Onward and Upward! Adventures in School Wide Mathematics Learning for Staff

Well, it has been awhile since we last wrote. We decided this fall to take a small step back and through consultation with our staffs, decided to honor our Challenge of Practice as well as the needs of our adult learners and work through a traditional Teaching Learning Cycle. Upon reflection with our schools, we determined that in order for us to work towards the goal of teaching critical thinking to our students in a precise and intentional manner,  we first needed to develop a common language of planning, instruction and assessment. We decided to work on this first through an area of relative comfort for people and thus we chose the new Social Studies, History/Geography curriculum. For teachers who did not teach this content area (and there were relatively few of them), we had them go through the teaching learning cycle in their own content areas. 

The TLC occurred from early Oct to the end of November just prior to parent teacher conferences.
We felt that if we developed an understanding of effective teaching practice using this content area, the common language and understanding would support the staff member's journey in mathematics in the new year.

Operational Items to Consider:

Release time was provided that day by reallocating our budget from other areas that do not support our vision of effective instruction and learning (ie photocopying, text books) to our professional learning budget line. Booking of supply teachers occurred in advance and involved fairly complex scheduling. We used the YRDSB meeting code and the money is repaid through a budget transfer later in the year. This TLC cost the larger school with 33 staff about $20,000.

Due to the fact that our school start and end times did not align, we had to ensure that for our half day sessions, that our day started at the latest start time and ended at the earliest end time. Teachers were expected to do work for the 15 mins before or after school to ensure that they worked their full day. This ensured that we were respectful of our collective agreement and nobody worked outside of the full day.

This was required for the half day sessions, but not for the full day sessions as we simply chose one school's start and end times and adhered to them for everyone. Thus, they worked the correct number of minutes. Also, as per the collective agreement, teachers were told that they could leave at their assigned prep times and do their preparation work and return after it was completed. It was up to them to avail themselves of this time outside of the TLC activities. Some did this and others did not.

We tried to plan our half day sessions to overlap literacy blocks as much as possible as it reduced the amount of prep periods that we were interfering with and thus the least amount of disruption to the professional learning. This worked well for our primary and intermediate teachers, less well for our junior teachers.

Who Participated?
All teachers in both schools participated. This included support staff and DECEs. The support staff were there to learn but also to keep the needs of our varied learners front and center during the planning and assessment process.

Short Synopsis of the TLC:

We engaged in the following sessions:

Session 1.
Half day release (separated into Primary in AM and Junior /Intermediate in PM) to discuss and determine norms for learning as well as to develop learning goals and our diagnostic activity which would be administered to the students and marked with other grade team members at our next meeting. Our Kindergartens engaged in similar Professional learning with some differences conducted by one of the Kindergarten teachers.

To access our drive folder including our PowerPoint and resources for this session please go to:

https://drive.google.com/folder/d/0BwZ1H1R7AKpTR3FwWDZvdXpEZEE/edit

Session 2.
We had two full day planning sessions (One day for primary and one for Junior /Intermediate grades at both schools) about a week later once teachers had administered their diagnostics to their classes. We spent the time learning about how to engage in moderated marking and then teachers worked in cross school grade teams to moderate their diagnostics.
We then provided some input around how to use their diagnostic information to plan units of study. Planning was discussed and the board planning memo was deconstructed. A variety of templates were provided to guide their work (if they so chose to use them). Resources were explored to support the content areas and then teachers were left with about a half day to plan with their grade team). We started to explore our mentor text on inquiry based learning.
At then end of the session teachers were asked to come up with a mutually agreed upon task to return with to moderate as their mid point check in.

To access our drive folder including our PowerPoint and resources for this session please go to:

https://drive.google.com/folder/d/0BwZ1H1R7AKpTWUtweXJFUlQxbzA/edit

Session 3:
For this session we took advantage of a PA day where we were able to work on school plan related activities for half of the day. This reduced our costs substantially. This session involved a reminder of the TLC process, a reminder of moderation and input regarding changing units to meet student needs both on a macro (correcting plans to address whole class misunderstandings) or micro (creating mini lessons or alternative tasks etc. targeted to correct misconceptions of specific students). We reviewed differentiation and how it looks for our ELL and Special Education students. Staff was asked to agree upon a summative (or formative - if the unit was still ongoing) to bring back to the final session to moderate and to help them decide where to go next for future units.

