Mathematics Skills Matrix: A Vehicle for Aligning Courses and Content

1. Mathematics Skills Matrix: A Vehicle for Aligning Courses and Content Dr. Charles Ervin Department of Secondary Education College of Education Florida A&M University

2. Carnegie grant based on the premise that the quality of the teacher has a profound influence on pupil learning • Ambitious reform initiative to stimulate construction of excellent teacher education programs at selected colleges and universities

3. Success will require radical change in allocation of resources, academic organization, criteria for evaluating participating faculty, internal accountability measures, and relationships with practicing schools. • At the conclusion of the project, each of the selected institutions should be regarded by the nation as administering one of the best programs possible for the standard primary route to employment as a beginning professional.

4. TNE Design Principles • Teacher education programs should be guided by a respect for evidence, including attention to pupil learning gains accomplished under the tutelage of teachers who are graduates of the program • Faculty in the disciplines of the arts and sciences must be fully engaged in the education of prospective teachers, especially in the areas of subject matter understanding and general and liberal education • Education should be understood as an academically taught clinical practice profession, requiring: close cooperation between colleges of education and actual practicing schools; master teachers as clinical faculty in the college of education; and residencies for beginning teachers during a two year period of induction

5. Stakeholders • College of Arts and Sciences • College of Education • Pre-service teachers • K-12 teachers

6. Discussion of Problems • Lack of entry preparation • Lack of prerequisite preparation • Class pass rates • Test pass rates • Curriculum misalignment • Advisement • Inadequate gains of graduates’ students

7. Six Tests • CPREP • CLAST Math • FTCE General Knowledge • FTCE K-6 Subject Area Exam • FTCE 5-9 Mathematics Exam • FTCE 6-12 Mathematics Exam

8. Prioritized Next Steps • Gathered copies of all the skills • Cut and pasted content areas • Typed results into table format • Reviewed, discussed and revised placement of skills • Finalized list

9. Matrix Building Process

11. Next Steps Cross reference to: • Syllabi • Textbook tables of contents • Florida Common Course Numbering descriptions

12. Legend: Green Shading = Skill is introduced Yellow Shading = Skill is reinforced Red shading = Skill is mastered X = Did not have document to determine presence S = In Syllabus # or letter = In currently used textbook C = In Common Course Numbering

13. Anticipated Findings • Gaps where skills aren’t taught in any course • Excessive redundancies • Lack of clearly defined milestones for mastery • Students are currently required to take courses that don’t prepare them for the tests they’re required to pass • Absence of classes for some skills particular audiences need

14. Actions to Take Based on Findings • Add skills to existing courses to fill gaps • Departmentalize syllabi • Develop new courses • Change advisement, including lock-outs for lack of prerequisites • Provide professional development for college professors

15. Document available at http://www.famutne.org/index.cfm?Section=designteam&Page=viewFileList&intDesignTeamID=6

16. Or go to http://www.famutne.org • Click on Design Team (on left) • Click on Math (on left) • Click on File List (on upper right)

17. Ways Others Might Benefit from Our Efforts • Use our process to align their curricula • Delete columns for tests they don’t address and revise as needed • High school math teachers can target skills for future educators • Suggestions?

18. Discussion • Feedback • Recommendations for improved teacher preparation