Green Bay Area Public Schoolsand

St. Norbert CollegeMarch 10-12, 2008

Regional MSP Conference – ChicagoPam Plamann – pplamann@greenbay.k12.wi.us

Program Objective

To increase the mathematics content knowledge of pairs of math teachers in target schools in the Green Bay Area

Public School District and to improve students’ achievement in mathematics in grades 4-8.

The Math/Science Partnership Grant will develop mathematics leadership within the Green Bay Area Public

School District.

We asked that the teachers recommended by their principals not have a Bachelor’s degree in Math.

Participating Teachers30 teachers representing

12 elementary schoolsand

3 middle schools

District Facts5th largest district in Wisconsin

37% minority39 languages spoken by 3,500 ELL

47% Free and Reduced Lunch17.8% Students with Disabilities

Group Selection & Course Content Determination

• Flyers were distributed to principals – initially at identified schools

• Control Group selected – Winter/Spring 2007 (comparable groups – no statistical differences – shown by both Pearson’s and

Spearman’s rho bivariate correlation)

• NWEA MAP test given to both control group and teachers involved in grant – Spring 2007 – course content was altered due to results

• Mathematics Beliefs, Mathematics Learning, and Mathematics Teaching Scales Survey was given to both control group and grant teachers; both groups will retake this survey Spring 2008

• Grant teachers took initial post-test after summer content class; another post-test will be taken in June 2008 upon completion of next summer’s course

• Control Group of teachers will retake MAP test May 2008

Series of Graduate CoursesSt. Norbert CollegeDePere, Wisconsin

Series of Courses

• Mathematics Content and Applications Course – 3 credits – June 2007

• Teaching Mathematics - 1 Credit – 2007-2008 school year

• Integrating Mathematics and Science Applications and Pedagogy – 2 credits – June 2008

Series of Courses:First Course -

Mathematics Content and Applications Course

GeometryAlgebra

Probability and Statistics

Course Materials

•Principles and Standards for School Mathematics Navigation Series

•Navigating Through Data Analysis and

•Probability in Grades 3-5

•Navigating Through Data Analysis Grades 6-8

•Navigating Through Probability Grades 6-8

•Navigating Through Geometry Grades 3-5

•Navigating Through Geometry Grades 6-8

•Navigating Through Algebra Grades 3-5

•Navigating Through Algebra Grades 6-8

•Problem Set

•Handouts

Daily

•Starter problems

•Hands-on activities

•Group collaboration

•Food for Thought – lunch

•Problem set

•Exploring Circles: Cookies and π

•Areas of Plane Figures

•The Pythagorean Theorem: Its Proof

•Lengths on the Geoboards

•Areas of Polygons Using the Wrap Method

•Trig Snippet

•Geoboard Polygons

•Areas of Squares, Rectangles, and Triangles on the Geoboards

•Slopes and Equations of Lines

•Functions

•Introduction to the TI 84+

•Regression

•Algebra through Geometry Snippet

•Volumes and Surface Areas: Where did all those neat formulas come from?

•Architecture

•Symmetry

•Counting

•Permutations and Combinations

•Probability

•Tree Diagrams

•Independent and Dependent Events

•Multi-stage Experiments

•Conditional Probability

•Probability vs. Odds

•Exploring Data and Statistics

•Graphing Data

•Numerical Summaries

•Comparing Data

Topics Covered in Summer 2007 Content Course

Mean RIT Increase:

+7 Overall RIT Growth

+7 Geometric Growth

+16 Statistics Growth

+11 Algebraic Concept Growth

Scores on Computation, Number Sense, Measurement, and Problem Solving were included in the overall RIT score for our pre- and post- tests. Areas targeted for

instruction were Geometry, Statistics & Algebra

Teachers will again take the MAP test following the Summer 2008 class

NWEA MAP Initial Post-Test Results

June 2008

Course 2

Teaching Mathematics

• Designed to advance the development of pedagogical practices of mathematical teachers so as to increase student achievement in mathematics.

