DREAMS: A Model for Leveraging Collaboration to Promote Student Success in Algebra

1. Ivan Cheng and Ken Berry California State University Northridge ARCHES California P-16 Collaboration and Student Success Conference June 20, 2007 DREAMS:A Model for LeveragingCollaboration to Promote StudentSuccess in Algebra

2. Background What we did ARCHES collaborative The SITTE model Principles of SITTE Process of SITTE What’s next DREAMS project Ongoing work Building the pipeline for career technology What more is needed? Agenda

3. What is the Context? In 2000, successful completion of first year algebra became a high school graduation requirement in California. Algebra success rate in high schools is low in Los Angeles Unified School District. Failure in algebra “triggers dropouts more than any single subject” according to former Superintendent Roy Romer. Background

4. What is Algebra? What is the algebra that students need? <discussion and sample> Each year, approximately 1200 Ph.D.s are awarded in mathematics. Each year there are approximately 3.8 million ninth graders. This means only 0.03% of the student population go on to study advanced math. Background

5. What is Needed? “To improve their mathematics instruction, teachers must be able to analyze what they and their students are doing and consider how those actions are affecting students’ learning.” NCTM Principles and Standards, p. 18 Background

6. What is Needed? “Teachers learn well just as students do — by studying, doing, and reflecting; by col-laborating with other teachers; by looking closely at students and their work; and by sharing what they see.” Darling-Hammond (1999), p. 12 Background

7. What is “Six Sigma”? A business term for describing the improvement process Refers to the number of standard deviations required to achieve “3.4 defects per million opportunities (DPMO)” For 3.8 million ninth graders each year, this means fewer than 13 will fail!!! Background

8. Applying Six Sigma Principles Process focuses on specific projects. Each project focuses on specific outcomes with decisions driven by evidence. Each project limited to specific timeframe. Supported by “green belts,” “black belts,” and “champions.” Background

9. ARCHES Collaborative Los Angeles Unified School District California State University Northridge Los Angeles Mission College Project GRAD Los Angeles Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley What We Did

10. ARCHES Collaborative Designed a pilot project based on research from the Inter-session Teaching and Training (ITT) project in 2004 Implemented Student Improvement Through Teacher Empowerment (SITTE) pilot projects in 2006 What We Did

11. The SITTE Model Professional development aligned with district instructional guidance systems Professional development situated in the context of actual classroom teaching Daily collaborative lesson planning during summer school or inter-session Reflecting on and refining lessons based on ongoing recognition of student thinking What We Did

12. Principles of SITTE Consideration of the local school context Use of teachers’ knowledge to generate solutions to their students’ learning needs A focus on student learning rather than teacher improvement A well defined time frame for the work The availability of resources rather than mandated strategies or curricula What We Did

13. Professional Development as a Lever What We Did Principles of SITTE Student Learning & Achievement Knowledge

14. Process of SITTE Plan Act Do Check What We Did

15. Process of SITTE Explore Establish Experiment Examine What We Did Student Thinking

16. What We Found What happens when teachers are provided the social space in which they can engage in collaborative inquiry while actually teaching?

17. What We Found • Teachers demonstrated an awareness of student thinking • Acquaintance with alternative solutions • Watchfulness of student misconceptions • Attentiveness to student attitudes • Responsiveness to student reasoning • Expectation of trajectories in student thinking • Teachers applied their knowledge of student thinking • Guiding principles for lesson design • Greater use of inquiry lessons

18. What We Found • Teachers demonstrated flexibility and resourcefulness • Departing from the textbook • Designing lessons based on student learning needs • Teachers exhibited a sense of efficacy and confidence to find instructional solutions • Attitudes about students • Attitudes about self • Teachers demonstrated interdependence and teamwork • During SITTE • After SITTE

19. What We Found Comparisons by Subject (Algebra 1A)

20. What We Found Comparisons by Calendar Track

21. What We Found Comparisons with Same Teachers

22. DREAMS Project Summer program for at-risk middle school students Students are provided pre-algebra instruction, study skills, robotics, field trips, and food Teachers are paid to teach and engage in professional development daily using the SITTE model What’s Next?

23. DREAMS Project Robotics program through Los Angeles Mission College Students receive college credit; Mission College generates FTES Curriculum provides context for studying mathematics Builds rigor, relevance, and relationships What’s Next?

24. Ongoing Work Math teachers continue working with students from summer class Ongoing professional development to infuse robotics into curriculum Additional grant funding to scale up work to change culture and help teachers become “collaboration ready” What’s Next?

25. Building the Pipeline Partner with businesses to provide jobs and internships Create a pipeline of opportunities through rigor, relevance, and relationships Provide a future for students by cultivating dreams What’s Next?

26. What More is Needed? <discussion> What’s Next?

27. It’s Done For Teachers, Not To Teachers Professional development must be focused on what teachers want to help them improve student learning. Summary It Takes Teamwork Professional development requires a collaborative effort for teachers to find what works for them where they’re at. It’s About Time Inter-session (or summer school) provides the place and time where teachers can work as a team to find solutions to their own professional needs.

28. Ivan Cheng icheng@csun.edu www.csun.edu/~icheng Ken Berry ken.bery@csun.edu ARCHES California P-16 Collaboration and Student Success Conference June 20, 2007 Thank You