In my last post, I described some of the curriculum and resource development challenges we face as a mathematics education community. In this edition, I will share some trends that emerged from our team’s 330+ informal observations. This information reinforced and, in some cases, reshaped our ideas about resource development.
Our team, two central office administrators and two central office resource teachers, made a bold decision just after winter break 2010. We decided that we would visit every single secondary mathematics educator in the district. Our rationale was multiple… Selfishly, as a third year district leader, there were simply some teachers (of the 335) whose classrooms I had not visited. There is a certain lack of trust that central office staff have earned over the years and I was not about to lead a district through complex change without reaching out to each and every teacher to help them understanding that 1) we had a plan, 2) the plan would result in a better future for teachers and students, and 3) that they would play a critical role throughout the change…namely, I would need their feedback at each and every phase of implementation. As a team, we knew that we needed to gain a deep understanding of the CCSC’s Standards for Mathematical Practice. (SFMP) (pps 6-8 of the mathematics core curriculum) We decided that we would take data on each of the practices in classrooms where students exhibited these learning behaviors. Finally, we requested that school-based administrators (hopefully the principal) and department chairs join us for our visits. We wanted to help school-based leaders develop an understanding of the changes that would accompany the emergence of the CCSC. We knew that the majority of the burden for implementation would fall on the shoulders of teachers and administrators…and we want them to have the tools for successful transition.
Our work with school-based teams was nothing short of the very best work that we have done in my years on the team. We were able to collaboratively brainstorm plans for mathematics team improvement in each of our 32 secondary schools. What we learned affirms this statement from page 8 of the CCSC, “In short, a lack of (conceptual) understanding effectively prevents a student from engaging in the mathematical practices.” In classrooms where teachers designed lesson experiences that featured the integration of worthwhile math tasks or skillful development of classroom discourse, the SFMP behaviors blossomed. In classes that were designed with an overemphasis on procedural knowledge, the behaviors defined by the SFMP were suppressed. It wasn’t even close. In 90% of our visits, teachers designed experiences that elicited at least one of the SFMP…in 10% of our visits; none of the behaviors were evident. Armed with this knowledge, we are able to work with teachers to focus systematically on instructional improvement by focusing on Standards 3 and 5 of NCTM Standards for Teaching.
The Common Core Curriculum is not a silver bullet. The standards alone will not move us from 25th in the world to number 1. Unless we focus on how mathematics is taught, we will find ourselves in the year 2020, reflecting on the same gaps in achievement, the same sets of frustrations, and mired in the same cycle of mediocrity as we face now.
We have spent some time sharing this feedback with educators. Teachers and students have identified the following (not comprehensive) list of resources that they would need to teach with a balance of conceptual understanding and procedural knowledge. As you review the list…I challenge you to add your needs to the pile. In the next post, I will begin to outline a vision for providing teachers with all that is needed in time for implementation. Until next time, take care.
Bill
Teacher Identified Resources Needed: Sample Lesson Plans/Seeds, Sample Worthwhile Math Tasks, “Just in Time” professional development embedded in the curriculum (using 21st century tools), teacher testimonials, video support, social networking for development of learning community, video cases of exemplary practice, resource to connect math to other disciplines
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