Principals Partnering to Raise the Ceiling and the Floor in the

New Era of Mathematics Standards

Day 3 March 26, 2014

Norfolk

The principal institutes are offered under the auspices of the Virginia Mathematics and Science Coalition.

13/21/2014

Cups and More Cups!Work in teams of 4Watch or timer with second hand to time 1 minute 15 seconds.15 foam cups in a single stack per team1 cup mover per team

Cup mover made from 1 rubber band and 4 pieces of 2-foot length string to attach to rubber band to look like a sun with 4 rays coming out.

23/21/2014

Instructions Cups and More Cups!

Use your cup mover to build a pyramid using the cups within 1 minute 15 seconds.

Base will have 5 cups, then 4 cups, then 3 cups…Group members may not touch the cups with their

hands or any part of their body, even if the cup falls.

Each person may only hold the end of one string attached to the rubber band (if a group of three, then one person can hold two strings)

Use the string and rubber band to grab each cup and place it in the correct position.

33/21/2014

Debrief Cups and More Cups!Was anyone frustrated during the activity? If

so, how was it handled?Why is teamwork so important in this activity?Did any team come up with a strategy for

working as a team? What are some of the skills needed for good

teamwork?How did you contribute to your team? Did you

suggest? Lead? Follow? Encourage or cheer?How would an activity like this support

building a team? How might you use this in your school?

43/21/2014

Repeat Cups and More Cups!

Did your team improve this time? How and why?

Why is good communication important in this kind of task?

How would you use this in your classroom, or with teachers?

Principals Partnering to Raise the Ceiling and the Floor in the New Era of Mathematics Standards 53/21/2014

6

The last decade has

clearly been one of

unprecedented and

rapid change in

mathematics education.

Linking Back

3/21/2014

Linking Back and Moving ForwardEssential QuestionsWhat should good mathematics instruction look like?

What supports are needed?

What is the connection between high quality mathematics instruction and student performance?

How can school-based mathematics leaders/Mathematics Specialists improve instruction and student learning?

73/21/2014

Making Connections to Day 3

Goals Day 1 Day 2 Day 3(2-3 months after Day 2) 

Supporting a rigorous mathematics program 

Read and Discuss:Research-based articles The 2009 Virginia Standards of Learning Curriculum Framework,

Read and Discuss: Helping Children Learn Mathematics- NRC 

Read and Discuss:Research-based articles Administrator’s Guide: How to Support and Improve Mathematics Education in Your School,

Implementing instructional practices to increase mathematics proficiency

Doing Math:Mental MathTask leading to algebraic understandingLesson Planning Tools: Cognitive Demand focusVideo Of Classroom Practice: Students doing mathBridging to Practice:VDOE Essential Actions for Lesson Planning.  

Doing Math:-Fraction tracks: Lesson Planning Tools:Analyze the Virginia Process Goals Video Of Classroom Practice:Use Virginia Process Goals as observation tool Video of Clinical Interview: Student interview

Doing Math:-Doing a rich tasks  Simulation of a Grade Level Planning Meeting: Using a rich task Bridging to Practice:Share teacher observations

Collaboratively developing an action plan for the school mathematics program

Teacher Effectiveness Continuum: Consider teacher effectiveness Characteristics of a Highly Effective Classroom:Develop, reflect, revise

Bridging to Practice:Develop individual action plans

Bridging to Practice:Use a backwards design to map out a vision with action steps for the school’s mathematics program

83/21/2014

Day 3 AgendaWelcome Back/ Team ActivitySuccesses and ChallengesDo the Math: The Bag of MarblesBreakTeacher Observations Lunch and ArticlesArticle ReflectionsDo the Math: Buttons TaskSchool Vision for MathematicsAdministrator’s Role for Supporting and Improving

Mathematics EducationReflections

93/21/2014

Successes & ChallengesAs you think about your HW Day 2 Reflections and the Essential Actions-Lesson Planning Components

In your table groups share one strength and one challenge in moving your schools mathematics program forward.

Each person charts their success on the chart paper and the group posts the chart.

(Include the related essential action for lesson planning, if applicable.)

Walk around to learn about everyone’s successes. Take the Essential Action: Lesson Planning handout with you.

103/21/2014

Collaborative Planning and Reflection Adapted from Thinking Through a Lesson Protocol (TTLP)Steps Calls

3/21/2014 11

Step 1 Teachers Planning TogetherDo the Math: The Bag of Marbles

Individually at consider at least two ways to solve the problem.

