Henrico County Public Schools New Mathematics Teachers General Math Session How to make your horse thirsty and other stu

1. Henrico County Public SchoolsNew Mathematics TeachersGeneral Math SessionHow to make your horse thirsty and other stuff you might want to know August 24, 2009 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Hermitage High School

2. Welcome! Introductions • Name, School, Teaching Experience • What brought you to HCPS? • What made you decide to teach math?

3. Objectives • To familiarize you with curriculum expectations • To introduce you to the materials, places, people and processes that can help you do your best • To teach you how to get what you want

4. Today’s Schedule It’s pretty simple… • General Information • Break • Collaborative Teaching/Differentiation • Breakout Sessions • Middle School • High School

6. Planning VDOE Website: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/mathematics/review.shtml • Curriculum Framework – have a copy on your desk! • Blueprints • Keep in mind, SOLs are the MINIMUM standard.

7. If you teach to the SOL test…

8. Standards of Learning The Standards of Learning provide a good framework. However, teaching is more than just learning an SOL!

9. Rigor has been increased • Repetition has been decreased • Retention and application of content from previous years required • Vertical alignment has been improved 2009 Mathematics Standards of Learning

10. Click here for documents Vertical Articulation Documents

11. Consistency • Connections • Relevance • The Mathematics Crosswalk Between the 2009 and 2001 Standards (PDF) provides detail on additions, deletions and changes included in the 2009 Mathematics Standards of Learning. Vertical Articulation of Content Why is it important knowledge to have? All these lead to deeper understanding and long-term retention of content

12. Pay attention to details! http://teachers.henrico.k12.va.us/math/Teacher/Downloads/NTA/DANCING_BEAR_MOONWALKING_BEAR_CYCLIST_AWARE.wmv

13. Course Resources and Pacing Guide All digital curriculum and pacing guides are available on the HCPS math website: http://henricostaffdev.org/math/

14. HCPS Teacher Resource Page A lot of links to important documents! http://teachers.henrico.k12.va.us/math/teacher.html • ExamView test banks • Online textbooks • Carnegie Learning files • Promethean & ActivEngageinformation • NTA powerpoint • Graphing calculator instructions

15. Speaking of calculators… • Make sure that the calculator is a TOOL used for instruction! • It has become a crutch for many students and teachers. • Be accountable for them and have a system for storing and collecting them.

16. Observations/Evaluations • “Snapshot” observations • Teacher requested observations • Formal Evaluation Process

17. People who can help you!

18. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink In the past, an acceptable philosophy for educators was:

19. If you lead a horse to water and he doesn’t want to drink, it’s your job to make him thirsty. The present philosophy for educators goes something like this:

20. Instruction Make lessons active • Limit lecture – the least effective teaching method • Model the skills that you want your students to exhibit • Develop concepts rather than answers • Vary your teaching strategies • Challenge the students - rigor Have fun learning! • Encourage students to participate • Set the stage for student success

21. A critical point …a teacher of mathematics has a great opportunity. If he fills his allotted time with drilling his students in routine operations he kills their interest, hampers their intellectual development, and misuses his opportunity. But if he challenges the curiosity of his students by setting them problems proportionate to their knowledge, and helps them to solve their problems with stimulating questions, he may give them a task for, and some means of, independent thinking.” Polya, 1973/1945

22. Problem Based Learning TheDie Hard with a Vengeance version of teaching Polya'sfour-step problem solving process http://teachers.henrico.k12.va.us/math/Teacher/downloads/nta/die_hard_jugs.mov.wmv

23. Getting Started & Surviving the first month! • NCTM – tips for teachers - http://www.nctm.org/resources/content.aspx?id=9584 • Develop a support system • In your department • In your school • In your county • *In your family*

24. Manage Your Time Wisely • Planning • Develop a schedule • The first year in any job is the hardest • Plan effective lessons • Make objectives clear to the students • Routine and structure are good, but don’t fall into a rut. Try to vary activities from time to time. • Be prepared for the unexpected. It will happen. Daily.

25. Classroom Management • Positive first impressions • Greet and welcome your students as they enter the room • Have a plan for the class • Share your enthusiasm • Help students to be successful • Use positive reinforcement to motivate students - give out awards for both good academics and for good effort • Have structure and procedures • With these in place discipline follows • You don’t want students creating classroom rules on the fly • Fewer rules are better • Be fair (fair does not mean equal) Don’t send mixed messages. Be consistent!

