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From STEM to Root

From STEM to Root. How schools can improve students’ math and science skills in the 21 st century. Presented by the editors of American School Board Journal. Today’s Speakers. • Michele Cahill, Carnegie Corporation of New York.

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From STEM to Root

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  1. From STEMto Root How schools can improve students’ math and science skills in the 21st century Presented by the editors of American School Board Journal

  2. Today’s Speakers • Michele Cahill, CarnegieCorporation of New York. • Denise Mewborn, head of mathematics and science education, University of Georgia. • David M. Bressoud, professor and president of Mathematical Association of America. • Mark Koester, teacher at Gateway High School, Aurora, Colo. From STEM to Root

  3. www.smartschoolboards.orgThe National School Boards Association and the American Association for the Advancement of Science have partnered in an effort to help local school boards to improve science, math, and technology programs in schools. NSBA and AAAS have launched the SMarT School Boards module, an online tool for school boards. The website answers questions such as:1) How to secure STEM resources2) How to deal with controversial issues3) How to get community support for STEM subjects4) How to recruit and retain good STEM teachers. For more information, go to www.smartschoolboards.org From STEM to Root

  4. Michele Cahill • Michele is vice-president for national programs at Carnegie Corporation of New York. She leads the philanthropy’s strategy to support creation of pathways to educational excellence by generating systemic change across K-12 and higher ed. • She served as the co-chair of the Carnegie-Institute for Advanced Study Commission on Mathematics and Science Education,managing the development of its 2009 report, The OpportunityEquation: Transforming Mathematics and Science Education for the Global Economy and Citizenship. (opportunityequation.org). 

  5. Denise Mewborn • Denise is a former elementary school teacher and is currently a Professor of Mathematics Education and Head of the Department of Mathematics and Science Education at the University of Georgia. • Her teaching and research are systematically integrated around a theme of pre-service elementary mathematics teacher education. Other areas ofinterest include open-ended assessment and statistics education. • She is in her seventh year as a member of the board of education in the Clarke County School District.

  6. Responding to STEM Crisis • Post-baccalaureate certification • Master of Arts in teaching • Dual majors for undergraduates (e.g., mathematics and mathematics education) • Programs to attract STEM majors to teaching • University of Colorado learning assistants • Fostering Our Community’s Understanding of Science (University of Georgia) • Noyce Fellowship funding provided by the National Science Foundation • Alternative delivery models (e.g., distance education)

  7. Changes in schools • Reduce the teacher attrition rate • Discipline-specific professional learning • Content • Methods • Technology tools and other learning tools • Consistency over the long term

  8. David M. Bressoud • Mathematics professor at Penn State (1977–94) and Macalester College (1994–present) • High School math teacher 1971–73 and returned to teach AP Calculus, 1990–91. • Member of College Board AP Calculus Development Committee, 1999–2005, Chair for 2002–05. • President, Mathematical Association of America, 2009–11, largest professional association that focuses on college-level mathematics. MAA

  9. PMET (Preparing Mathematicians to Educate Teachers) was an MAA program funded by the National Science Foundation (2003–2009) to give math teachers and faculty access to the best resources and pedagogical methods to stimulate student interest in mathematics. The MAA is currently exploring how to continue and extend this work. MAA

  10. National Science Foundation Math & Science Partnership Program

  11. www.mathteacherscircle.org

  12. Special Interest Group of the MAA that brings together teachers and mathematicians who are interested in supporting the teaching of college-level mathematics (such as AP Calculus and AP Statistics) in high school.

  13. The Mathematical Association of America AMERICAN MATHEMATICS COMPETITIONS • AMC 8 • AMC 10 • AMC 12 • American Invitational Mathematics Exam = AIME (top 1% of AMC10 & top 5% of AMC 12) • USA Mathematical Olympiad (top 500 from AIME) • Sponsors U.S. teams to the International Mathematical Olympiadand the China Girls Mathematical Olympiad MAA

  14. Mark Koester • Mark is currently a mathematics teacherleader at Gateway High School in Aurora,Colo. • He has a Ph.D. in mathematics educationfrom SUNY Buffalo. • Mark has been a teacher, coach, and a school and district administrator in urban districts for 20 years.

  15. A Unique Mathematics Intervention Course for Struggling 9th &10th Graders Mark Koester Gateway High School Aurora Public Schools, CO mikoester@aps.k12.co.us

  16. Gateway High School • One of four comprehensive high schools in the Aurora Public Schools • Neighborhood School • 1800 students • Racially, Ethnically and Socio-economically diverse; 30 languages spoken • Increase in the number of English Language Learners the past few years • Fifth Block – voluntary summer school • School-wide focus on non-fiction writing • Standards-Based Grading

  17. Mathematics Department • 12 mathematics teachers • Students can select from two tracks; Honors Geometry, Honors Alg 2, Honors Trig or the Core Plus sequence (some honors classes) • Weekly professional development; data teams • District Coach – once a week visits • Teacher leaders – PD and demonstration classroom • Common Planning Time for Core 1 and for Core 2 • Common Unit Assessments and quarterly district assessments • Class set of Graphing Calculators.

  18. Core Plus Curriculum • Four year sequence of integrated mathematics courses • Heavy emphasis on four “strands”; Algebra and Functions, Statistics and Probability, Geometry and Trigonometry, and Discrete Mathematics • Contextual Situations • Instructional Model; Launch, Explore, Summarize • The district has created pacing guides, lesson planners and an alignment of the state standards with the curriculum.

  19. Mathematics • Investigation: Waiting for Doubles • If there was no “Get Out of Jail Free” card and a player cannot pay $50 to get out of jail, what is the average number of rolls needed to get out of jail by rolling doubles?

  20. Guiding Principles • Create Core 1 classes consisting of only 9th graders • To design a “hybrid” course that wouldn’t be a repeat of the previous year • Big Ideas tied to the Colorado State Standards • Proficiency-based. Students retook assessments until they showed proficiency • Flexible grouping

  21. Description of Intervention Class • Two period class with the intent to review Core 1 and complete Core 2 this school year. Students will receive two credits of mathematics (if needed). • We were looking for students who had struggled mathematically in Core 1. • Teachers recommended students for the Intervention class. • In addition, counselors added several students who needed to make up a mathematics credit from 9th grade. • 12 boys and 12 girls originally registered • 15 African American, 7 Latino/a, and 2 White students, including 2 students on IEP’s and 4 ELL’s.

  22. Results • 17 students finished the year. • 6 C’s, 9 D’s and 2 F’s at end of year. • 2007-2008, more than half of the students received F’s in mathematics. • Higher attendance rates. • Overall GPA’s have increased. • The majority of the students placed by counselors did not succeed. (5 of 7 are no longer in the school.) • Students who chose this class performed better than those who didn’t choose the class. • Students showed much growth on state test and have increased confidence.

  23. About American School Board Journal American School Board Journalis the award-winning education magazine published monthly by the National School Boards Association. Founded in 1891, ASBJand its daily blog, The Leading Source, chronicle change, interpret issues, and offer readers practical advice on a broad range of topics pertinent to school governance and management, policy making, student achievement, and school leadership. For more information on the magazine and to subscribe either in print or online, visit www.asbj.com. From STEM to Root

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