Professional Development in Challenged Environments A Model for Effective PD

The Districts District A District A –3 elementary schools –1 middle school –1 high school –62% primary language not English District B District B –3 elementary schools –1 middle school (closed) –1 high school –1 career/alternative high school –2 homeless shelters 90 %+ socio-economically disadvantaged student body 90 %+ socio-economically disadvantaged student body

Year 1 Math Institute Closed middle school Closed middle school November re-organization, layoffs November re-organization, layoffs 4 New Principals 4 New Principals Substitutes in many classrooms Substitutes in many classrooms

Year 2 Math Institute 4 New principals 4 New principals District starts school for 300 ELL students District starts school for 300 ELL students January school closing January school closing Superintendent leaves Superintendent leaves Curriculum director leaves Curriculum director leaves

Year 3 Math Institute 2 New principals 2 New principals Close school disperse ELL students Close school disperse ELL students Reorganize from 1-5, 6-8 to 1-6, 7-8 Reorganize from 1-5, 6-8 to 1-6, 7-8 Pink slip teachers Pink slip teachers

Year 4 Math Institute 4 New principals 4 New principals Curriculum director leaves Curriculum director leaves Superintendent leaves Superintendent leaves Take in 300 students from alternative discipline charter high school Take in 300 students from alternative discipline charter high school

Results: Implementation Effect Size Culture 0.80 Implementation 1.62 Content 1.95 Overall 1.79

Results: Math Pedagogy Effect Size = 0.75

Results: Growth in Math Pedagogy Effect Size: Math Institute = 0.75 Comparison = 0.13

Results: Math Content Knowledge Effect Size: Total = 0.75 Algebra = 0.32 Geometry = 0.13 Stats/Prob = 0.0

Results: Math Content Knowledge NOTE: Comparison group did not grow in Stats/Prob and lost ground in Algebra

Impact on Students

ISD/RESA Center/UMD MSP District B MSP District A School District Teachers School District Teachers The Model

Structure of the Institute teachers grades teachers grades not HQ in Fall not HQ in Fall not HQ by Fall not HQ by Fall 2007 Monthly Institute sessions Monthly Institute sessions Monthly grade level meetings Monthly grade level meetings

Courses for Teachers Number, Operations, & Proportional Reasoning Number, Operations, & Proportional Reasoning Algebra Algebra Geometry Geometry Data Analysis, Statistics & Probability Data Analysis, Statistics & Probability Concepts in Calculus Concepts in Calculus Improving Instruction in Rational Numbers & Proportionality Improving Instruction in Rational Numbers & Proportionality Improving Instruction in Algebra Improving Instruction in Algebra Improving Instruction in Geometry & Measurement Improving Instruction in Geometry & Measurement

Partnerships at All Levels Teachers Teachers Project management team, including STEM Project management team, including STEM Evaluators Evaluators

Philosophy of PD Systemic approach: Whole district Systemic approach: Whole district Coaching Coaching Monitor and adjust Monitor and adjust Long term, sustained, collaborative, school- based, linked to curricula, focused on student learning Long term, sustained, collaborative, school- based, linked to curricula, focused on student learning Teachers developing deeper understanding of math they teach at grade band they teach Teachers developing deeper understanding of math they teach at grade band they teach

Importance of Coaching Work at Institute with teachers then return with them to classrooms Work at Institute with teachers then return with them to classrooms Nurture collaboration through grade level meetings Nurture collaboration through grade level meetings Establish district curriculum for Institute grade levels Establish district curriculum for Institute grade levels

Impact on STEM Importance of STEM’s understanding teacher thinking about mathematics Importance of STEM’s understanding teacher thinking about mathematics Enhancing STEM’s understanding of student learning Enhancing STEM’s understanding of student learning Active listening to teachers’ stated needs Active listening to teachers’ stated needs

What We Learned “It is generally easier to get people to act their way into a new way of thinking than it is to get them to think their way into a new way of acting.” Millard Fuller Founder, Habitat for Humanity