June Curriculum Work

The math steering committee spent three days writing common benchmark assessments for math that are aligned with the scope and sequence and benchmark expectations (for levels of knowing) for October, January and April.

Here are the criteria we used to develop these tasks.
Here is the plan we followed.

The assessments that we created for each grade level are available on the grade level tabs included in the header of this blog.  For example, here is a screen shot of the Grade 3 tab:

 The last bullet contains a link to the common assessments for grade 3 that are aligned with the scope and sequence linked in the first bullet.

In the next weeks, we will be cleaning up formatting and language... Please check out our assessments and provide us with feedback by posting a comment.

Thanks!

MathLibs: A Lit-Integrated Low Floor, High Ceiling Strategy

Several months ago, I wrote this blog post about revamping math problems to make them more "low floor, high ceiling."  I also offered up this graphic organizer for analyzing and making over problems detailing these possible change strategies:

• Devise a concrete and visual introduction.
• Remove or change restrictions.
• Remove or change known quantities.
• Swap the known and unknown.
• Inject some choice.

One or more of these strategies can be used to tweak the problem and increase the accessibility and reach of the problem.  One strategy that I recommended was to re-write the problem in the form of a MadLib.  I got this idea from a former colleague who created a MadLib project to teach qualitative graphing to her seventh graders.  I thought the idea was pretty genius, so I have retooled it frequently.

Recently, I found this site where you can create your own MadLibs (or "MathLibs").  It's easy to use.  Here's how it works...

Talking about the BIG picture in Berlin

A few weeks back, Carol Amos (principal at Berlin Elementary) asked me to put together a presentation for her staff to offer a big picture perspective on the changes in math instruction.  Where were we?  Where are we going?  And why?

I'm embedding a copy of my presentation in this blog post (if you have any trouble viewing it embedded you can click on this link to get it).   I'll address some of the lingering questions Berlin folks had below... Please check them out and maybe weigh in by posting a comment.

Lingering Questions/Comments:*

Primary Clinical Rounds

A couple of weeks ago, we spent the day doing clinical rounds in the primary grades at East Montpelier Elementary School with Mahesh Sharma.  In the morning, we watched Mahesh work on additive reasoning and place value with a first grade class.  In the afternoon, we saw Mahesh work with second graders on subtraction.

I made some videos of the lesson that I am embedding below.  As you watch them, here are some questions that may help you to frame and reflect on what you observe:

• Questioning: How does Mahesh check for understanding?  How does he circle back and change his questions when a student has difficulty ("Give me ten.  Make it twenty...")?  What questions does Mahesh ask to promote reflection on the patterns students see? 
• Language:  How does Mahesh distinguish between value and digit?  What math language does Mahesh use?  How does he clarify the meaning of math words?
• Models:  How does Mahesh move from concrete to symbolic representations and models?  
• Examples: Why does Mahesh chose the numbers and examples he does?  How do the examples progress to show patterns?  For example, in video 2, what is the logical progression from 7 to 17 to 19 to 29 to 39 to 49 to 29 to 39 to 59 to 19 to 29 to 99?

First Grade Additive Reasoning:

Part 1: First Grade Tool Building

Part 2 & 3: First Grade Concept Building

Second Grade Additive Reasoning

Part 1: Comparing Numbers

Washington Central Case Study

For those of you interested in the long term strategy for math improvement that WCSU is undertaking, here is a video available on the Vermont PLN vimeo channel:  

Lab Classroom: The Washington Central SU Case Study from Vermont PLN on Vimeo.

If you have trouble viewing it embedded, click here for a link.

Math SBAC - How to Prepare

A while back, I did a blog post sorting through the various assessments that comprise our "balanced comprehensive assessment system" at WCSU.  As we roll into the SBAC testing window, here is some information and maybe a little food for thought...

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What is it?

