Alliance for Teaching Mathematics to Special Education Learners Strengthening Content Knowledge and Collaboration of General and Special Education Teachers

Milwaukee Public Schools

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Dr. DeAnn Huinker, University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeMath and Science Partnership MeetingWisconsin Department of Public InstructionNovember 8, 2011 huinker@uwm.edu

MathAllianceProject

Vision

• Improve mathematics performance for students in grades 4–8, particularly for students with special needs and for students who struggle in mathematics.

• Support a school culture for collaboration of general and special education teachers on improving math learning for all students.

MathAllianceProject

• Largest Wisconsin School District (ranks 33rd in the US)

• 81,000 students

• 184 Schools: 118 elementary, 8 middle, 18 mid/high, 40 high

• Poverty 77.4% (State 39.3%)

• Disabilities 19.5% (State 13.7%)

• ELL 10.0% (State 5.7%)

• Non-white 85.0% (State 25.6%)

Milwaukee Public SchoolsMathAllianceProject

Math Gap31.0 points

25.6%

vs

56.6%

Milwaukee Public Schools, WCKE Mathematics (Nov 2010)

Participants

Year 1 Participants

Year 2 Participants

Continuing from Year 1

CertificationGeneral Ed 13 19 68%

Special Ed 22 21 86%

Total 35 40

Grade Level

Elementary 12 12 83%

Middle 13 21 76%

Both 10 7 71%

MathAllianceProject

Goals

• Strengthen the math content knowledge of general and special education teachers;

• Enhance math instruction and assessment, focusing on appropriate accommodations and modifications for special education and struggling students;

• Increase collaboration on math instruction of general and special education teachers.

MathAllianceProject

  Fall Spring Summer

Year 12009-2010 Recruitment

Math: Number, Operations, & Algebraic Reasoning Education: Development of Math Knowledge with Differentiation for Struggling Learners

Year 22010-2011

Math: Geometry & Measurement Education: Teaching Math to All Learners Part 1

Education:Collaboration &

Planning for Math Differentiation

Year 32011-2012

Math: Data Analysis, Statistics, & Probability Education: Teaching Math to All Learners Part 2

MathAllianceProject

Timeline

Project Staff

UWM MathematicsKevin McLeod & Patrick Hopfensperger

UWM Special Education

Judy Winn & Mary Ann Fitzgerald

UWM Mathematics Education

DeAnn Huinker

District Teachers and Specialists

Chris Guthrie, Special Education Teacher

Beth Schefelker, Math Teaching Specialist

Melissa Hedges, Math Teaching Specialist

Mary Spidell, Special Education Supervisor

MathAllianceProject

Strands MathAllianceProject

Content Knowledge

I have learned how the distributive property moves through math from elementary to middle to high school. I now know the importance of using the area model and being able to use it and the distributive property method in multiplying. I’ve used this in my class and it offers me opportunities to present more strategies to my students.

---General Education Teacher

MathAllianceProject

Content Knowledge

The biggest impact has been exploring 'how you get there.' I remember doing a lot of memorizing as a student. Going through the process from addition to grouping to multiplication gave me the words to explain more fully those connections.

The activities for multiplication, as well as the different methods of getting an answer have really enhanced my teaching.

---Special Education Teachers

MathAllianceProject

MKT: Number & OperationsMathAllianceProject

--- Special Education Teachers

--- General Education Teachers

--- Combined Groups

Gain Effect Size

Special Ed 0.55*** 0.76 large

General Ed 0.34 0.38 small

Combined 0.45*** 0.57 medium

Comparison TeachersMean = 0.05 (n=86)

Content Knowledge

I can say that when we discussed area as covering I became clearer in my understanding. Before this class when asked what is area, I would rattle off the formula.

---General Education Teacher

I hold a deeper level of understanding of how the moving and combining principles can be applied for various shapes when determining areas.

---Special Education Teacher

Another “ah ha” moment was when I found out that you can measure to find the circumference and that it would be approximately a little bit more than 3 times the diameter; always wondered why we use pi to figure area of circles.

