8, 2012

A New Trend Line in Student Achievement

“I guarantee that we will see mathematics scores fall sharply…This is an indication that we are expecting more of students, not that they are learning less”

- Dr. Patricia I. Wright Superintendent of Public Instruction

SOL dataHenrico vs. State

SOL Test

Henrico Pass Rate 10-11

State Pass Rate 10-11

Diff in Pass Rate

Henrico Pass

Rate 11-12

State Pass Rate 11-12

Diff in Pass Rate

Math 3 93 91 2 67 64 3

Math 4 92 89 3 74 70 4

Math 5 94 89 5 77 67 10

Math 6 61 73 -12 72 74 -2

Math 7 69 77 -8 55 58 -3

Math 8 82 82 0 41 60 -19Algebra 1 92 94 -2 74 75 -1Geometry 89 87 2 74 74 0Algebra 2 94 91 3 74 69 5

Curve of Change Implementation

5

Past PracticeDenial

Anger

Fear

Depression

Understanding

Acceptance

Progress

Where are you?

Educational ShiftConventional Wisdom Shifting for Change

The “end” that we’re aiming for is a child who can perform well on multiple-choice tests.

The “end” is a child who• Thinks and reasons effectively;• Solves problems accurately,

flexibly, and efficiently;• Communicates clearly using

mathematical language and representations; and

• Demonstrates his/her knowledge and skills on performance assessments as well as standardized tests.

Most instruction should focus on memorization of traditional computational procedures and basic facts.

Instruction that balances concepts and skills is important. Both understanding and fluency with basic facts allow students to be effective problem solvers.

Focusing professional development on test scores has the largest payoff for improvement in school mathematics programs.

Focusing on high-quality student work has the largest payoff for improvement in school mathematics programs. Confer, Chris, Marco Ramirez, and Steve Leinwand. Small Steps, Big Changes, (2012)

MathematicsEmphasis

Process Goals for StudentsStudents will• become mathematical problem solvers

that• communicate mathematically; • reason mathematically;• make mathematical connections; and• use mathematical representations to

model and interpret practical situations.

What questions come to mind?

Engaging Students and

Problem Solving(2008) In the 100m butterfly event, Michael Phelps

won the gold medal.1 United States Michael Phelps 50.582 Serbia Milorad Cavic 50.59

How would you determinethe length of the distance by which Michael Phelps won?

What information would youneed?

Problem SolvingProblem solving is at the core of any mathematics curriculum; it is integral to all mathematical activity. As such, it should permeate the entire mathematics program. Students who are consistently presented with challenging problems learn to develop and apply new strategies. When they are also given opportunities to communicate their strategies with others and reflect on their thinking, their problem solving abilities are further enhanced.

(Fennell et al. 2000)

Key Phrases• Rigor and Engagement

oCognitive Demand and Process Standards

• Math Discourse and InquiryoCommunication and Questioning

• Intellectual StruggleoGood math problems make students

want to do that kind of mental exercise

Math Look-for’sEngagement - The student should be:• Engaging in the learning process

(participation in lesson discussion, group work with students)

• Justifying or explaining their reasoning (no “yes/no” answers)

• Providing and receiving “immediate” feedback on all work (this may be given by teacher or students, peer review of content)

• Providing multiple solutions (is there another way of doing or representing this?)

• Focusing on mathematical understandings(not necessarily on producing correct answers)

• Making sense of the mathematics (struggling is part of the process!)

 

Assessments (formative and summative)• SOL formatted questions being used

(students need exposure to these questions regularly)• TEI’s being used in instruction and assessments

(free response questions, non-multiple choice, use ActivInspire template)

• Formative assessments should be done regularly(ActivEngage, whiteboards, polling of students, etc.)

• Calculators are used as a tool to explore and deepen understanding of concepts(they should not be used for basic math unless required by IEP)

Rigor (Cognitive Demand) – The teacher should be:• Asking high-level questions of all students

(don’t ask questions that solicit one word answers)

• Giving students challenging but accessible tasks (multiple entry points for all learners)

• Consistently providing multiple representations of concepts (modeling, pictures, graphs, tables)

• Promoting mathematical communication(require students to speak and write mathematically)

• Facilitating connections of content(accessing prior knowledge, connections to real life or other math concepts)

• Expecting students to do the majority of the thinking in the classroom

• Making students estimate/predict and think before calculating

• Listening carefully to your students’ words and learning from them to guide instruction

Math Observations

SOL, Curriculum Framework, and SOL

Assessments“The content of the mathematics standards is intended to

support the five goals for students”

- 2009 Mathematics Standards of Learning

“The Curriculum Framework serves as a guide for Standards of Learning assessment development. Assessment items may not and should not be a verbatim reflection of the information presented in the Curriculum Framework. Students are expected to continue to apply knowledge and skills from Standards of Learning presented in previous grades as they build mathematical expertise.”

Teaching by Faith!• More sample test questions are coming

but future tests may not be released.• Having released tests every year has

enabled teachers to “teach to the test”. • Good discussions are occurring as a

result of not having questions. • How can you develop these new,

rigorous questions?

Teacher EvaluationWebsite information• Materials being updated constantly. This is a

living and breathing site.• Changed sharing preferences so only those with

Henrico address can view. Make sure to login!Skills• Creation – please work on developing your own

and sending to me for review.• Scoring – work individually and then meet as a

group prior to giving to students to discuss differences and promote discussion.

Odds & Ends• Math Sharing Folder

o Currently in SchoolSpace but transitioning to Google Docs.o Teachers need to log in with Henrico address

• Curriculum Guideso One stop shopping for materials

• ActivEngage and ExploreLearning o Great way to do formative assessments and student-centered

activities

• Open Classroom Meetings• Teacher Direct website

o VDOE communication directly to teachers about resources, professional development, grants, etc.

We, as teachers, should be…

• Engaging students in the learning, providing relevant and rigorous activities and tasks

• Asking high-leverage questions – make students work harder than you

• Requiring students to communicate their thinking and listen carefully to them

• Making students justify their thinking• Using multiple models• Using formative assessments to learn about the level of

student understanding and reflect on your own teaching

• Collaborating on a deeper understanding of what needs to be taught and how it should and could be assessed

Proce

ss

Goals!

No Pain, No Gain• If you are more tired than the kids, it’s not

because you are old• Make kids estimate/predict and think

before calculating • Don’t ask questions that solicit one word

answers• Let kids struggle to make sense of the

mathematics

It is time to upgrade

Our knowledgeOur instruction

Our assessments

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