Uri Treisman, PhD Charles A. Dana Center The University of Texas at Austin

1. Academic Youth Development Uri Treisman, PhD Charles A. Dana Center The University of Texas at Austin Education Commission of the States July 2009 0

2. High rates of failure in Algebra I. What is the Problem?

3. Many students have difficulty in school not because they are incapable of performing successfully but because they are incapable of believing that they can perform successfully. BUT, efforts that attempt to enhance academic performance in the absence of efforts to increase content knowledge are doomed to failure. Non-Cognitive Factors

4. In the National Math Panel survey, 62% of teachers rated working with unmotivated students as the single most challenging aspect of teaching Algebra I successfully. (National Math Panel, 2008) Non-Cognitive Factors

5. Increase students’ commitment to learning and their productive persistence in the face of academic struggle Our Goals

6. Meld recent advances in social and psychological theories with deep practitioner wisdom to build a new generation of student support structures. Goals

7. Building on research and practice • Effective effort: Improving and getting better at something requires the right kind of effort. • Attribution: Success is attributed to task-specific causes (e.g. effort), not to global causes (e.g. luck or native intelligence). • Malleable intelligence: Intelligence is something that can be influenced and shaped through actions and beliefs.

8. BEHAVIOR PERSONAL factors (cognitive, affective, and biological events) ENVIRONMENTAL factors Building on research and practice • Albert Bandura Social Cognitive Theory • Individuals function/learn through reciprocal influences

9. Building on research and practice Productive Persistence Self Efficacy: beliefs about capabilities Self regulation: adapting, reflecting, monitoring

10. What is Mathematical Proficiency?

11. Strands of Mathematical Proficiency

12. Sources of Students’ Self-efficacy (Bandura, 1997) • Mastery Experiences: interpreting capabilities based on previous personal experiences • Vicarious Experiences: role models, peers • Social Persuasions: peer, parents, teachers • Emotional States: arousal, anxiety, mood, fatigue

13. Building on research and practice • Asset-based approaches • Strategies: Selection-Optimization-Compensation • Goal Setting

14. Wisdom of Practice Emerging Scholars Program (Treisman, 1992) AVID (Mary Catherine Swanson) Step-Up to High School (Chicago Public Schools) The Algebra Project (Bob Moses) Puente Project Building on research and practice

15. Allows students to practice new ways of learning in challenging academic environments. Academic proficiency cannot be developed in the absence of academic content. Critical role of content

16. There is good news… Students’ beliefs matter. Teachers’ beliefs and actions matter. Sense of Belonging Modest interventions are making a difference.

17. Imagine a math classroom in which all students… • Don’t have to choose between being cool and being smart • Create a learning community in which students and teachers work together to increase everyone’s knowledge • Feel comfortable enough to take risks and participate in class • Engage in meaningful discussions about mathematical content with the teacher and their fellow students • Understand that learning math takes effort and persistence

18. Academic Youth Development Improving Achievement by Shaping the Culture of Algebra Classrooms 17

19. Academic Youth Development Supports the successful transition of students into High School & Algebra I 18

20. Model of the program

21. Student participants: 8th graders rising to 9th grade Algebra I — students who are “roughly at grade level” Teachers who will be teaching Alg I in the fall Summer: 14 days, 4 hours per day, 2 AYD teachers with up to 30 students Fall: 5 students per class scheduled into Alg I courses in AYD teacher’s classes (this will mean hand-scheduling) Academic year: 4-6 “gatherings” per year with students and teachers All resources for AYD program online through Agile Mind Districts agree to share data and learnings with the Dana Center AYD researchers and evaluators AYD key program design elements

22. Algebra is a gatekeeper—50% of all ninth-grade students fail Algebra I. Increased college and workforce expectations. Increased high school graduation requirements. Inadequate preparation and limited problem-solving skills. Crucial transition between middle school math and Algebra I. Why focus on the transition to Algebra I? 21

23. What is Academic Youth Development? • AYD helps students develop • academic identities as learners who recognize, value, and seek out high-quality education. • skills to help create and contribute to a learning community. 22

24. The Academic Youth Development Initiative . . . • Is • A set of experiences designed to influence student beliefs, attitudes and behaviors about learning. • An academic development program for “regular students” to help ensure they get started in high school on the right track. • An intervention designed to create and support a classroom culture of respectful engagement. • A transitional program to foster success in high school and beyond. • Is not • Student remediation of grade 8 math • Credit recovery • Pre-teaching of Algebra I • A summer math class 23

