Alliance for Teaching Mathematics to Special Education Learners Strengthening Content Knowledge and Collaboration of General and Special Education Teachers Milwaukee Public Schools University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Dr. DeAnn Huinker, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Math and Science Partnership Meeting Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction November 8, 2011 Math Alliance Project

Vision Improve mathematics performance for students in grades 4–8, particularly for students with special needs and for students who struggle in mathematics. Support a school culture for collaboration of general and special education teachers on improving math learning for all students. Math Alliance Project

Largest Wisconsin School District (ranks 33rd in the US) 81,000 students 184 Schools: 118 elementary, 8 middle, 18 mid/high, 40 high Poverty 77.4% (State 39.3%) Disabilities19.5%(State 13.7%) ELL 10.0%(State 5.7%) Non-white85.0%(State 25.6%) Milwaukee Public Schools Math Alliance Project

Math Gap 31.0 points 25.6% vs 56.6% Milwaukee Public Schools, WCKE Mathematics (Nov 2010)

Participants Year 1 Participants Year 2 Participants Continuing from Year 1 Certification General Ed131968% Special Ed222186% Total3540 Grade Level Elementary12 83% Middle132176% Both10771% Math Alliance Project

Goals Strengthen the math content knowledge of general and special education teachers; Enhance math instruction and assessment, focusing on appropriate accommodations and modifications for special education and struggling students; Increase collaboration on math instruction of general and special education teachers. Math Alliance Project

FallSpringSummer Year Recruitment Math: Number, Operations, & Algebraic Reasoning Education: Development of Math Knowledge with Differentiation for Struggling Learners Year Math: Geometry & Measurement Education: Teaching Math to All Learners Part 1 Education: Collaboration & Planning for Math Differentiation Year Math: Data Analysis, Statistics, & Probability Education: Teaching Math to All Learners Part 2 Math Alliance Project Timeline

Project Staff UWM Mathematics Kevin McLeod & Patrick Hopfensperger UWM Special Education Judy Winn & Mary Ann Fitzgerald UWM Mathematics Education DeAnn Huinker District Teachers and Specialists Chris Guthrie, Special Education Teacher Beth Schefelker, Math Teaching Specialist Melissa Hedges, Math Teaching Specialist Mary Spidell, Special Education Supervisor Math Alliance Project

Strands Mathematics Content Math Alliance Project Differentiated Instruction Collaboration Year 1: Number, Operations, & Algebraic Reasoning Year 2: Geometry & Measurement Year 3: Data Analysis, Statistics, & Probability

Content Knowledge I have learned how the distributive property moves through math from elementary to middle to high school. I now know the importance of using the area model and being able to use it and the distributive property method in multiplying. I’ve used this in my class and it offers me opportunities to present more strategies to my students. ---General Education Teacher Math Alliance Project Distributive Property and Area Model

Content Knowledge The biggest impact has been exploring 'how you get there.' I remember doing a lot of memorizing as a student. Going through the process from addition to grouping to multiplication gave me the words to explain more fully those connections. The activities for multiplication, as well as the different methods of getting an answer have really enhanced my teaching. ---Special Education Teachers Math Alliance Project Alternative Algorithms

MKT: Number & Operations Math Alliance Project --- Special Education Teachers --- General Education Teachers --- Combined Groups GainEffect Size Special Ed0.55***0.76large General Ed small Combined0.45***0.57medium Comparison Teachers Mean = 0.05 (n=86)

Content Knowledge I can say that when we discussed area as covering I became clearer in my understanding. Before this class when asked what is area, I would rattle off the formula. ---General Education Teacher I hold a deeper level of understanding of how the moving and combining principles can be applied for various shapes when determining areas. ---Special Education Teacher Another “ah ha” moment was when I found out that you can measure to find the circumference and that it would be approximately a little bit more than 3 times the diameter; always wondered why we use pi to figure area of circles. ---General Education Teacher Math Alliance Project Area as Covering & Deriving Formulas Meaning of π