Record your strategies and think about the mathematics you used.

Share your strategies at your table.

123/21/2014

Aligns with VDOE SOL NNS 4.2, PS 4.13; NNS 5.2; NNS 6.1, 6.2, PS 6.6

Step 3: Looking at Student Work from the Bag of Marbles Task

Review the students’ work for the marble task and consider the strategies the students used, the mathematics they seem to understand, and the misconceptions students may have.

Discuss students’ strategies and mathematics understandings and misconceptions revealed by their work.

133/21/2014

Talk at your tables about the frequency of teachers discussing student work and thus determining student understanding.

How does discussing student work inform a teacher’s instruction?

What have you done or can you do as an administrator to have student work discussion be a more common and regular practice in your school?

Role of Student Work in Improving the Schools Mathematics Program

143/21/2014

Lunch & Articles1. Orchestrating Discussions – Smith, Hughes, Engle and

Stein

2. Modifying Our Questions to Assess Students’ Thinking - Chappell and Thompson

3. The Principal as Formative Coach – Nidus and Sadder

4. What Can We Do About Teacher Resistance? – Jim Knight

153/21/2014

Article Reflections Write 1 word on each of 3 post-it notes that are significant

to you and represent the main meaning of the article.

Collect the words of all group members and post them at the bottom of your chart paper.

Use your collected words to write 3 sentences that capture the message from the article that you want to share with your colleagues.

Each group will share their messages and one idea about how they might use the information from the article.

163/21/2014

The School’s Vision for the School’s Mathematics Program Guides Decision Making at Many Levels

“Principals and mathematics leadership must combine their energies to engage and

empower classroom teachers and teacher teams in effectively changing

mathematics instructional techniques.”

Manager to Instructional Leader: Developing Teachers as Leaders, NCSM Journal, Winter 2007, Page 7

3/21/2014 17

Classroom Observations: Self-Reflections

Individually record your responses to the following questions:

1. What did you learn about your teachers?

2. What did you learn about your students?

3. What did you learn about your school’s mathematics program?

183/21/2014

Classroom Observations Share a specific examples of specific process goals you each observed

in the mathematics classrooms since we last met.

Review the list of Characteristics of a Highly Effective Mathematics Classroom. Discuss as a table the characteristics that were most frequently observed in your classroom visits.

What did you learn about your mathematics program that will help you plan for improvement?

Step 1a. of the Lesson Planning Essential Actions requires lessons to be

aligned with the Curriculum Framework which emphasizes the process goals. How can principals ensure that this is happening in each classroom?

193/21/2014

Thinking about the Math:How Many Buttons? Task

Work individually for a few minutes on the Button Task presented on the handout.

Share your thinking with a shoulder partner paying particular attention to the different ways each of you thought about and the way or ways you represented your thinking.

3/21/2014

(Aligns with VDOE-SOL PFA 5.17, 5.18; G 6.11; PFA 6.17; PFA 7.12, 7.13; PFA 8.14)

20

Some representations that may have been used in the growing pattern problem to examine what

changed and what stayed the same.

VerbalPictorialConcreteSymbolic: NumbersSymbolic: AlgebraTableGraph

3/21/2014 21

Preparing for the VideoCombination 5th and 6th grade classroom in a

charter school in San Carlos, Ca. The teacher reviewed student work from Button

Task and has designed a reengagement lesson to address weaknesses in student understanding and to move them forward to more sophisticated thinking.

Use the back of the Buttons Task handout to record your thinking as we watch 2 short video clips.What artifacts and tools are visible on the board and

how might they support the lesson goals?Based on the video clip what is your thinking about

the school's vision for mathematics learning?In what ways was the representation Process Goal

observed?

3/21/2014 22

Backwards Mapping to illuminate Your School’s Vision for Mathematics Teaching and Learning and identify action steps to support the vision

W

233/21/2014

Backwards Mapping to illuminate Your School’s Vision for Mathematics Teaching and Learning and identify action steps to support the vision

W

243/21/2014

What is Your School’s Vision for Mathematics Teaching and Learning?

Each person think about one expectations for students in your building and complete the five columns using another copy of the vision chart. Be prepared to share with others.

Individually take a few minutes to personally reflect and make additional notes on your own chart.

253/21/2014

What is Your School’s Vision for Mathematics Teaching and Learning?Refer to the five column chart as you continue through our

work this afternoon. This chart is for your own personal comments. It can help you and your mathematics leadership team identify a particular focus for your work .

