SW1 FOS Networking Session Dec. 16, 2011

1. David Hornell Junior School SW1 FOS Networking Session Dec. 16, 2011

2. DATA GAN Focus/Inquiry Question How did you take your GAN (Greatest Area of Need) and formulate a focus and/or an inquiry question for your Pathway/Professional Learning Team Focus? How did the data inform this focus? Using EQAO Data, report cards and teacher assessments we determined that our area of greatest need in mathematics was problem solving. We worked with Colleen to formulate an “Assessment of Learning Observation & Interview” summary page for different grade levels that included an independent task to begin the pathway. We then determined the key strategies for problem solving that would be taught at the kindergarten, grade 1-3 and grade 4-5 levels.

3. Rationale for the Focus/Inquiry Question What research, resources or educational experiences helped you to formulate this focus and/or inquiry question? As an OFIP school the focus of our pathways for the last 5 years has been literacy. EQAO Data, report cards and teacher assessments showed that the school should continue to use high yield strategies in literacy, but also focus on mathematics, especially problem solving. Problem solving strategies are flexible and can be applied to all 5 math strands so staff decided to use this as a focus. Some teachers had begun to use Three Part Lessons and other staff wanted to implement this strategy. As we proceeded through the Pathway teachers used the initial task, ongoing assessments, observation, moderated marking, sharing between colleagues and final assessments to modify and change their lessons as necessary. Resources used included Ministry materials such as the Effective Guides and Fosnot Kits.

4. Formative Instructional ImproveAssessment Strategies Understanding How did you use a balance of assessment tools and strategies along the Pathway to monitor and improve student thinking and understanding? A preliminary question was developed for different grade levels and administered before teachers began to teach the unit, based on overall expectation “Read, represent, compare and order whole numbers”. Throughout the pathway the teachers used a combination of observations, anecdotal records and moderated marking as assessment tools. Instructional strategies used included establishing learning goals, student success criteria, anchor charts, rubrics, strategy icons such as “Draw a Picture, Make an Organized List”, providing manipulatives and displaying and discussing student work to demonstrate and reinforce the use of effective problem solving strategies. The examples provided the students opportunities to understand why an answer is level 3 or 4 and how to bump a level 2 answer to level 3.

5. Differentiating for Marker Students How did you provide differentiation (instruction and/or assessment) specifically for your Marker Students at any grade? The teachers used flexible groupings throughout the pathway. The students were able to choose the strategy they found most effective. The teachers focused on the development and use of open ended questions. Teachers also used 1:1 direct instruction, modeling, provision of manipulatives and re-teaching. The students were taught to re-read the question and to high light key phrases and words to help increase their understanding of specific questions. Anchor charts were also available in the room.

6. Reflection How did this Pathway inform your thinking and practice? The teachers began to understand how to develop appropriate questions. They also recognized a need for resources to assist them in developing questions in math, such as Marion Small’s book, Good Questions and Fosnot Kits. This pathway supported moving forward throughout the year to help students apply problem solving techniques in other strands of the mathematics curriculum. It also supported the goals of the School Improvement Plan.

7. Artifacts Rubric for Grade 1/2 Performance Task • Curriculum connections: • Overall: -Read, represent, compare, and order whole numbers to 50 • Specific: -Demonstrate using concrete materials, the concept of conservation of numbers • -Relate numbers to the anchors of 5 and 10 • -Compose and decompose numbers up to 20 (10) in a variety of ways, using concrete materials • Overall: -Solve problems involving the addition and subtraction of single-digit whole numbers, using a variety of strategies. • Specific: -Solve a variety of problems involving the addition and subtraction of single-digit whole numbers to 20 using concrete materials -Solve problems involving the addition and subtraction of single-digit whole numbers using a variety of mental strategies

10. Grade 2, Level 2: Nawang found some of the number sentences. He did not use an organized list.

11. Grade 2, Level 3: Ryan found all the combinations. He sued an organized list and was able to explain his thinking and the strategies he used.

12. Grade 2, Level 4: Naiya found all the possible combinations. She used an organized list and was able to explain her thinking and the strategies she used, in detail.

13. Grade 1, Level 2: Jad began to write an organized list and then got confused at 6 + 6.

14. Grade 1. Level 3: Elijah got almost all/most of the combinations. He was able to get himself back on the correct pattern after an error.

15. Grade 1, Level 4: Ran was able to choose her own number and chose a high number, 14. She found all the combinations and was able to explain how she knew all the combinations. She recognized that there was a pattern of numbers increasing or decreasing by 1.