To access our drive folder including our PowerPoint and resources for this session please go to:

https://drive.google.com/folder/d/0BwZ1H1R7AKpTMkpOTGlJWXRURDQ/edit

Session 4:
This was our final session. It was half day with Primary in the AM and Junior/Intermediate in the PM. At this session we looked at the various types of assessment (diagnostic, formative and summative) and discussed their use in the TLC process. We also talked about how we could use the information from our moderation of the summative moving forward into new units and how we could convey this information to parents as our parent teacher conferences were coming up.

To access our drive folder including our PowerPoint and resources for this session please go to:

https://drive.google.com/folder/d/0BwZ1H1R7AKpTZTF4d2YxVVI0dzA/edit

Along the way we tried to model effective assessment and instructional practices in our teaching of the TLC...

We presented information in a variety of ways. 
We had staff construct their own learning whenever possible
We kept our teaching rooted in the real world and in student work...the process was very job embedded
We used Google forms to engage in diagnostic assessment prior to the first session to determine needs. We fed them back the content of what they said that they needed. At the end of each session we engaged in formative assessment through Google forms  as well as  our observations and conversations with staff and students at and between sessions. WE fed this information back to staff at the beginning of each session and showed how we hoped to address their needs during the session.
Also when we noted that people were struggling, we were able to release them and their partners with support staff and ourselves to work through the glitch so they were encouraged to stay the course.

As we move forward into 2015 we will now be going back to our roots with mathematics. Stay tuned for our jouney forward into the mysteries of math with all of our teachers!

About us...

Both Kelli Cote and Lisa Dilworth are elementary school (K-8)  principals in the York Region District School Board (YRDSB). We both enjoy our roles as administrators due to the fact that we are able to model and learn alongside our staff and students. We are both mothers of grown children.  Both of us have had our fair share of math challenges growing up and as teachers and administrators and it is this desire to improve on traditional mathematics practices that has powered our journeys with four different schools.

We both enjoy running, biking and swimming and are training for a triathlon in August 2014. Between us we have four dogs and seven children.

We hope that you find our stories interesting and helpful as you embark on your own math journeys!

Kelli and Lisa

Building Deep Understanding of the Comprehensive Math Program forAdminstrators

Building Deep Understanding of the Comprehensive Math Program for Administrators...our journey.

Developing our plan:

Using our EQAO data we determined that there was a need to improve mathematical literacy within our schools. In particular, both schools lacked students who were unable to apply basic math knowledge or understanding to complex problems involving more than one strand or concept in mathematics.

Both schools needed to develop collaborative learning communities, and in both schools students were afraid of taking risks. There had not been a community of learners established as a focus in either school. As both schools tended to jump from board initiative to initiative within a largely literacy focus.

Both schools had traditional programming that revolved around traditions such as spelling bee’s, speeches, text book work and traditional assessment practices involving quizzes and tests as the primary evaluation for mathematics.

We needed to create a forum for learning outside of our schools due to the small numbers and lack of grade partners.

CIL-M came along as a ministry initiative offered to our school board and both principals asked for their schools to become involved. This was the fourth year of a five year initiative. This initiative involved 12 release days per Junior teacher.  Rather than staying with the expected model we blended our teachers  to establish grade teams.  At the same time we engaged in more blended on-going learning regarding literacy.  The teachers of both schools had learning partners which they had not had before to plan with, reflect on their practice with and share assessment practices.  

The CIL-M involved four schools in our area and we met alternate months with the big team. In between we met together as schools and worked with a consultant on an area of need that we determined.

The large group sessions were always focused on problem solving and involved the 4 c’s method of professional learning (Co-plan, co-teach, co-debrief and co-reflect).

One session also involved a visit to a demonstration classroom where we were able to observe a class involved in problem solving as a part of their comprehensive math program.

As we were in a negotiation year (between our government and the teachers union) last year, the work that we could do last year with staff was somewhat restricted. However, both schools became involved in some blended learning founded on the work of Cathy Bruce and the YRDSB. Teachers learned how to build math communities, utilize board electronic resources and how to develop patterning and algebraic reasoning in their Jr. students.

