Empowering Teachers …Leading Change njctl melissa@njctl

1. New Jersey Center for Teaching and Learning Empowering Teachers …Leading Change www.njctl.org melissa@njctl.org

2. The Current System has Failed In most countries, too small a percentage of students are successful in math and science Students have been screened out of science and mathematics, not welcomed them in This is no longer acceptable

3. The Current System has Failed The traditional system of education is inefficient Pushing on it harder stresses students and teachers, but doesn’t improve student learning or test results Like forcing a key in the wrong lock; turning it harder breaks the key, but doesn’t open the lock

4. Progressive Science Initiative (PSI) & Progressive Mathematics Initiative (PMI) A new technology-enabled efficient system Student learning and enjoyment rise Teacher satisfaction and effectiveness improve Rigor and stress are decoupled

5. A New System of Education New technology pushes complexity to the system, and away from the user The total complexity of using a computer to do a calculation is higher than using paper and pencil But the stress and complexity is taken on by the hardware and software creators The user’s work is easier AND better

6. A New System of Education The burden shifts to teams of teachers who create courses that are shared, used and improved by all The cost (more than $1,000,000 per year) is borne by sponsors who believe in this mission Then shared with students and teachers for free at www.njctl.org Free and Open-Source

7. Major Sponsors • New Jersey Education Association • National Education Association • Bayer Healthcare • Verizon • Xcel Energy • SMART • eInstruction • Morgridge Family Foundation • Overdeck Family Foundation • National Education Association Foundation

8. Rapid Expansion • Developed in 1 NJ school, starting in 1999 • Extended to 100 NJ schools, starting in 2007 • Extended to Argentina in 2010 • Extended to Rhode Island and Colorado in 2011 • Extended to The Gambia, West Africa (World Bank and Peace Corps) in 2012 • NEA funding entry to more states in 2013 (VT)

9. Three Threads of PSI-PMI • Demystifying math and science to make them accessible to all • Correcting the high school science sequence • Filling the shortage of physics and chemistry teachers

10. The PSI-PMI System of Education Integrates: Pedagogy Curriculum Assessment Professional Development Converges: The Written Curriculum The Taught Curriculum The Assessed curriculum

11. Pedagogy Social Constructivism • Round Tables • Group Problem Solving • Heterogeneous setting

12. Pedagogy Direct Instruction • Interactive White Board (IWB) Notebook presentation • Student Response Formative Assessment • Teacher as part of social group

13. Formative Assessment Interactive White Board files connect direct instruction and social constructivism through real-time student polling

14. Direct Instruction Example: Direct Instruction - Adding Decimals

15. Direct Instruction Example: Direct Instruction - Adding Decimals

16. Formative Assessment

17. Formative Assessment

18. The Key: The correct answer isn’t revealed All students must defend their answers Students like talking and debating Students focus on short direct instruction and the arguments at their table so they can get the next questions right. Demonstrations and labs become extensions of this model, with open-ended labs driving inquiry

19. Structure of Classroom Learning Each topic has direct instruction and about 6 formative assessment questions Topics (with demonstrations) comprise units Units (with labs) comprise courses The sequence of courses comprise education

20. Neuroscience, Vygotsky and Video Games People like to struggle, and then win If there’s no struggle, it’s boring If there’s no win, it’s frustrating Releases endorphins, resulting in pleasure and memory retention

21. Neuroscience, Vygotsky and Video Games People are social Work done in a group is more fun The group moves all individuals forward faster than they would move alone Vygotsky’s Social Constructivism – Keeping students in their Zone of Proximal Development

22. Teacher Created Digital Courses Creating these courses is complex and time consuming - beyond the capacity of a single teacher Teams of teachers create digital courses The artisan model of lone teachers handcrafting lessons and assessments is obsolete

23. Free Open-Source Digital Courses These courses are posted for the free use of all at www.njctl.org They are free AND open-source: they can be used, and edited, by anyone Users drive continuous improvement – creating a global professional learning community Teachers register to see assessments

24. Free Open-Source Digital Courses English language materials • 60,000+ slides • 2500+ Word Documents It would take about 21 days, at 30 seconds a slide, just to see all the slides Spanish language versions being completed

25. www.njctl.org

26. Correcting the HS Science Sequence 9th Grade 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade

27. PSI Sequence: Required Courses 9th Grade 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade

28. PSI Sequence: Required & APs 9th Grade 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade Algebra II Pre Calculus

29. Social Justice: Equity and Access Equity requires that all high school students: Study one year of mathematically rigorous physics Have the option of taking Advanced Placement (AP) Physics

30. Social Justice: Equity and Access Many U.S. schools don’t offer physics at all and, if they do, not to all their students Less then 35% of U.S. students study physics, and it’s often not mathematically rigorous Less than 3% of U.S. students study AP Physics

31. Social Justice: Equity and Access Schools with high poverty and underrepresented minorities are least likely to offer physics Less than half of New York City high schools offer physics Fewer than 20% of New York City students study physics or chemistry in high school

32. A classic “bootstrap” problem There are not enough physics teachers to teach all students physics, so courses aren’t offered Until there are physics courses, there are no jobs for physics teachers New physics courses must be started, and the teachers of them created, at the same time

33. Creating Physics & Chemistry Teachers • PSI has shown that all students can learn physics • PSI has shown that all teachers can learn physics • PSI teaches physics to skilled teachers • And provides teachers the tools to teach physics • To get the best teachers to become the best physics teachers: “Teaching is hard; science is easy”

34. PSI Creates Physics Teachers

35. Increasing AP Physics B ParticipationNew Jersey 2011-2012 Data Source: 2012 NJ School Performance Report (http://education.state.nj.us/pr) AP Participation Rates calculated by dividing the number of exams taken for AP Physics B by the average number of students per grade

36. Learning Forward – National Report

37. Learning Forward – National Report “The New Jersey Center for Teaching and Learning (NJCTL) has been doing groundbreaking professional development work in math and science instruction as well…using the innovative curriculum of 2006 New Jersey Teacher of the Year Robert Goodman…to create the Progressive Science Initiative….”

38. 2011 IMS Learning Impact Award The Progressive Science Initiative and the Progressive Mathematics Initiative: an effective new approach to student learning and teacher training – SMART Technologies and New Jersey Center for Teaching and Learning

39. 2011 IMS Learning Impact Award

40. New Jersey Center for Teaching and Learning Empowering Teachers …Leading Change www.njctl.org melissa@njctl.org