25. Goals of the AYD Initiative • Three primary goals: • Improve student performance in Algebra I and all high school mathematics courses. • Build a classroom culture focused on respectful engagement in academics. • Increase the capacity for teaching to rigorous mathematics standards. 24

26. AYD shapes and supports a culture in which . . . • Engagement, participation, positive motivation, and risk-taking are developed and embraced. • Students don’t have to choose between being smart or being cool. • Effort and persistence are recognized and valued. • Mutual accountability is fostered and expected. 25

27. Two areas of focus • Underlying issues about controllable factors related to student learning and achievement. • Critical problem-solving skills. 26

28. Getting smarter: growing your brain through hard work and effort. Learning to learn and what learning feels like. Learning with peers: the importance of good communication. Making attributions: what do you have control over in learning? Applying “learning about learning” strategies in problem-solving situations. AYD online curriculum topics

29. It’s Not Just Math “Grow” Your Brain and Get Smarter 28

30. It’s Not Just Math Teamwork and Communication Skills 29

31. It’s Not Just Math Online Tools at Home and School 30

32. It’s Not Just Math Meeting Friends and Teachers 31

33. What Math? Mathematics and Forensic Science 32

34. What Math? Using Tables, Graphs and Equations 33

35. What Math? Measurement and Data Collection 34

36. What Math? Solving Real World Problems 35

37. An exciting new program for incoming Algebra I students A jump start on next year--for students and their Algebra teachers A way for students to meet new friends and their Algebra teacher An opportunity for students to learn strategies for success in all of their classes Academic Youth Development is for Students 36

38. “It’s fun and you’ll learn a lot. You don’t just do math here, but learn how to work as a community.” --Academic Youth Development Student California What Students are Saying… 37

39. Students surveyed and/or interviewed reported these key ideas. . . higher self-confidence and a higher level of support in mathematics by their peers and teachers; higher motivation and persistence--that is, the students were more likely not to give up when frustrated or stuck or when working on particularly challenging math problems; Increased use of metacognitive learning strategies--for example, purposeful selection of approaches when engaged in problem solving; and a greater understanding of theories of intelligence--that is, understanding that with hard work and effort, they could increase their intelligence and their capacity for academic success. Findings from the Summer 2008 Bridge Component 38

40. Academic Youth Development is for Teachers and Leaders • AYD focuses on the beliefs, attitudes, and behavior of a cadre of emerging student ‘allies’ algebra teachers can rely onto • model effective engagement and academic success. • help support and shape the Algebra I classroom culture for learning mathematics. • build a strong relationship between teachers and students. 39

41. “Seeing students motivated and working together and hard is energizing me for next year. Students do work well in groups and help each other out..” --Academic Youth Development Teacher California What Teachers are Saying… 40

42. In interviews, teachers reported an emerging classroom culture. . . students taking more responsibility for their role in creating and sustaining a positive academic learning environment; better student-to-student communication--for example, sharing, talking through ideas, solving problems together; higher levels of students engagement--for example, almost all students, even those who previously were disengaged in school, participated more in class; increased willingness of students to work with one another; and increased willingness of students to encourage and support one another in their learning. Findings from the Summer 2008 Bridge Component 41

43. Who can be an Academic Youth Development Teacher? • Teachers who will be teaching Algebra I in the fall • Students will be scheduled, at least 5 per class, into their Algebra I classes • Two teachers per cohort of 30 students • Teachers will attend a two-day professional development session in the Spring 2009 • Teachers will teach the 14-day summer bridge class • Teachers and leaders will facilitate up to six academic year gatherings during the 2009-2010 school year. 42

44. Student has regular attendance in middle school. Student is at or near grade level in mathematics performance. Student is enrolled in Algebra I for the 2009—2010 academic year. Student has clear potential to be an effective leader and role model in the classroom. Who can be an AYD student? 43

45. AYD becomes an integral part of a comprehensive approach to improving student outcomes in math Bonding between teachers and students Changes in beliefs and attitudes Students will be able to articulate their own role in learning Students are increasingly able to work and learn together AYD: What can schools expect? AYD is designed to complement your campus/district improvement efforts.

46. Uri Treisman uri@mail.utexas.edu Contact Information utdanacenter.org/academicyouth

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