This learning occurred in teacher's own time after work. Teacher enjoyed the fact that it could occur either at school with their colleagues (and a good meal) or at home if they chose to do so.

Parents:
Also, both schools were committed to informing and engaging our parents. So in the spring of 2013 we engaged in a Family Math Game night. The turnout of families from JK to grade 6 was astounding. Parents from both schools came together to learn about math games and their links to the curriculum and to play games and have fun with math with their children. Parents were given a take away bag that included a list of the games they played and an Ontario Ministry of Education parent information guide on how to support their children with math at home. 

Families commented on the fact that they had no idea that math could be so much fun and remarked on the connections between the games and the math curriculum. Parents were able to take home information on homemade games, commercial math games and electronic math games.

Both administrators have since moved to new schools and the board data has indicated an urgent need for supports for students, teachers and administrators in the area of mathematics. To address this need, (EQAO insert from board plan) the board has developed a comprehensive math program. Both of the administrators' new schools have had no previous experience with this type of math programing so the administrators approached the board math coordinator and asked for help with support for developing our math programs. Without hesitation, our mathematics coordinator ran a six sessions job embedded math learning opportunity for ourselves and one other interested school. Each school chose six teachers from those who volunteered to participate in the six sessions. Teachers were chosen from a variety of backgrounds and grades from JK/SK teachers all the way to Grade Eight. Schools started each session with a learning goal and the sessions were designed to expose teachers to the elements of the comprehensive math program and to allow them to plan, teach, debrief and reflect on their efforts.  This ongoing learning opportunity created a professional learning environment where staff collaborated together to develop and share their understanding of the comprehensive math program and the skills strategies and pedagogy necessary to implement it successfully in their classrooms.

Overview of the Professional Learning Opportunities during our professional learning this year:

Day One:

• Principles of an Effective Math Program
• Overview of the Comprehensive Math Program
• Constructed Inquiry Questions for  each school

Day Two

• Refined each school's’ questions
• Overview of the Comprehensive Math Program
• Learned the Math Talk Community
• Explored Math Games and Puzzles

Day Three

• Reviewed questions from the schools
• Overview of the Comprehensive Math Program
• Reviewed 4C’s model
• Taught a math lesson using Fosnot math kits
• Constructed next steps for each school

Day Four

• Mini-lessons using strings and the 4C’s
• Overview of the Comprehensive Math Program
• Unpacking student thinking during the debrief looking at their assets, wonderings, observations and challenges

Day Five

• Overview of the Comprehensive Math Program
• Reviewed 4C’s
• Began to plan and teach a three part problem solving lesson
• Learned about providing wait times and allow students to talk more than the teacher
• Effective practice means that we have to teach students how to use manipulatives strategically
  
  

  

Day 6

• Overview of the Comprehensive Math Program
• Planning for Comprehensive Math Program - Long Range Planning
• Examined overall expectations - colour coded them
• Identified big ideas
• Embedded teaching practices and assessment strategies
• Provided input into the new Comprehensive Math Program video
  
  

  

  
  

  

  
   

 

Towards the end of this school year, both leaders decided to embark on increasing their own personal understanding of effective instructional practices in mathematics through the Primary Junior Mathematics AQ course offered through ETFO. 

Through this course the administrators have deepened their understanding of math concepts such as unitizing, subitizing, proportional reasoning etc. They have been learning the math by engaging in readings and discussions about mathematics as well as participating in math activities and planning units and long range plans. 

The real understanding and learning began to occur when the leaders started to teach mathematics alongside the teachers in their classrooms.

Both administrators felt a deeper connection to the subject matter and the strategies and tools required to successfully implement the comprehensive math program. 

Leader Learning

- Challenged the existing structure of math instruction driven by text books, quizzes and tests

- Admin must actively support growing new structures through operational supports such as release time and budget allocation for new resources and PD

- Development of a math community- this was developed to a teacher level through the group of staff who volunteered to participate in our six session professional learning opportunity. 
- We learned about strategies to develop a math talk community in the classroom... many of these strategies could be used by our adult learners as well.