MKT: Geometry & Measurement Math Alliance Project GainEffect Size Special Ed0.39**0.70large General Ed0.28 small Combined0.35**0.47medium --- Special Education Teachers --- General Education Teachers --- Combined Groups Comparison Teachers Mean = 0.17 (n=97)

Differentiated Instruction Before this project, I taught to one- size-fits-all. Now in my practice, I am using the students’ input more as I have them discuss the math to construct knowledge. That knowledge comes in different layers and it is illuminating to see and hear what they are understanding. I also force myself to represent on the board different ways to solve things. Some students get the concepts easier in one format than another. ---General Education Teacher Since beginning this project, I use many, many more hands-on activities in my teaching. I have a larger “bag” of strategies to draw from when I teach. I am much more confident teaching math now. I incorporate more models of representations to teach a particular skill to help enhance understanding for different learners. I now use multiple ways to teach multiplication and division. I use more manipulatives and explain the “why” behind the how Special Education Teachers Math Alliance Project One-size Doesn’t Fit All Repertoire of Strategies

Differentiated Instruction Math Alliance Project I am confident that I can… Special Ed (n=12)General Ed (n=9) BaselineYear 2BaselineYear 2 Differentiate instruction in the general education class so that students who struggle in math can profit from the instruction * Provide explicit instruction for students who struggle that supports their conceptual understanding in math ** Provide separate small group or individual instruction for students who struggle with math that makes effective links to the general math curriculum * *

Expectations for Student Learning My expectations have increased. I now expect my students to explore different ways of solving math problems and I expect them to share their thinking on a regular basis with their classmates. ---Special Education Teacher It’s not all about getting the right answer. Often it’s about the process and how/why. I expect my students to be better able to explain the process they went through and know multiple ways of solving a problem not just memorizing a formula. ---General Education Teacher I think that I now possess higher standards for my students with disabilities than I did in the past as a result of seeing first-hand their ability to demonstrate mastering math on a deeper level. I want to see all students demonstrate true mastery of a skill through a conceptual approach versus simply memorizing and applying formulas that they often do not even understand. ---Special Education Teacher Math Alliance Project Discourse Concept Focused

Collaboration Math Alliance Project So, Special Education teachers are making gains in bringing content knowledge to collaboration, whereas General Education teachers are making gains in bringing more knowledge of the needs of individual students. Special Ed (n=12)General Ed (n=9) BaselineYear 2BaselineYear 2 I bring sufficient content knowledge to collaboration * I bring sufficient knowledge of the challenges of students who struggle to collaboration *

nBaselineYear 2ChangeEffect Size Special Education none Survey Item: My students’ math learning has increased because of my collaboration with the general/special education teacher. Math Alliance Project General Education *1.08large

Curriculum development Literacy dominates special education, Limited guidance in math Understand philosophical differences “Inquiry & Exploration vs Explicit & Systematic Instruction” Collaborative planning and teaching Time, teacher content & pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) Understanding each other’s roles, potential, and shifts in practice Range of participants’ content knowledge Substantial “holes” in math knowledge, lack of PCK (e.g., tools, models) Being able to put change into practice harder for General Education Meeting needs of both Special and General Education Teachers in one project (attrition) Challenges Math Alliance Project

General Education Teachers Collaborating more with Special Education Teachers. Putting more differentiated instruction into practice. Increasing their expectations of the capabilities of students with special needs. Thinking about when more explicitness is needed What are some impacts? Math Alliance Project Special Education Teachers Putting more emphasis on concept-based learning (e.g., visual models, strategies, alternative algorithms, reasoning, problem solving). Deepening their mathematics content knowledge. Offering more in collaboration

I really believe that I have high expectations for all of my students now. I think when I encountered a barrier previously it was easy to think that a particular student would just never get it. Now I know that I can find at least one strategy that will reach all students. My students are now more confident themselves. We have grown together. ----Special Education Teacher Math Alliance Project Expectations for All Students to “Get It”