Memorial Tribute to John Leichty Monday, February 6, :00 p.m. Mark Taper Forum (Music Center) 135 N. Grand Avenue Los Angeles

Local District 7 New National Board Certified Teachers Congratulations to… Danielle Howard, Norwood ES Mirna Mata, Norwood ES Patricia Mendez, Menlo ES Kimberly Min, Manchester ES Nohemi Sanchez-Heredia, South Park ES Jill Stillman, Budlong ES

Local District 7 New National Board Certified Teachers Congratulations to… Suyapa Hurtt, Manual Arts HS Cheryl Read, Manual Arts HS Kathleen Sigtenhorst, Manual Arts HS

Building Leadership in Content Knowledge Principals’ Conference Local District 7 January 18, 2006

Leadership Content Knowledge “Nevertheless, as demands increase for them to improve teaching and learning in their schools, administrators must be able to know strong instruction when they see it, to encourage it when they don’t, and to set the conditions for continuous academic learning among their professional staffs.” Mary Kay Stein and Barbara Scott Nelson Winter 2003 Issue of Eduational Evaluation & Policy Analysis

Today’s Outcomes Preview and discuss: –The philosophy, focus and structure of elementary Mathematics Instructional Guide (MIG) –A new secondary mathematic model that will provide coherent instructional and professional development model in secondary mathematics Provide opportunities to reflect and refine processes to analyze data and monitor student progress around CST and Periodic Data Assessments. Examine school data to inform professional development to improve student performance in math.

What does the PERB report tell us about leadership as a factor in implementation of the District Mathematics Plan?

Findings “..teachers overwhelmingly teach math procedurally…and infrequently encourage their students to understand the basic concepts of the underlying mathematical principles they are learning.” “coaches and administrators at schools provide only superficial support”

Findings “The support provided…is at a superficial level, as they only determine what is the best content to cover and the best time to cover it. Different strategies and alternative resources may be mentioned…but are not elaborated or discussed.” There is no explanation of what the MIG is, what its purpose is and how the teachers are supposed to use it.”

Findings “the Math Instructional guide does not have much impact on the way teachers approach their lessons, whether they use the MIG or not.” “…there is not a clear, concise understanding of the conceptual nature of the “Big Ideas.” “the focus of the MIG trainings remains on the procedural and not the conceptual understanding of mathematics…”

Findings “Although the majority of periodic assessment use is superficial, there were a few administrators who reported that they supported teachers to help them improve teacher practices…” “Thirteen math coaches or administrators stated that they helped teachers collaborate and discuss the different teaching methods they use to teach particular areas.”

Findings “The specific reasons why a teacher may not participate in coaching include the following: culture change, lack of PD accountability, lack of administrative support, lack of time, questionable coach expertise, coach doing other people’s jobs, and lack of quality PD.”

Recommendations “Effective implementation…depends on the school leadership buy-in or support.” “Lack of time has been shown to be one of the main barriers to effective coaching practice.” “…we suggest that the underlying concepts (not just a list of standards) for the lesson and the connection between the details of the script and the underlying rationale for why the script is written or designed the way it is be made explicit to the teachers.”

Superintendent’s Retreat January 5, 2006 (Elementary) Previewed and discussed the Mathematics Instructional Guide (MIG) Discussed and reached agreement on the renewal strategy for mathematics January 6, 2006 (Secondary) Previewed and discussed proposed professional development model for secondary mathematics Continued discussion on Algebra Readiness

“Improvement is change with direction, sustained over time, that moves entire systems, raising the average level of quality and performance while at the same time decreasing the variation among units, and engaging people in the analysis and understanding of why some actions seem to work and others don’t.” Richard Elmore Building a New Structure for School Leadership

The District’s Goal and Vision Continuously improving student achievement in mathematics at every grade level and for all students – with accelerated improvement expectations for any group of students that consistently score below their peers.

How do we achieve the District’s main goal?

Coherence Standards Instructional Program Textbook Rigorous tasks/ Concept Lessons Rigorous tasks/ Concept Lessons Additional Resources Assessments Professional Development Professional Development

What is the focus of the elementary Mathematics Instructional Guide? Framing the mathematics around BIG IDEAS under which STANDARDS are clustered and CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDINGS and SKILLS are developed through PROBLEM SOLVING.

Key Components of the Elementary MIG Quarterly/Unit concept Organizers Quarterly/Unit Instructional Roadmaps Quarterly/Unit Concept Lessons Quarterly/Unit Assessment Blueprints

SECONDARY MATHEMATICS

“Unlike any other subject, secondary mathematics defines our belief in students and what they are capable of accomplishing. Unlike any other subject, there is a pervasive belief that not all students are capable of learning algebra or other higher levels of mathematics. The current culture of secondary mathematics is a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

“The success of the secondary mathematics program defines the success of our total instructional program. It presents us with a moral imperative that includes a true sense of urgency and immediacy. This is a time when we all must focus on powerful actions to change teacher skills, pedagogy and opportunities for children.”

What the data tells us... For the past four years there has been declining student achievement in algebra as measured by CST scores Low pass/fail rates PERB evaluations of professional development identify a limited change of classroom practices based on participation in professional development activities No systemic approach to improving teacher skills in 6 th grade mathematics Little or no change in classroom practice

Fail Rates

Percent of Students by Local District at Proficient and Advanced in 8 th and 9 th grade algebra

What we know... Central office has not clearly defined instructional units, model lessons and periodic assessments In some cases guides and assessments have not been developed and/or provided in a timely manner We have not put in place an accountability system that ensures fidelity of implementation There is no consistent, identifiable professional development program There exists a significant shortage of qualified mathematics teachers and coaches

Currently... There exists a disconnect between the central office, local districts and classrooms –Direction when defined, may or may not be followed –There is no consistent structure for professional development to ensure implementation of district initiatives There is inconsistent fidelity to the current “Theory of Action” in mathematics –Current guides and model lessons are not used in some districts –Instructional materials and guides have been rewritten, modified or substituted in other districts –Periodic assessments may or may not be administered

Key Components of the Secondary Mathematics Instructional Guide Well defined instructional units Intervention directly connected to the classroom teacher Links to the current approved textbooks Scope and sequence that emphasizes the key standards Periodic assessments that both preview and anchor each unit Model lessons for each instructional unit

Reflection At all levels, what support is necessary for the full implementation of the Mathematics Instructional Guide? How can we support teachers as they change their practice to include more concept and problem solving lessons?