- Guiding development (need to know where we want our program to go)
-We were able to set some goals through our participation in the six session job embedded professional learning and the additional AQ courses- must ask the right questions to staff in order to move their thinking forward and shift their understanding 

Understand that we will need to support teachers on two fronts:

• Teach them the strategies and pedagogy associated with the Comprehensive math program which is extremely different than traditional mathematics programs
• Help teachers to learn the content and vocabulary associated with the development of mathematical learning in students

- Entertain questions of dissent- answer these questions openly and at times explore possible answers as a group so they can discover the answers for themselves. 
- Develop an understanding of teacher concerns regarding parental questions. Help them to understand the pedagogical reasons needed to justify the program changes that are happening. Assure teachers that they are not in this alone. 

- Move slowing and deliberately- providing support for teachers to try out parts of the program with time to learn about it. 
-Ensure that the parent education piece is in place at the same time to address parent questions about the math program in an honest and open forum
-Next year the schools will be engaging in a parent information night (which will involve parents in the mathematics in a hands on way) and a family math game night (to help parents to understand their "role" in supporting their child's development as a mathematician)

- Have a plan that is generated with staff (related to the Challenge Of Practice) and is transparent and that is open to change

- Flexibility is required in order to engage in formative checks of the progress within the school and this data must be used to guide future decisions about next steps

- Differentiate for all learners  (meet the teachers where they are)

- Voluntary participation (at least initially)

- Admin need to be part of the learning with the teachers, truly a co-learner in the process

- Must develop and maintain a growth mindset

- Must develop a community of learners that are not afraid to ask questions or take risks

- Leaders must have a deep understanding of the mathematical content, however it can be learned along side staff. They must get into classrooms and explore this content with teachers.

-Leaders must understand change theory and expect a possible implementation dip and stay the course through this

- Trust and credibility is created when administrators are learning with their teachers

Next steps for our schools:

• Introduce all staff to the Comprehensive Math Program and the board supports at our June Professional Learning day

• Offering a section of the Mathematics AQ course through ETFO at one of our schools and encouraging teams at both schools to take the course together.  
  

• Begin to develop look fors to help us determine evidence of the comprehensive math program at both schools (i.e.):
•  Observe an increase in tasks with multiple entry points or that are differentiated to meet student need 
• Note an increase in a variety of assessment and evaluation methodology (ie. reduction in traditional pencil,  paper tasks, photocopying and traditional assessments such as quizzes and tests
• Observe an increase in effective differentiation and implementation of accommodations/modifications of IEPs and programs for ELL students throughout the math program. 

• Continue to offer a professional job embedded professional learning between the bells

• Purchase recommended resources to support the implementation of comprehensive math l

• Both administrators will be taking a Stanford University course during the summer on-line to continue their math learning.

• Both administrators will be continuing to teach math on a regular basis alongside teachers in their schools

• Utilize teachers who have participated in the math sessions this year as leaders/supports for teachers as we roll out the comprehensive math program on a school wide basis in support of our COPs. 

Successes so far....

Established a group of learners in the schools who are reflective and willing to participate in shared learning opportunities

Observing the learning in the classrooms

Networking in the Board with our math leaders for both teachers and administrators

Established ourselves as co-learners in our schools

Challenges

Ensuring that we considered the collective agreements when we were constructing professional learning when the schools had different start and end times.

The possibility of a negotiation year and the ramifications of job action (to counteract this professional learning would have to be kept between the bells).

Learning to go slow and reminding teachers of this so we can deepen our learning.

Trusting teacher’s professional judgement- letting go of the prescriptive approach

Reasons for success

Mixture of schools allowed for some buffering of personal relationships and allowed for more risk taking in the 4 c context

-Helped teachers gain perspectives from outside of their own building

Resources that helped along the way:

• Our colleagues (fellow teachers and administrators) who are math leaders
• YRDSB board mathematics consultants
• ETFO Additional Qualifications Course
• Resources from publishers such as Kathy Fosnot's resources
• Ontario Curriculum
• Capacity Building Series and other ministry documents supporting mathematics
• Ontario Guides to Effective Instruction in Mathematics
• Online blended learning courses
• BWW Comprehensive mathematics program resources