District Teacher Leaders and School Teacher Leaders Workshop April 29, 2004 Tallassee High School

TEAM-Math Mission Statement To enable all students to understand, utilize, communicate, and appreciate mathematics as a tool in everyday situations in order to become life-long learners and productive citizens by Transforming East Alabama Mathematics (TEAM-Math). The mission will be met by: –Aligning the curriculum K-12. –Ensuring consistency in teaching. –Providing professional development. –Improving preparation of new teachers.

Agenda Updates (4:00) –Textbook Adoption, Curriculum Guide, Baseline Data Collection - Dr. Gary Martin –Professional Development- Dr. Marilyn Strutchens Mathematics Activity - Dr. Marilyn Strutchens (4:30) Developing Leadership – Dr. Gary Martin (5:30) Using Evidence Effectively (6:30) Dr. Marilyn Strutchens

Update on Curriculum Alignment Draft Curriculum Guide (summer 2003) Textbook Review (fall 2003) Revised Curriculum Guide (summer 2004) Further revisions of the Curriculum Guide in succeeding years

Results of Curriculum Adoption 12 of 12 TEAM-Math districts adopted the recommended textbooks This is very good news indeed!

Curriculum Guide Revision Subgroups are working on grade-level and grade-band guides –Drafts are due early May, for use by the Summer Institute Planning Team Consistent format across the grades: –Course of Study and TEAM-Math objectives –References to pages in the recommended textbooks; other supporting materials –References to required assessments for that grade Organization of the material by unit, providing a general sequence for instruction that will meet objectives Final revision due in June, in time for the school year

The Future of the Curriculum Guide This is a work in progress! –Development will continue in the coming years Features may (eventually) include: –Additional supporting activities –Unit or quarterly assessments –Additional suggestions for sequencing and pacing

Update on Baseline Data Collection

Data Collection in Progress Participants: All Cohort I schools and volunteer comparison schools Current focus: –Student attitudes survey –Limited classroom observations –A small number of schools have been selected for follow-up interviews of teachers (Dr. Kimberly King) High School (in addition to the above) –Teacher attitudes and algebra content surveys – A few teachers will be selected for additional classroom observations and interviewing (Joy Black)

Additional Data Collection Planned Demographic data on teachers and students at all schools in TEAM-Math districts (before the end of school) Teacher attitude and content surveys –Cohort I teachers and administrators (beginning of Summer Institute) –Non-Cohort I teachers (during Curriculum Briefing) Teacher leaders may be contacted to provide additional input on how things are going

Update on Summer Institute

Summer Institute June 7-18, 2004 Opelika Middle School 8:00 – 3:00

Major Emphasis Big Ideas in each grade level Activities from the textbooks Research related to mathematics teaching and learning Pedagogical strategies Make it and take it activities School level planning

Preparation Developing Presenters’ Guides for each grade level Training Presenters Gathering Materials and Equipment Verifying the Number of Participants

What We Need from You We need help with identifying teachers who may not be attending since they sent in their pre-registration form. We need help with locating LCD projectors in different districts that we can use during the retreat. We need you to come with enthusiasm.

Mathematics Activity

Counting Segments of Different Lengths on a Geoboard How many segments of different lengths can be made by connecting pegs on a square geoboard that is 4 units on each side (a 4 x 4 square geoboard)? Generalize to an N x N geoboard. Verify whether or not your prediction is true by counting and measuring the segment lengths of the 5 x 5 geoboard. (Use geoboard units.)

Hint Examine simpler cases to develop a systematic way to generate the different segments.

Discussion Questions How might solving this problem help students when solving similar types of problems in the future? What lesson would the students learn beyond the mathematics that they used to solve the problem?

Leadership

Small Groups Read p. 104 to the top of p. 105 Discuss: –What are the key expectations for teacher leaders? Are these expectations reasonable? Are any missing? How close are you to achieving these expectations? –What are the demands on teacher leaders? Which of these are you experiencing? Are there others? How are you coping?

Small Groups Choose one of the following areas of responsibility from pp : 1. Curriculum Design 2. Instructional Strategies and Materials 3. Assessment 4. Professional Development 5. Forging Partnerships Discuss: –What are specific strategies for meeting the responsibilities in that area? These could include things you have done, heard about, or could envision doing. –What additional assistance do you need to meet these responsibilities? From your school? From TEAM-Math?

TEAM-Math Resources Leadership Training Small “grants” program for instructional materials –We are currently soliciting contributions from businesses –TI comes through! Lucas Foundation comes through! Other support identified with strategic planning during the Summer Institute (e.g., release time) GRANTS AWARDED ON BASIS OF: –Merit of proposal –Financial need

Using Evidence Effectively

Key Ideas Providing administrators, teachers, parents and other stakeholders with evidence based on the research Providing teachers with examples of success stories about students similar to theirs

Evidence Based on the Research Where can we find evidence to support our efforts? Read through the following summaries. What information would you share with teachers? Administrators? Other Stakeholders?

Success Stories Describe an episode from your teaching that you would share with other teachers to help them understand the need to change their teaching to be in alignment with TEAM-Math’s mission.

Upcoming Events Summer Institute, Opelika Middle School, June 7-18, 2004, 8:00 to 3:00, Daily Non-Cohort Textbook Training July 12-13, and July 26-27, TBA