Increasing Mathematics Achievement for ALL Students

1. Increasing Mathematics Achievement for ALL Students Presented by: Melisa Hancock Teacher in Residence My focus today will be on increasing achievement for all students particularly in mathematics, because that happens to be my area of focus.. although what I�m going to say to you today, goes for any subject area!!!!! I�m on loan from the District to KSU, where I work with preservice teachers (methods teachers how do they need to be training teachers?) and I also provide prof. dev. for teachers across the state (in mathematics as well as support in implementing research based curriculum adoptions). Although my expertise is in mathematics, as a 5th/6th grade teacher, I taught at a very low SES school, and the highest number of behavioral disordered children and requested these type of kids be put in my classroom. Eventhough I had teachers, administrators and parents saying....oh, you can�t do that with these children......I strongly disagreed....My favorite quote ON MY DOOR, was you ask why and I ask why not!!!!! My students won math olympics, science fair, history day, you name it, because I believed in them and EXPECTED them to do as well as anyone else in this state!!!!! Begin with a story about WW. At the time I was there we were one of 2 schools with lowest ses, and THE lowest scores in the district as far as 1993 state math assessments for about 3 years in a row!!!! We were an embarrassment to our central office. Continued to hide data, teachers didn�t know how to read it anyway, make excuses about WHO we taught, where, etc. 3 teachers made a difference, looked at data intervention plans staff dev. took test together dialoged, argued won award....now state standard of excellence!!!!!! Moved to another school, scores raised tremendously, school closed Now charter dream!!! That gives you an idea of my life over the past 10 years and the next couple of years!!!!My focus today will be on increasing achievement for all students particularly in mathematics, because that happens to be my area of focus.. although what I�m going to say to you today, goes for any subject area!!!!! I�m on loan from the District to KSU, where I work with preservice teachers (methods teachers how do they need to be training teachers?) and I also provide prof. dev. for teachers across the state (in mathematics as well as support in implementing research based curriculum adoptions). Although my expertise is in mathematics, as a 5th/6th grade teacher, I taught at a very low SES school, and the highest number of behavioral disordered children and requested these type of kids be put in my classroom. Eventhough I had teachers, administrators and parents saying....oh, you can�t do that with these children......I strongly disagreed....My favorite quote ON MY DOOR, was you ask why and I ask why not!!!!! My students won math olympics, science fair, history day, you name it, because I believed in them and EXPECTED them to do as well as anyone else in this state!!!!! Begin with a story about WW. At the time I was there we were one of 2 schools with lowest ses, and THE lowest scores in the district as far as 1993 state math assessments for about 3 years in a row!!!! We were an embarrassment to our central office. Continued to hide data, teachers didn�t know how to read it anyway, make excuses about WHO we taught, where, etc. 3 teachers made a difference, looked at data intervention plans staff dev. took test together dialoged, argued won award....now state standard of excellence!!!!!! Moved to another school, scores raised tremendously, school closed Now charter dream!!! That gives you an idea of my life over the past 10 years and the next couple of years!!!!

2. History of Mathematics 1960s Arithmetic Test: �A logger cuts and sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of that amount. What is his profit? 1970s New Math Test: A logger exchanges a set (L) of lumber for a set (M) of money. The cardinality of Set M is 100. The Set C of production costs contains 20 fewer points. What is the cardinality of Set P of profits? 1980s �Dumbed Down� Math: �A logger cuts and sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost is $80, his profit is $20. Find and circle the number 20.

3. History of Math, cont. 1990s version: �An unenlighted logger cuts down a beautiful stand of 100 trees in order to make a $20 profit. Write an essay explaining how you feel about this as a way to make money. Topic for discussion: How did the forest birds and squirrels feel?� 2004 version: �A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. Her cost of production is $120. How does Martha Stewart determine that her profit margin is $80? Teaching in 2010: El hachero vende un camion carga por $100. La cuested de production es . . . . . . . . . .

4. Over The Past Decade. . The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) has advocated for changes in school mathematics programs so that ALL students have the opportunities to engage in high- quality mathematics that will prepare them for today and a world tomorrow they can only imagine.

5. Principles and Standards for Teaching Mathematics  Challenges the traditional emphasis on �shopkeeper�s arithmetic� and routine problem solving. According to this new perspective, the global transformation from an industry-based society to an information-based one has involved a corresponding transformation of expectations for mathematical literacy.

6. The mathematical competence necessary for success in the information age includes the familiar fluency with facts and skills, but it also requires sophisticated mathematics reasoning and problem solving in a variety of contexts.

7. The perspective articulated in the NCTM Standards challenges the widely-held assumption that mathematical thinking is accessible to only a talented few and emphasizes the importance of education ALL students to become mathematical thinkers.

8. Problem . . . Since the mid-1800�s mathematics books have been developed around the �SHOW AND TELL� method. Unfortunately, mathematics books have changed very little today. NCTM Standards have caused publishers to use appropriate Standards �buzz� words in their texts, but the focus is still on procedural knowledge rather than conceptual understanding. Lots of WHAT to do and HOW to do it���.and very little WHEN to do it and WHY you do it!

9. NCTM Standards (1989) The Learning Principle makes it very clear that learning with UNDERSTANDING is both essential and possible. That is, ALL children can and must learn mathematics with understanding. It is impossible to predict the kinds of problems students will face in the future. The Learning Principle says that understanding is the only way to ensure that students will be able to cope with these unknown problems in the future.