SBAC stands for "Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium." It is a computer based summative assessment for grades 3-8 and 11 that replaced the NECAP in 2015.  It is aligned with the Common Core State Standards and is designed to assess mastery of those standards in schools statewide.  In order to be eligible for federal funding, we are required to have our students take the SBAC.  The SBAC is adaptive and includes multiple choice questions as well as open ended performance tasks.

How to prepare?

If you haven't done so already, familiarize yourself and your students with the online environment and take the training and practice tests.  You can find a link to the practice tests and other resources at this WCSU SBAC Site.

If you’ve been using Google docs with your students all year, you’ve been inadvertently preparing them all along, too (see this article on how to using Google docs prepares students).

Teachers should not feel the need to veer from their instructional path to do "review for the SBAC" or use released items in isolation. However, if there is a released item that fits in well with a teacher's instructional path, it is fine to use it.  The Smarter Balanced website posts sample problems by grade level that you can check out by clicking here.  

The whole idea behind the Common Core States’ Standards is to provide focus, coherence and rigor.  So, the SBAC is intended to target depth rather than breadth.  So, the best preparation for the SBAC is to provide coherent instruction that focuses on getting all of our students to a point where they can apply our non-negotiable skills flexibly to multiple contexts and communicate their deep understanding of how and why that concept applies.

Want more info?

For more information you can check out this informative article, or please email me or Jen Miller-Arsenault, our tireless Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment.  

Math Steering Committee Talking Points - January 2016

The WCSU Math Steering Committee had the opportunity to meet during our in-service this past Friday.  Among other things, we developed these "talking points" that we want to share out with all of you...

Curriculum work

In grades K-8 this year, we have been working on:

• Developing (and revising) levels of knowing for each non-negotiable skill; 
• Developing (and revising) scope and sequencing documents with benchmark expectations for October, January, April and June; 
• Creating, revising and aligning benchmark assessments (using feedback collected from those who piloted assessments). 

This work will allow us to begin the 2016-2017 school year with a common understanding of what students are expected to know and do at various check points throughout the year. This way we can monitor our students' progress in relation to our non-negotiables, inform our tier 1 (core) instruction, and plan targeted supports. Most importantly, we can report out this progress to students and caregivers in a consistent way.

Additionally, we are developing a resource guide so that we can put the resources that we are developing in the hands of teachers. We will be asking for input from all of you: What would you like to see in the resource binder? Here are some of the ideas that we brainstormed on Friday:



What do you think? Click here to add your ideas to a brainstorming google doc. Please let us know your ideas...

In the meantime, the Math Steering Committee wants to encourage everyone to check out and use the resources we are developing, but know that there will continue to be revisions, so please check back frequently.

In grades 7-9, the steering committee has been taking a closer look at the Algebra 1 content standards and performance indicators (which are basically the same thing as our non-negotiables). We are also looking at what would it take to get our 8th graders taking algebra to the same place our algebra 1 students would get to. Could we cover Algebra 1 in a semester?

Instruction

Math steering committee members have been partnering to develop and facilitate professional development modules delivered during Wednesday professional development times. For example, Anne Carter (EMES), Kim Farone (Berlin) and I worked together on various PD sessions around math mindsets that have been used at Berlin, EMES and Rumney. At U-32, Mary Ellen Simmons and Jen Miller-Arsenault have been facilitating a fourth Wednesday group that is piloting a "math mindsets" course for teachers. In the future, we hope to get math steering folks at other schools involved in developing SU wide professional development, too.

For more information on "math mindsets," you can check out these posts.

Questions/Comments/Suggestions?

Please feel free to send me an email (edorsey@u32.org), or get in touch with the Math Steering Committee members in your building:

Berlin: Kim Farone, Cindy Gauthier, Bhavana Singh

Calais: Kate Rob, Stacey Rupp

Doty: Lisa Hanna, Sonya Rhodes

East Montpelier: Anne Carter, Ellen Shedd, Dave Willard, Jillian Zeilenga

Rumney: Ben Weiss

U-32: Katie Jarvis, Julie Kiefer, Jason Reichert, Hollis St. Peter