26. Assessing Instruction • Assessment • More than tests and quizzes • Assessment for Learning – ActivEngage! • Spell out what topics will be on the test. This will especially help those with poor study skills. • ExamView banks • Grades • Interims, Quarters, Semesters • eClass grading program • Technology • Graphing and Scientific Calculators

27. Changing Instruction • Dan Meyer – Math class needs a makeover • Today's math curriculum is teaching students to expect -- and excel at -- paint-by-numbers classwork, robbing kids of a skill more important than solving problems: formulating them. At TEDxNYED, Dan Meyer shows classroom-tested math exercises that prompt students to stop and think. • http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_meyer_math_curriculum_makeover.html

28. Questions? • Please contact me about anything! • Skip Tyler • estyler@henrico.k12.va.us • 652-3753

29. Break

30. Differentiate in the classroom. Realize that students have different skills sets.

31. Collaborative Teaching/Differentiated Learning • Ms. Ashley Reyher and Mr. Kevin Hoy • http://teachers.henrico.k12.va.us/math/Teacher/nta.html • Collaborative Math Classrooms:  Co-teaching Tips and Strategies • Collaborative Math flipchart

32. Breakout sessions • High school stays here • Middle school goes to room 160

33. Identify the similarities and differences between the grade levels What are the key verbs? Was there anything that surprised you? http://tidewaterteam.wm.edu/vadoe_math_resources.php Examine the EOC Vertical Articulation Breaking Down the Standards • List the 5 most important concepts you see in your standards • Can you draw a representation of the topics? • http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/mathematics/index.shtml

34. Grade 6 Course 1 Standards

35. Grade 7 Course 2 Standards

36. Grade 8 Course 3 Standards

37. Algebra 1 Standards

38. Geometry Standards

39. Algebra 2 Standards

40. Instruction: Why focus on tasks? • Classroom instruction is generally organized and orchestrated around mathematical tasks • The tasks with which students engage determines what they learn about mathematics and how they learn it • “There is no decision that teachers make that has a greater impact on students’ opportunities to learn and on their perceptions about what mathematics is than the selection or creation of the tasks with which the teacher engages students in studying mathematics”. Lappan & Briars, 1995

41. Martha’s Carpeting Task Martha was re-carpeting her bedroom which was 15 feet long and 10 feet wide. How many square feet of carpeting will she need to purchase? Fencing Task Ms. Brown’s class will raise rabbits for their spring science fair. They have 24 feet of fencing with which to build a rectangular rabbit pen in which to keep the rabbits. If Ms. Brown's students want their rabbits to have as much room as possible, how long would each of the sides of the pen be? How long would each of the sides of the pen be if they had only 16 feet of fencing? How would you go about determining the pen with the most room for any amount of fencing? Organize your work so that someone else who reads it will understand it. Instruction: Two tasks.

42. Similarities Both require prior knowledge of area Area problems Differences Way in which the area formula is used The need to generalize The amount of thinking and reasoning required The number of ways the problem can be solved The range of ways to enter the problem Instruction: Tasks - Comparison

43. Instruction: Tasks Not all tasks are created equal, anddifferent tasks will provoke different levels and kinds of student thinking. Stein, Smith, Henningsen, & Silver, 2000 The level and kind of thinking in which students engage determines what they will learn. Hiebert, Carpenter, Fennema, Fuson, Wearne, Murray, Oliver, & Human, 1997 If we want students to develop the capacity to think, reason, and problem solve then we need to start with high-level, cognitively complex tasks. Stein & Lane, 1996

44. Task Characteristics • High cognitive demand • Significant content (i.e., they have the potential to leave behind important residue) • Require justification or explanation • Make connections between two or more representations • Open-ended • Allow entry to students with a range of skills and abilities • Multiple ways to show competence

45. Tying it All Together • Improved vertical alignment of content with increased cognitive demand. • Key conceptual models can be extended across grade levels. • Refer to the Curriculum Framework. • Pay attention to the changes in the verbs. 45

46. Algebra 1, AFDA, and Algebra 2 have new information related to statistics. • Standard Deviation • Z-scores • Normal Distribution • Many students did not have this taught last year. Extra time and training will be necessary. Biggest changes!

47. Four Scenarios!!! Read the scenario presented Think through and jot down answers Share ideas/Ask Questions

48. Scenario #1 You were hired to teach Algebra 1. When you arrive at your new school your department leader informs you that you will need to teach one section of _____________ (something you are not comfortable teaching) in addition to the Algebra 1 classes. • What can you do? • What are some possible solutions? • Who can assist you with this situation?

49. Scenario #2 As a new mathematics teacher, you are assigned a mentor/buddy and are somewhat nervous about your teaching assignment. You are surprised to learn that your mentor, though very nice, does not teach your content. You also learn that the only other teacher who teaches your content is an old grouch who does nothing but complain. • What can you do? • What are some possible solutions? • Who can assist you with this situation?

50. Scenario #3 You will be teaching Geometry in a relatively new school that has a rapidly growing population. Unfortunately, the previous teacher took all of the supplies from your classroom. You mention this to teacher next door, whose room is well stocked with textbooks and calculators. She says that you can borrow her stuff when you need it, as long as you give her a week advance notice and return the materials within 24 hours after you are finished with it. • What can you do? • What are some possible solutions? • Who can assist you with this situation?