MARCH 2012 MTL MEETING LAURA MALY BERNARD RAHMING CYNTHIA CUELLAR RODRIGUEZ Beliefs and Assumptions

Strategies and practical techniques for classroom formative assessment Engineering effective discussions, activities, and classroom tasks that elicit evidence of learning Key idea: questioning should  cause thinking  provide data that informs teaching Improving teacher questioning  generating questions with colleagues  low-order vs. high-order not closed vs. open  appropriate wait-time tasks that elicit evidence of learning Getting away from (I-R-E)  basketball rather than serial table-tennis  ‘No hands up’ (except to ask a question)  ‘Hot Seat’ questioning All-student response systems  ABCD cards, “show-me” boards, exit passes Dylan William; Sustaining formative assessment with teacher learning communities, March 2012

Outcomes Uncover assumption that teachers may hold about instructional design processes because of the text series they are using. Discuss the impact of assumptions that teachers have based on passed experiences, successes and challenges. Consider how these assumptions impact our work with schools, teams and individuals.

Learning Intention Success Criteria Learning Intention  We are learning to develop an understanding of how beliefs and assumptions impact our work with schools, teams and individuals. Success Criteria  We will know we are successful when we develop strategies to address beliefs and assumptions that hinder the implementation of the Instructional Design of the CMSP.

What is a belief? An assumption? Turn and Talk Belief:  Acceptance of truth of something; trust; something that somebody believes in; opinion  Acceptance by the mind that something is true or real, often underpinned by an emotional or spiritual sense of certainty Assumption:  Something taken for granted  Something that is believed to be true without proof Encarta Dictionary

Comfort Groups What textbook series are you most comfortable with? Individual  Illustrate how you feel about this program Whip around your group.  Why did you choose this group?  Share your illustration As a group  Create a collage that includes all illustrations Discuss the Comfort Group questions

Comfort Groups Debrief What assumptions might teachers who teach using these materials have about the teaching and learning of mathematics? How does the lesson format align with or contradict the CMSP Instructional Design? Do you have any evidence to demonstrate that teachers’ beliefs about their use of a textbook are related to student demographics? Highlight 3 important elements of your group’s conversation to share with others

Why do People Resist Change? As a table group  Brainstorm a list of common causes of resistance in schools Overcoming Resistance

What’s Our Goal? Goal: students meeting and exceeding standards  We believe that inquiry – based learning will help us meet this goal Hand Up; Stand Up; Pair Up  Discuss what inquiry-based learning means to you

FROM TO Teacher instructs students in a concept or skill Teacher solves example problems with the class Students practice on their own while the teacher assists individual students Teacher introduces problem Students struggle with the problem Various students present ideas or solutions to the class The class discusses the various solution methods Teacher summarizes the class’ conclusion Students practice similar problems Students practice their new understanding in a new context Shift in How We Instruct Accessible Mathematics: 10 Instructional Shifts That Raise Student Achievement, S. Leinwand, 2009

Down and Dirty In Comfort Groups:  Review the Guide for Planning with __(textbook series)__  Find those sections in your book  Provide feedback on the Guide  1 copy with notes submitted per group  Whole groups share out  Highlights discussed about the Guide  Successes and Challenges of planning using the Guide Homework: Mixed groups  Plan an upcoming lesson using the Guide’s suggestions

Learning Intention Success Criteria Learning Intention  We are learning to develop an understanding of how beliefs and assumptions impact our work with schools, teams and individuals Success Criteria  We will know we are successful when we develop strategies to address beliefs and assumptions that hinder the implementation of the Instructional Design of the CMSP

Now What? How do we address teacher’s beliefs and assumptions about the Instructional Design and their primary textbook?  Do you think the texts that teachers are using impact how they apply the Instructional Design?  Identify 3 strategies you will use when working with teachers to address resistance to the instructional design.

Looking at the wrong knowledge 14 The most powerful teacher knowledge is not explicit:  That’s why telling teachers what to do doesn’t work.  What we know is more than we can say.  And that is why most professional development has been relatively ineffective. Improving practice involves changing habits, not adding knowledge:  That’s why it’s hard:  And the hardest bit is not getting new ideas into people’s heads.  It’s getting the old ones out.  That’s why it takes time. But it doesn’t happen naturally:  If it did, the most experienced teachers would be the most productive, and that’s not true (Hanushek & Rivkin, 2006).

Transfer to Classroom Practice Percent of Participants Attaining Transfer Theory/Information Only 5% Demonstration10% Practice20% Peer Coaching 90% Joyce & Showers, 2001

Reflection Resistance/ Concern Strategy Reflection on use of Strategy Identify 3 strategies you will use when working with teachers to address resistance to the instructional design.

Learning Intention Success Criteria Learning Intention  We are learning to develop an understanding of how beliefs and assumptions impact our work with schools, teams and individuals Success Criteria  We will know we are successful when we develop strategies to address beliefs and assumptions that hinder the implementation of the Instructional Design of the CMSP

Change You can’t change the world – you can only change yourself.  Although we can only change ourselves, making a change creates a ripple effect, like throwing a stone into a pond. When we change our behavior, the effects of that change may reach farther than we anticipate. We don’t always see the big picture and realize the impact we have on others. By working for change within ourselves, we often affect others in a way we couldn‘t do otherwise. Unknown