Richard Schaar

University of Chicago Mathematician

Retired from Texas Instruments

Managed TI’s Education Business

TI MathForward™

improving student achievement in Mathematics

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Why am I here?

Since retirement from TI have spent my time working on issues in PreK-12 mathematics education:• Worked to bring together all interested parties.• Working on NCTM’s Secondary School document.• Specialized content knowledge for teaching.

What are we going to do:• Review a Middle School implementation program that uses what you have been

learning to close achievement gaps.• Discuss the NCTM Secondary School document and consider how Middle

School can help prepare students for the challenges of High School.• Learn and practice some mathematics

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What is mathematics really?It is about solving problems using a reasoning approach that is valuable in every day life:

• We all use math every day.

•Mathematics is about precision and logic.

• It is about what is well posed so can be attempted mathematically and what is not well posed and cannot be

•The teaching of mathematics can lead to a life long love of learning which is a critical skill in the 21st Century.

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Mathematical Problem Solving• Develop a clear understanding of the problem.

• Translate the problem into a precise mathematical question. Mathematics is all about precision – careful reasoning about precisely defined objects and concepts.

• Choose and use appropriate methods to answer the question.

• Interpret and evaluate the solution in terms of the original problem.

• Remember that some questions do not have mathematical solutions and, therefore, cannot be solved mathematically.

TI MathForward™

improving student achievement in Mathematics

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Presentation Agenda

• Program Genesis • Program Development• Program Components• Components for Success• Program Outcomes• Long-term Success• Getting Started

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Genesis of the TI MathForward™ Program

TI partnered with a local district interested in improving mathematics achievement – a district that was concerned about:• Declining scores in middle grades and Algebra• Achievement gaps among student populations

TI’s goal was to pilot a mathematics achievement (algebra readiness) program by:• Applying evidence-based research• Conducting effective, research-based professional development and coaching• Aligning curriculum with state standards and/or district standards• Increasing instructional time• Utilizing TI Technology

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Development on the ProgramThe TI MathForward™ program was created with the intent of eliminating the achievement gap in middle school mathematics. This process began with:

MathForward is designed to increase learning opportunities for all students while improving student achievement results, regardless of ethnicity or socio-economic status.

• Reviewing proven professional development components

• Reviewing current research

• Creating an advisory board of experts

• Testing our eight research-based components with teachers and students

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Eight Components

• Increased Instructional Time• Increased Teacher Content Knowledge• Common Aligned Assessments• Common Planning Times• Coaching and Professional Development • Use of Technology to Motivate Students• Curriculum Integration• Administrator/Parental Support

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Increased Instructional Time

In order to build a strong conceptual understanding of mathematics for students, it is necessary to increase the amount of time that students are involved with mathematics. This increased time (90-100 minutes) is called a Power Block.

• 10 minutes warm-up• 60 minutes district lesson• 30 minutes problem solving

This additional time allows teachers to use problem solving and collaborative learning strategies, and utilizes formative assessments, adjusting instruction as necessary.

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Increased Teacher Content Knowledge

These experiences are through face-to-face and/or online classes.

Regular training with a mathematician lets teachers build personal mathematical understanding and content knowledge for upcoming lessons.

The MathForward program provides teachers the opportunity to construct or reconstruct their knowledge of mathematics so that they have a foundation on which to build a practice that requires deep and flexible use of mathematics.

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Common, Aligned, Assessments

Teachers are trained how to administer and use formative and summative assessments to shape instruction.

Frequency of assessments (both formative and summative) allows teachers to identify struggling students and address their needs immediately rather than waiting for deficiencies to become visible after a test, end of grading period, or a benchmark.

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Common Planning Times

Here they can share instructional strategies, plan lessons for the week, analyze student work, and discuss underlying math concepts.

This connection among educators is critical to ensure a consistent approach to the program and an understanding of technologies utilized.

This time allows teachers to better leverage components of the MathForward program to assess and improve students’ understanding and retention of the mathematics content.

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Coaching & Professional Development• Professional Development enables data-driven decision making, use of

extended learning time, integration of technology, and setting high expectations for students

• We work with teachers to align TI content and assessments to district curriculum

• Provide in-classroom coaching which includes:• Modeling lessons• Co-teaching activities• Classroom observations and reflections

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Use of technology to motivate students

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Curriculum Integration

• The program is designed to incorporate and extend a district’s existing local or state curriculum while adding supplemental activities and assessments aligned to state standards

• MathForward is based on the principle that all students benefit from rigorous curriculum

• MathForward curriculum materials are available for seventh grade, eighth grade, and Algebra 1

• Our Implementation Specialists work with teachers to achieve and maintain the appropriate level of rigor and curriculum integration

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Administrator / Parental SupportAdministrator support is critical to the success of this program. Administrators are asked to participate in staff development, meet with program implementation specialists, and actively support implementation.

Parental support is critical because students often are giving up an elective to participate in the program’s extended class period.

The teacher’s role is to stay in regular contact with parents, informing them of their child’s progress and discussing needs.

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Components for Success

• Selecting the right teachers

• Committing to daily Power Block

• Committing to Common Planning Time (minimum 3 days per week)

• Providing stipends for professional development to teachers (as needed/required)

• Providing leadership support from the district office, principal, and math department chair

• Involving the Parents

• Monitoring of regular benchmark assessments by Teachers, Implementation Specialist, and Administrators

• Conducting a Site Readiness Survey – to select the right campus

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MathForward Teacher Profile• has a great deal of patience and knows that little steps in learning go a long way. • is comfortable taking students from where they are and

providing experiences that will maximize success. • thrives on challenge, can easily build relationships with

their students and their parents. • has ability/willingness to:

learn about new instructional strategies work with classroom implementation specialists share skills and knowledge with colleagues learn about, and work with, classroom technology

on a regular basis• considers themselves a Life-long learner

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Program Outcomes 2006-7• Richardson ISD – Texas (near Dallas)• Euclid School – Ohio (near Cleveland)• West Palm Beach – Florida (near Miami)

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More Proficiency for Failing JHS Students

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

5046%

33%

2006 2007

Richardson, Texas

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0

10

20

30

40

50

60

2006 2007

West Palm Beach, Florida

More Proficiency with MathForward

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Closing the Gap

Euclid, Ohio

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More Proficiency for MS Students

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

2006 2007

Euclid, Ohio

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• Students have confidence in their ability to master mathematics

• Increased confidence results in greater academic achievement, better preparation for college, work and life

Long-term Success

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Program Summary• Follows a consistent, systematic approach

• Focuses on skills and strategies that students need to be effective problem solvers

• Includes on-going assessment

• Allows teachers to easily adjust instruction

• Incorporates built-in professional development

• Based on the latest research and proven effective

• Recognizes the importance of parental involvement

• Designed to support and complement any core math program by providing targeted instruction and practice in essential math concepts, skills, and strategies

• Provides support, so all teachers can deliver high-quality, consistent instruction that is explicit and systematic

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What make this program unique?

With MathForward™ all students’ scores increase! It’s not remediation it’s acceleration.

Most Intervention programs are really just remediation programs in disguise. Typically, when those programs are introduced into the classroom the educator lowers the level of instruction to meet the needs of the struggling students. The scores of students that are “at grade level” or performing “above grade level” in the those classrooms decline.

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Words in Mathematics

We rarely hear anyone say "I can't read."  However, it is not uncommon to hear someone say "I can't do math.“ Working together we can change that!