Math Science Partnership Excellence In Mathematics Lanakila Elementary School Honolulu, HI

School Demographics  Enrollment: 312 students (PreK - Grade 5)  Free & Reduced Lunch Program: %  English Language Learners: %  Special Education: 6 - 9%

Lanakila Elementary Hawaii State Assessment Math Scores

Excellence In Mathematics Overview  Partnership with Chaminade University and University of Hawaii at Manoa professors University of Hawaii at Manoa professors  Participants included:  Lanakila Elementary School faculty (23) and administrator  Likelike Elementary School (Honolulu, HI) faculty and administrator  District Resource teachers (3)

Excellence In Mathematics Goals  Raise student achievement by strengthening teachers’ mathematical content knowledge  Provide teachers with opportunities to reflect on and refine instructional practices  Build a sense of professional community in which teachers continue to collaborate in their efforts to effect change  Prepare teachers to become math mentors and peer coaches for sustainability

Year  Seminar: Emphasis on teacher content knowledge in mathematics  Collaborative Sessions: Teacher led groups to discuss assigned tasks  Summer workshop: Introduction to Reflective Teaching Model to refine teaching practices

Year  Seminar and Collaboration sessions with university professors  Reflective Teaching Model: Implementation of plan/teach/debrief cycle  Summer workshop: Introduction to Reflective Teaching Model for new teachers

Year  Reflective Teaching Model  Japanese Lesson Study: Introduction  Teachers work in cross grade level groups with support from the university professors  Teacher groups examine student work to identify areas of difficulty and progress

Challenges Challenges  Developing common understanding among all partners and bridging the content knowledge with immediate classroom and student needs  Teacher seminars were too concept focused and abstract, lacking connection to classroom instruction and State Standards  Partner school withdrew from grant  Extra time required outside of school day for seminars and collaboration

Adaptations  Classroom observations by university professors to provide insight on daily math needs and challenges  Focus on student learning, rather than on teacher content knowledge  More opportunities for teachers to examine student work and identify changes that would impact student understanding  More open communication and teacher input on professional development needs

Renewed Objectives Lesson Study and Reflective Teaching Model Reflective Teaching Model  Goal: Improvement in teaching  Teachers take primary responsibility  Cycle of planning, teaching (with observation), and debriefing Lesson Study  Focus on teaching, not teacher.  Cycle takes several months to one year. RTM  Focus on reflective practice of the teacher.  Cycle takes 1-2 days, may be repeated in any time frame.

“If you want to improve teaching, the most effective place to do so is in the context of a classroom lesson…The challenge now becomes that of identifying the kinds of changes that will improve student learning in the classroom and, once the changes are identified, of sharing this knowledge with other teachers who face similar problems, or share similar goals, in the classroom.” (Stigler & Hiebert, 1999, p.111)

The instructional practices and assessments discussed or shown in this presentation are not intended as an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education. The instructional practices and assessments discussed or shown in this presentation are not intended as an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education.