---General Education Teacher

MathAllianceProject

MKT: Geometry & MeasurementMathAllianceProject

Gain Effect Size

Special Ed 0.39** 0.70 large

General Ed 0.28 0.28 small

Combined 0.35** 0.47 medium

--- Special Education Teachers

--- General Education Teachers

--- Combined Groups

Comparison TeachersMean = 0.17 (n=97)

Differentiated Instruction

Before this project, I taught to one-size-fits-all. Now in my practice, I am using the students’ input more as I have them discuss the math to construct knowledge. That knowledge comes in different layers and it is illuminating to see and hear what they are understanding. I also force myself to represent on the board different ways to solve things. Some students get the concepts easier in one format than another.

---General Education Teacher

Since beginning this project, I use many, many more hands-on activities in my teaching. I have a larger “bag” of strategies to draw from when I teach. I am much more confident teaching math now.

I incorporate more models of representations to teach a particular skill to help enhance understanding for different learners.

I now use multiple ways to teach multiplication and division. I use more manipulatives and explain the “why” behind the how.

---3 Special Education Teachers

MathAllianceProject

Differentiated InstructionMathAllianceProject

I am confident that I can… Special Ed (n=12) General Ed (n=9)

Baseline Year 2 Baseline Year 2

Differentiate instruction in the general education class so that students who struggle in math can profit from the instruction.

4.50 5.00 4.22 4.78*

Provide explicit instruction for students who struggle that supports their conceptual understanding in math.

4.83 5.50** 4.56 5.11

Provide separate small group or individual instruction for students who struggle with math that makes effective links to the general math curriculum.

5.00 5.42* 4.78 5.22*

Expectations for Student Learning

My expectations have increased. I now expect my students to explore different ways of solving math problems and I expect them to share their thinking on a regular basis with their classmates.

---Special Education Teacher

It’s not all about getting the right answer. Often it’s about the process and how/why. I expect my students to be better able to explain the process they went through and know multiple ways of solving a problem not just memorizing a formula.

---General Education Teacher

I think that I now possess higher standards for my students with disabilities than I did in the past as a result of seeing first-hand their ability to demonstrate mastering math on a deeper level. I want to see all students demonstrate true mastery of a skill through a conceptual approach versus simply memorizing and applying formulas that they often do not even understand.

---Special Education Teacher

MathAllianceProject

CollaborationMathAllianceProject

So, Special Education teachers are making gains in bringing content knowledge to collaboration, whereas General Education teachers are making gains in bringing more knowledge of the needs of individual students.

So, Special Education teachers are making gains in bringing content knowledge to collaboration, whereas General Education teachers are making gains in bringing more knowledge of the needs of individual students.

Special Ed (n=12) General Ed (n=9)

Baseline Year 2 Baseline Year 2

I bring sufficient content knowledge to collaboration.

5.08 5.42* 5.33 5.89

I bring sufficient knowledge of the challenges of students who struggle to collaboration.

5.33 5.50 4.76 5.33*

n Baseline Year 2 Change Effect Size

Special Education

11 5.58 5.58 0.00 0.00 none

Survey Item: My students’ math learning has increased because of my collaboration with

the general/special education teacher.

MathAllianceProject

General Education

10 4.11 5.11 1.00* 1.08 large

• Curriculum development• Literacy dominates special education, Limited guidance in math• Understand philosophical differences

“Inquiry & Exploration vs Explicit & Systematic Instruction”

• Collaborative planning and teaching• Time, teacher content & pedagogical content knowledge (PCK)• Understanding each other’s roles, potential, and shifts in practice

• Range of participants’ content knowledge• Substantial “holes” in math knowledge, lack of PCK (e.g., tools, models)

• Being able to put change into practice harder for General Education

• Meeting needs of both Special and General Education Teachers in one project (attrition)

ChallengesMathAllianceProject

What are some impacts?MathAllianceProject

I really believe that I have high expectations for all of my students now. I think when I encountered a barrier previously it was easy to think that a particular student would just never get it. Now I know that I can find at least one strategy that will reach all students. My students are now more confident themselves. We have grown together.

----Special Education Teacher

MathAllianceProject

Expectations for All Students to “Get It”