• Afford time to teachers for collaboration with other teachers to share ideas and develop math lessons.

Course Resources•About Teaching Mathematics, Marilyn Burns

•How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms, Carol Ann Tomlinson

•Various readings, including several from the Adolescent Learning Toolkit, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

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Required written reflections on readings and group discussion on readings at each class

Lesson Development

Learning Plan

Teaching lesson

Written reflection

Sharing experiences

Recommendations for changes

Teaching Mathematics• Collaborative learning

• Differentiated instruction• Teaching with a spiraling approach

• Classroom climate• Multiculturalism

• Collaborating with other teachers• Involving families in student learning

Course 3

Integrating Mathematics and Science Applications and Pedagogy

2 credits

June 2008

Integrating Mathematics and Science Applications and

Pedagogy• Exploring data

• School yard laboratories

• Differentiation to engage all students more effectively

• Challenging the inner self of students for learning

School Year Classroom Observations - Videotaping

• Three Math Facilitators– Classroom Observations– Follow-up discussions– Coaching

• Videotape & Self Analysis– Critical self-review of their teaching– Follow-up discussion with facilitator– Written self-analysis as part of Pedagogy class

• Grant Evaluator• Assessment Coordinator

Dissemination Reports• Required monthly discussions with

colleagues at respective buildings– Full staff meetings– Unit meetings– Grade level meetings– department meeting, etc.

• Required monthly written reports

MSP DISSEMINATION REPORT 

Please complete monthly and email to Pam Plamann.  

Name(s) _________________________  

School _________________________ 

Recall that part of the MSP grant requires each of you to talk to other teachers about math and what you have learned. Briefly describe how you have done this in the past month.   

Type of Activity ___________________________________________________

full staff meetings, unit meeting, department meeting, etc.  

 Date of meeting _____________________________   Grade Level of Attendees __________  Number in attendance __________   

Description and feedback you received:

Math Dept. Meeting/Unit Design Meeting

Date of meeting : September 21, 2007 Grade Level of Attendees: 6-8 Number in attendance : 10

 Description and feedback you received: 

During this meeting we developed goals and expectations for the upcoming year. It was brought up that we would be including information gathered from the class and how it could be applied in the classroom settings. We then broke into smaller groups that worked on issues pertaining to their classroom settings. These included ELL groups and other EEN students. A number of items, such as how to teach a particular skill or meet the various needs of students were brought up. I was able to relate our class discussions and ideas to give advice to the other teachers.  In regard to the unit design, I am working with 3 other teachers on developing a unit that teaches translations and transformations as found in architecture, advertisements, and company logos. I shared what I learned this summer using Bonnie Berken’s suggestions about how to find and use geometric constructs in the classroom lessons.

Full Staff Meeting

Date of meeting : November 7, 2007 Grade Level of Attendees: PreK- 5th Number in attendance : 50

 Description and feedback you received: 

Margie and I shared some of the information we learned at Caddie Miller’s presentation. We each made a copy of the student reference folder and ordered copies of the masters for each staff member. Many people thought the reference folders were very user friendly and that parents would appreciate using them also. We ordered extra file folders and our building aide is in the process of putting the reference folders together for us.

Staff members also liked the idea of using the page protectors and a piece of felt on the overhead. They thought having a master transparency inside the page protector was clever so we could “write on” the master, but it would still be clean if we needed to go onto another page of the same transparency.

We shared some of the materials that were in the math trunk. Teachers especially liked the clear geometric shapes with the removable nets.

“What we learned. . .”• Challenges by St. Norbert College Staff

• Recommendations for changes for future projects

Sharing among attendees:Your Professional Development Models,

Evaluations Used, Content Covered, Successes, and/or Helpful Hints for future

projects

Questions

The instructional practices and assessments discussed or shown in

this presentation are not intended as an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education.