Accelerating the Common Core: Leading With Algebra

Accelerating the Common Core Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Attention is on creating systems that support good teachers Systems should be responsive to teachers by scaling the kinds of supports they seek to help them improve their effectiveness. In particular, increase teacher awareness of the shifts required by the CCSSM. Learn how the changes required by the Common Core impact teacher instructional practices and how those changes are demonstrated and can be documented through evidence

Today’s Agenda Keynote Math Talk Update from CPS Description of the program Breakout sessions on the math content in Algebra I Why and how is Algebra I going to be different? Breakout session on teaching algebra as we shift to the CCSSM What supports can this program provide to help meet identified challenges? Wrap-up and Program Application

Keynote Address Paul J. Sally, Jr. Professor of Mathematics University of Chicago Paul Sally needs no introduction but it is my great pleasure to provide one anyway. Dr. Sally is a professor of mathematics at the University of Chicago where he has had a distinguished career spanning many years and many diverse activities. His mathematics research is in the fields of p-adic analysis and representation theory and he has served as the Director of Undergraduate Studies for many years, having influence on countless U. of C. mathematics majors , many of whom go on to become research mathematicians themselves. I met one of them yesterday, Ken Ono, here to give a colloquium talk to our math department. But for people in this room, Professor Sally is best known as a true friend of CPS math teachers. The projects and programs he has started on continued, including the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project, for which he was the original director, and the SESAME program, which has been a home to many of you, have served thousands of math teachers. And you all know that he has been a driving force for the CPS Algebra Initiative. So it is only fitting that He start us off on this project with a keynote. Dr. Sally.

Leading with Algebra Build on Chicago Algebra Initiative, partnership between University of Chicago, University of Illinois at Chicago, and DePaul University and CPS to increase the capacity of the district to offer high school algebra in 8th grade. Form a community of practice of Algebra Teacher Leaders Who will incorporate the new content and instructional strategies called for by the CCSSM in their 8th grade algebra courses. Who will aid the district in developing strategies for implementing the CCSSM standards in algebra across grades 6-8.

Project Activities: Year 1 Introductory Meeting Professional Learning Communities: Three Professional Learning Communities of Algebra Teacher Leaders, approximately 50 teachers in each, will meet after school 3 times in 2013-2014 to engage in discussions about the new content and instructional strategies called for by the CCSSM in their 8th grade algebra courses. Website: A website will provide easy access to the materials used in the PLC’s and other resources, updates about professional development opportunities, and a discussion board. The website will focus on algebra and the CCSSM, and will be at the heart of a virtual network to which all 6-8 math teachers in CPS will be invited.

Project Activities: Year 2 Summer Meeting: A full-day meeting for all Algebra Teacher Leaders. Professional Learning Communities and Website: A continuation of these year 1 activities. The Professional Learning Communities will meet four times after school in year 2. Scale Up: Algebra Teacher Leaders will serve as points of contact for ten CPS middle school math teachers. With input from the ATL’s, project staff will take turns creating monthly communications to post on the web, and ATL’s will send these communications to their group of teachers.

What We Expect Attendance at all Professional Learning Community sessions and the Summer Meeting. In 2014-2015, serve as a point of contact for up to 10 middle school mathematics teachers for information about resources and professional development that are responsive to new needs in teaching algebra arising from the adoption of the CCSSM. Completion of occasional surveys for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

What You Can Expect Stipends for attendance at future professional development sessions (based on a rate of $44/hour). The first stipend will be provided after the completion of the first three PLC sessions. Access to the website. Job-related professional development. Awareness of national professional development opportunities

During the final plenary session, we’ll take questions about the program and give you an opportunity to apply.