Column 1: What do you want students to be doing in mathematics classrooms where students are learning with understanding?

Column 2: What will teachers need to do so that students will be doing what you expect to see?

Complete the other three columns.

263/21/2014

What steps can YOU take to realize your school’s vision for mathematics teaching and learning?

W

273/21/2014

Who can help you move forward with the school’s vision?

Consider who will comprise the “Math Leadership Team” for implementing your vision.

Have you considered ways your math leadership team can help and support you with your next steps?

How can the Essential Actions for Lesson Planning help you?

3/21/2014 28

Administrator’s Role for Supporting and Improving Mathematics Education

From Helping Children Learn Mathematics:

Learning with understanding is essential to mathematical literacy. (Page 3)

Strands of Mathematical Proficiency1.Understanding2.Computing 3.Applying4.Reasoning5.Engaging

293/21/2014

NCTM Principles (pp 10-12 and 18-20):

1.Equity

2.Curriculum

3.Teaching

4.Learning

5.Assessment

6.Technology

Administrator’s Role for Supporting and Improving Mathematics Education

From Administrator’s Guide: How to Support and Improve Mathematics Education in Your School

Thinking about the principles is an important step in improving mathematics education in your school.

303/21/2014

Equity"Excellence in mathematics education rests on

equity—high expectations, respect, understanding, and

strong support for all students— ... to ensure that all students have equal access to the resources with the greatest potential to promote learning."

NCTM Equity in Math Education Position Statement

3/21/2014 31

Closing Reflection

Goals Day 1 Day 2 Day 3(2-3 months after Day 2) 

Supporting a rigorous mathematics program 

Read and Discuss:Research-based articles The 2009 Virginia Standards of Learning Curriculum Framework,

Read and Discuss: Helping Children Learn Mathematics- NRC 

Read and Discuss:Research-based articles Administrator’s Guide: How to Support and Improve Mathematics Education in Your School,

Implementing instructional practices to increase mathematics proficiency

Doing Math:Mental MathTask leading to algebraic understandingLesson Planning Tools: Cognitive Demand focusVideo Of Classroom Practice: Students doing mathBridging to Practice:VDOE Essential Actions for Lesson Planning.  

Doing Math:-Fraction tracks: Lesson Planning Tools:Analyze the Virginia Process Goals Video Of Classroom Practice:Use Virginia Process Goals as observation tool Video of Clinical Interview: Student interview

Doing Math:-Doing a rich tasks  Simulation of a Grade Level Planning Meeting: Using a rich task Bridging to Practice:Share teacher observations

Collaboratively developing an action plan for the school mathematics program

Teacher Effectiveness Continuum: Consider teacher effectiveness Characteristics of a Highly Effective Classroom:Develop, reflect, revise

Bridging to Practice:Develop individual action plans

Bridging to Practice:Use a backwards design to map out a vision with action steps for the school’s mathematics program

323/21/2014

We wish you and your teachers the very best as you move forward to provide the very best mathematics

learning experience for your students.

333/21/2014

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

Oliver Wendall Holmes

FacilitatorsVickie Inge vickieinge@gmail.comDebra Delozier debra.delozier@doe.Virginia.govJamey Loving jamey.lovin@cpschools.com

343/21/2014

Characteristics of Highly Effective Classrooms Developed January 2014 in Norfolk

Aligned plans with measurable lesson objective (learning target)

Detailed in-depth lesson plans tied to Essential Questions, Process Goals, and aligned with curriculum, instruction, and assessment

High level of expectations for student achievement and relationships that lead to student learning

Teacher displays good content knowledge for teaching (+ pedagogy)

Reflection of impact of lesson on student learning

3/21/2014 35

Characteristics of Highly Effective Classrooms Developed Days 1 and 2 in NorfolkHigher order thinking with real world

application. RelevantCommunication (vocabulary, feedback,

explain)Using multiple representationsReal world connections, relevanceCollaborative groupsStudents actively engaged, teacher as

facilitator

3/21/2014 36

Characteristics of Highly Effective Classrooms Developed Days 1 and 2 in Norfolk

Checking for understanding. Understand misunderstandings and misconceptions.

Using a variety of assessments: formal and informal, formative and summative

Using the data from assessments to shape instruction

Purposeful use of student artifacts to drive and inform instruction

3/21/2014 37