10. For all the current controversy surrounding issues of student achievement and accountability, we forget there is far less controversy about a shared desire on all sides to see more kids learn, to reduce the achievement gap, and to improve the quality of the complex work of teaching in all schools, whether they are affluent or not. (Mike Schomoker)

11. Visions for Improvement State and National standards are not programs to be implemented but are visions for improvement in mathematics. -Deborah Ball

12. Mathematical Knowledge 1.Conceptual Knowledge (logical relationships, representations, an understanding and ability to talk, write and give examples of these relationships, etc.) 2. Procedural Knowledge (knowledge of rules and procedures used in carrying out routine mathematical tasks and the symbols used to represent mathematics)

13. Mathematics! It�s as easy as Pi!!!!!! Using the �Link Sheet�, tell me what YOU know about pi.

14. Textbook Selection and Use Studies about the influence of textbooks on the mathematics curriculum invariably conclude that the most important single factor in determining what content children are exposed to in the classroom is the textbook.

15. Think LONG TERM  Take A K-12 Perspective Textbooks ought to be a major force to encourage a coherent program from grade to grade, building on past activities and preparing for future learning.

16. WHERE DO WE BEGIN?  First of all�.recognizing how difficult change really is! Teachers and administrators must step back and take a hard look at what is going on in their school. A "no excuses" attitude must prevail. Begin by: 1) acknowledging that poor student achievement is unacceptable; 2) accepting responsibility for the problem; 3) clearly stating that ALL stakeholders in the system need to be part of the solution; and 4) committing to long-term efforts and innovations even if immediate results are not apparent.

17. Challenging Traditional Beliefs Meeting the needs of all children requires that we challenge and perhaps change many of our long-held assumptions about the mathematics curriculum and about how children learn mathematics. Our concept of math as a rule-driven, computation dominated curr. actually creates much of the difficulty we have in coping with the range of children�s talents and abilities. When every child is required to master each algorithm and memorize every basic fact before being permitted to move on to the next procedure or rule, the more able children quickly reach this objective and then become bored. Children on the other extreme begin to doubt that they have any math ability. There is no evidence nor any logical argument for the demands of computational proficiency as a prerequisite for meaningful math. Story about schools (AYP) show data with computation procedures being highest and then ask what they want kids to be able to do....what do they answer!? BASIC FACTS...and argue they can�t do this before prob. solving, or conceptual understanding!!!! The computational curr. of the past is NO longer necessary for the daily lives of citizens once they leave school. What is critically important, however, is the ability to reason and solve problems. Story about- coalition, spent year in Kansas interviewing employees....want thinking skills...formulas are given, they want them to be able to apply them in ALL different kinds of situations STATE STANDARDS-knowledge and application and knowledge looks different Books from the past.......200 years, little or no changes at all!!!!! SOLDANOur concept of math as a rule-driven, computation dominated curr. actually creates much of the difficulty we have in coping with the range of children�s talents and abilities. When every child is required to master each algorithm and memorize every basic fact before being permitted to move on to the next procedure or rule, the more able children quickly reach this objective and then become bored. Children on the other extreme begin to doubt that they have any math ability. There is no evidence nor any logical argument for the demands of computational proficiency as a prerequisite for meaningful math. Story about schools (AYP) show data with computation procedures being highest and then ask what they want kids to be able to do....what do they answer!? BASIC FACTS...and argue they can�t do this before prob. solving, or conceptual understanding!!!! The computational curr. of the past is NO longer necessary for the daily lives of citizens once they leave school. What is critically important, however, is the ability to reason and solve problems. Story about- coalition, spent year in Kansas interviewing employees....want thinking skills...formulas are given, they want them to be able to apply them in ALL different kinds of situations STATE STANDARDS-knowledge and application and knowledge looks different Books from the past.......200 years, little or no changes at all!!!!! SOLDAN

18. Hard Arithmetic is Not Deep Mathematics! Problem solving is the cornerstone of school mathematics. Without the ability to solve problems, the usefulness and power of mathematics ideas, knowledge, and skills are severely limited. Students who can efficiently and accurately multiply but who cannot identify situations that call for multiplication are not well prepared. Unless students can solve problems, the facts, concepts, and procedures they know are of little use.

19. Equity Principle, NCTM �All students, regardless of their personal characteristics, backgrounds, or physical challenges, must have opportunities to study�and support to learn�mathematics. Equity does not mean that every student should receive identical instruction; instead, it demands that reasonable and appropriate accommodations be made as needed to promote access and attainment for all students.� This statement is from the Equity Principle in the NCTM standards: and leads me to Expectations we have of our students ..... ALL students!!!!! This statement is from the Equity Principle in the NCTM standards: and leads me to Expectations we have of our students ..... ALL students!!!!!

20. An Era of ChangeNCTM, 2000 In this changing world, those who understand and can do mathematics will have significantly enhanced opportunities and option for shaping their futures. Mathematical competence opens doors to productive futures. A lack of mathematical competence keeps those doors closed....ALL students should have the opportunity and the support necessary to learn significant mathematics with depth and understanding. There is no conflict between equity and excellence.

21. Curricular Focus Collaborative adoption process Research based Aligned to Standards Appropriate assessment model Commitment to continuous improvement

22. Teacher�s Role Every mathematics classroom should provide mathematical skills that are a bridge to the real-world. This means going beyond memorization into a world of reasoning, problem solving and communication.