Greenwood Elementary“Math Activation”

Increasing Special Education Test Scores in Math Through

the Use of Activinspire

Strategic Planning, Technology, & Leadership

The Challenge

Develop basic Math skills and concepts for Special Education students in Grades 3-5

Provide intervention while moving forward and teaching the Math skills in each grade level curriculum according to the pacing guide

Why? Math

As a media specialist we are not limited or restricted to teaching research skills, literature and promoting reading. We are also responsible for all student achievement in all content areas!

Why: Critical Question

How can we support our Special Education students in developing and mastering basic math skills

and concepts?

Why: Data

• Data is taken from the 2009 Maryland State Report Card

•Similar results were found byscanning the 2010 MSA scoresand will be looked at more detailduring our August, 2010 Leader-Ship meeting

•The African American sub group also shows a need for improvementand will also be considered once anIntervention Program is in place

WHO CARES? WHY? Students – a direct affect on their personal

perception as a learner and achiever Parents – want and hope for the best

educational opportunities for their children Teachers – wanting their students to be

successful and wanting to be effective Principal– wanting to move forward as a school

and meet AYP goals as well as school goals for students and teachers

Superintendent – wanting to move forward as a district and meet AYP goals as well as state and national expectations

The Math/Technology Team

School Principal Math Facilitator Grade Level Teachers Special Education Teachers and

Support Staff Media Specialist

How can we support our Special Education students in developing and mastering basic

math skills and concepts?

Use Activinspire to teach mathematical skills and concepts to students with special needs and various learning styles.

Photo found onhttp://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/resources/themes/special-education-needs.aspx

Proposed Implementations Require No Additional Costs All teachers and Special Education teachers

already have access to the Activinspire software, Promethean Boards and a laptop to create flipcharts

Student laptops and classroom computers will have Acitivinspire installed to accommodate intervention groups

Professional Development would occur during team meetings or contracted PD time frames

Suggested Addition “BrainPOP” Purchase rights for

students to use web based program –

BrainPOP www.brainpop.com

BrainPOP activities can be linked to flip chart pages that will increase student engagement and support concepts being taught while boosting student achievement

Cost: Yearly Subscription for school $1495

Possible Funding Sources:•School Fundraiser

•Community Foundation of the Eastern Shorehttp://www.cfes.org/for-nonprofits.php

•Title I Funding Assigned to Our School

Professional Development for the School Staff

What Teachers and Staff Already Know

What Teachers and Staff Will Learn

How Will Professional

Development Take Place

Teachers and staff know basics of Activinspire

Teachers and staff will learn beyond basics skills and develop “Best Practices” for designing flipcharts

Sessions will be taught during PD contract days

Teachers and staff use Activinspire for whole class instruction

Teachers and staff will learn how to create flipcharts for individual student use to meet IEP specifications

Flipcharts will be created during Team Meetings

Teachers and staff collaborate mainly amongst grade level teams

Ideas will be discussed on how to communicate more efficiently across grade levels and how to share flipcharts

Ideas for establishing a collaboration tool and location to share created flipcharts will be discussed and decided upon at Faculty Meeting

Time to Move Forward

•Awareness

•Information

•Personal

•Management

•Consequences

•Collaboration

•Refocusing

Where Are You?

Support Math Facilitator will gather feedback during

Team Meetings in order to determine which teachers and staff members need additional support

Co-Teaching Opportunities will take place between Teachers, Special Education Teachers, Media Specialist and Intervention Teachers

Collaboration Tool will be used to host ongoing discussion board

Informal Observations will be done to help guide “Best Practices or use of Activinspire

Assessment of Student Success:Formative and Summative

Summative: MSA Scores County

Benchmarks Chapter Tests Report Card

Grades

Formative:Teacher and Staff FeedbackClassroom WalkthroughsStudent Feedback

The Media Specialist as a Leader

Promote “Best Practices” of the use of Activinspire to promote student achievement and increase Benchmark and MSA scores

Conduct training sessions during EDP days as well as during team meetings

Provide ongoing training and support as needed

Collaborate with teachers in their classrooms Promote the integration of literature as a

tool to teach Math concepts

Bibliography National Academy of Sciences. (2005). The Concerns-Based Adoption

Model (CBAM): A Model for Change in Individuals. Web. July 19, 2010. <http://www.nationalacademies.org/rise/backg4a.htm>

"2010 Maryland Report Card: Somerset County - Greenwood Elementary

School : Assessments." 2010 Maryland Report Card. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 July 2010. <http://mdreportcard.org/Assessments.aspx?K=190105&WDATA=School>.

"BrainPOP - Animated Educational Site for Kids - Science, Social Studies,

English, Math, Arts & Music, Health, and Technology." BrainPOP - Animated Educational Site for Kids - Science, Social Studies, English, Math, Arts & Music, Health, and Technology. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 July 2010. <http://www.brainpop.com>.

"Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore - For Nonprofits." Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 July 2010. <http://www.cfes.org/for-nonprofits.php>.

Picciano, Anthony G.. Educational Leadership and Planning for Technology (5th Edition). 5 ed. Alexandria, VA: Prentice Hall, 2010. Print.