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Elementary Mathematics Specialists (EMS) Initiatives Update

Friday, September 9, 2011Teachers of Teachers of Mathematics Annual

Meeting

Nicole Rigelman, Portland State University

Cheryl Beaver, Western Oregon University

Overview of Session• Rationale for the use of Elementary

Math Specialists (EMS) and their impact

• Overview of the AMTE EMS Initiatives– Resources supporting EMS

certification and program development

• Various “states’ stories” conveying different points in the state certification process and approaches to opposition

Challenge:

Strengthening the expertise for teaching mathematics in

elementary schools

“The mathematics preparation of elementary … teachers must be strengthened as one means for improving teachers’ effectiveness in the classroom. … A critical component of this recommendation is that teachers be given ample opportunities to learn mathematics for teaching … teachers must know in detail and from a more advanced perspective the mathematical content they are responsible for teaching … both prior to and beyond the level they are assigned to teach.”

Source: NMAP Report (2008)

Common Core State Standards

• Some content shifts to earlier grades

• Focus on conceptual understanding

• Focus on “mathematical practices”– Problem solving - Strategic Use of

Tools– Reasoning - Precision– Justification - Structure– Modeling - Generalization

Why EMS?

“the use of teachers who have specialized in elementary mathematics teaching could be a practical alternative to increasing all elementary teachers’ content knowledge (a problem of huge scale) by focusing the need for expertise on fewer teachers” (p. 44).

Source: NMAP, 2008

Why EMS?“Teacher‐leaders can have a significant influence by assisting teachers in building their mathematical and pedagogical knowledge.…Teacher‐leaders’ support on a day‐to‐day basis ranging from conversations in the hall to in‐classroom coaching to regular grade‐level and departmental seminars focused on how students learn mathematics—can be crucial to a teacher’s work life.”

Source: NCTM, 2000

Why EMS?“A single mathematics education leader can have an incredible impact on the development and effectiveness of others.… Leaders in mathematics education at all levels of the school or district organization … are crucial for ensuring attainment of high‐quality school mathematics programs”

Source: NCSM, 2008

EMS professionals work today in different settings and are asked to do a variety of tasks:

–Coach/mentor other teachers–Serve as a teacher

leader/coordinator–Teach multiple classes of

elementary students–Teach special groups of students

(remedial, enrichment, pull-out or in-class)

State Certification for EMS

Currently only 13 states offer professional designations for elementary mathematics specialists …

Arizona, California, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Virginia

Charge of the AMTE EMS Initiative

With funding from The Brookhill Foundation:

• Develop guidelines for EMS program development and state certification.

• Use the national leverage of AMTE (and other partnering organizations) to advocate for more states to offer EMS certification/endorsement.

Overview of AMTE EMS Initiative

• Summer 2009-January 2010– Standards for Elementary

Mathematics Specialists (EMS): A Reference for Teacher Credentialing and Degree Programs

Prerequisites

• Teacher certification• At least three years of successful

mathematics teaching experience

Program Guidelines

• 24 semester hours (or appropriate equivalent) spanning all of the program components outlined in the standards.

• Includes supervised mathematics practicum– working with a range of students,

teachers, and professional development settings.

Areas of Knowledge/Expertise for EMS

• Content Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics

• Pedagogical Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics

• Leadership Knowledge and Skills

Mathematical Content Knowledge

• Deep understanding of mathematics for grades K–81.

• Further specialized mathematics knowledge for teaching.

1 Based on recommendations in Mathematics Education of Teachers Report (2001) and Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE) Report (2007).

Pedagogical Mathematics Knowledge

• Learners and learning• Teaching• Curriculum and assessment

Leadership

• Professional Resources• Communication• Policy • Professional development• Equity

Standards Dissemination (2010)

• AMTE Members• NCTM Board Members• CBMS Members• Flyer (executive summary) to

NCSM annual conference attendees

• Presentations– AMTE, ASSM, NCSM, NCTM


Summer 2009-January 2010– Standards for Elementary Mathematics

Specialists (EMS): A Reference for Teacher Credentialing and Degree Programs

• March 2010-June 2010– Joint EMS Position Statement




March 2010-June 2010– Joint EMS Position Statement

• June 22-23, 2010 – AMTE EMS State Certification Conference

• State teams (5 members) were to include representatives from higher education, state DOE, & K-12 schools

• 22 states applied; 10 state teams selected to attend; three states selected to send one representative

EMS State Certification Conference

EMS State Certification Conference

• Who are EMS professionals?• What difference are they

making?• How does a state get started

with certification and program development?

• What resources are available?• What are next steps?




March 2010-June 2010– Joint EMS Position Statement

June 22-23, 2010 – AMTE EMS State Certification Conference

December 1, 2010 – August 30, 2011– State Action Plan Progress Reports– AMTE EMS 2nd State Certification Conference

Oregon’s Team • Team members:

– Nicole Rigelman, PSU– Mark Freed, ODE– Linda Samek, George Fox– Kathy Cheval, Salem Keizer district– Lora Nordquist, Bend La-Pine– Cheryl Beaver, WOU

The Oregon Team’s Experience

• What we learned:– What is an EMS?– There are key players that must be involved to

ensure success.– It is important to have standards for certification to

maintain quality levels.– EMS work. There is documented evidence that

schools with an EMS see test score improvement.– Different states have different paths for certification

and have experienced different obstacles and successes that we can learn from.

– There are many good models for educational programs that lead to EMS certification.

– A lot of work has been done by others that we can use.

Oregon’s EMS Action Plan and Next Steps

• Goal 1: Establish EMS Certification in Oregon– Certification is done through TSPC

• Goal 2: Establish Preparation Programs for EMS

Goal 1: Establish EMS Certification

• Step 1: Develop standards– Review other state EMS certification stories

& AMTE standards• Components:

– Experienced teachers– Content, Pedagogy, Leadership– Field experience

– EMS endorsement to a license– Model after reading specialist / school social

worker• Elementary, middle, and high

Goal 1: Establish EMS Certification

• Step 2: Gather letters of support from various influential bodies– E.g. Superintendents, Principals, Deans,

Business, Legislators, ODE, Teachers groups (e.g. TOTOM, OMEC, etc.)

• Step 3: Present proposal at Feb. meeting of TSPC– This is followed by a public review period

• Step 4: Proposal voted on at May TSPC meeting

Goal 2: Design Preparation Program for EMS

• Step 1: Secure funding for meetings

• Step 2: Hold a planning retreat with representatives from institutions across Oregon (summer 2012)– What is the Content? Format? Who will

teach the courses? What should the Field Experience look like? Assessment issues?• Look at models from other states• READ Oregon & PrISM

• Step 3: Implement programs

Future Steps• Find funding for first cohort• Find sustainable funding and

programs

State EMS Stories

• Maryland• Missouri• Louisiana and Pennsylvania• Indiana and Alabama• Kentucky• Oregon