1. The role of the math coach in the Singapore classroom
Linda West
SMARTTraining, LLC

2. Coach
What comes to mind?

3. What do coaches do? What must coaches know? Observations

4. Coaching IS…. ALL ABOUT YOUR OWN PROFESSIONAL GROWTH
A professional growth mindset
Positive
Solutions based
Confidential
Time honoring
Client honoring
Negotiated
A safe processing place
ALL ABOUT YOUR OWN PROFESSIONAL GROWTH

5. What is a math coach?

6. Coaching is NOT…. Evaluative Public Judgmental
A way to “Fix You” …You are NOT broken!
A “spy” approach
A “Let me tell you what you are doing wrong” approach
Suggesting changes I want to see

7. Think About This: ~John Dewey
“We don’t learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience.”
~John Dewey

8. Support the teacher

9. Getting teachers on board
Use “we” instead of “you” in your meetings. Try not to call out the teacher… “Where are your students struggling?”

10. Center for Public Education
Principle 1
The duration of professional development must be significant and ongoing to allow time for teachers to learn a new strategy and grapple with the implementation problem.
Principle 2
Teachers’ initial exposure to a concept should not be passive, but rather should engage teachers through varied approaches so they can actively participate in making sense of a new practice
Principle 3
Modeling has been found to be highly effective in helping teachers understand a new practice.
Principle 4
The content presented should not be general but rather specific to the grade level.

11. Getting teachers on board
Work through an article or a book together.
Possible books for a book study:
Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics, Liping Ma
Arithmetic for Parents, Ron Aharoni
The Singapore Model Method for Learning Mathematics, Ministry of Education, Singapore
Elementary Mathematics for Teachers, Parker/Baldridge
Elementary Geometry for Teachers, Parker/Baldridge
Sensible Mathematics: A Guide for School Leaders in the Era of the Common Core State Standards, Steven Leinwand

12. Math content knowledge
Teachers must be able to answer the all-important question:
Why?
Three meanings of subtraction
Two interpretations of division
Fractions

13. Build confidence
Give lots of praise…when appropriate Word problem practice Eight ways from Sunday!

14. pacing
Teaching to mastery vs. exposure Can’t hold everyone back for a few More than one class… Belief in Singapore: Don’t slow down for the slow ones. They are already behind.

15. TEACH MODEL LESSONS
Use best practices. Planned vs. spontaneous Gradual release of responsibility

16. Lesson planning Differentiation Start with the end in mind.
Scripted questions and anticipated answers
Differentiation
Teachers should do all the problems themselves.

17. Classroom appearance Does math look important?
Pre-made posters vs. student work
Word wall

18. manipulatives If they don’t have them, they can’t use them.
Help teachers create a list.
MANY representations
Classroom management
Organization
Readiness

19. Know the curriculum

20. Big ideas
See the forest AND the trees.

21. Vertical alignment Why do I have to teach this module/lesson?
Why do I have to teach the modules in order?

22. observation

23. rubric Teachers must be well aware of the coach’s expectations.
Teachers should have an opportunity to de-brief after being observed by the coach before the rubrics are given to administration.
Consider having the teacher fill out the rubric about the lesson you observed before you show the one you completed. Compare your answers and discuss.
To jump in or not to jump in…that is the question.

24. Lesson study can be done in any subject

25. Lesson study goal School Goal: Question Lesson study goal
“Creating a community of responsible learners.”
Question
What kind of students do we have?
What kind of students do we want to develop?
How do we get there?
Lesson study goal
To encourage, record, and share student thinking.

26. Types of lesson study In-house Across-school Other
All classroom teachers involved
Grade level teams meet during the school day
2 lessons taught for each team
Across-school
Voluntary lesson study groups
Northern New Jersey Lesson Study Group
Greenwich Japanese - School 2 Lesson Study Group
Lessons taught at open-houses
Other
“Shared” lessons
Invited lesson study groups
GJS teachers teach at School 2 vice-versa

27. What is needed to conduct lesson study
Understanding of the lesson study process
Collaborative planning time for teachers (40 min. - 1 hour per week)
Coverage for observing teachers when actual research lesson is taught

28. ?????

29. Teaching Tips, Product Discounts, Workshop Updates & More
SMARTTraining: Singapore Math Training
Teaching Tips, Product Discounts, Workshop Updates & More
Tricia Salerno
MathSingapore