Mathematically Connected Communities – Leadership Institute for

Teachers (MC 2 – LIFT)

One approach is to recruit content specialists and teach them pedagogy

This presentation suggests another approach to recruit teachers: take practicing teachers and deepen their mathematics content integrated with research-based practices to support student math learning

– The Vision of MC2-LIFT is:

Teachers who complete the institute will become intellectual leaders able to facilitate the creation of rich mathematics learning environments for teachers and students in schools and districts

Goal 1: Increase teacher leaders’ knowledge of K-12 mathematics

Goal 2: Expand and enrich pedagogical practices for teachers

Goal 3: Develop intellectual teacher leadersGoal 4: Implement institute learning in

school environments

Goal 5: Sustain partnerships between mathematicians, education faculty & districts

Two year institute - MAT in math Cohort 1: 31 K-12 teachers

• 14 elementary• 11 middle• 6 high school

3 week summer academy, and every other Saturday fall/spring• Full day meetings

Five school districts (18 schools) Principals academy

Mathematicians, teacher educators and public school leaders collaborate on course development

Deep mathematical ideas developed from teacher’s current math knowledge

Increase teacher knowledge of math and pedagogy relevant to K-12 classrooms through the lens of vertical alignment

Patrick J. Morandi, Professor, Mathematical Sciences

Douglas S. Kurtz, Professor, Mathematical Sciences

How did you build strong collaboration with faculty and staff in the College of Education?

How do you develop an institute in which K-12 teachers can interact and learn math together?

What recommendations do you have for other people implementing a model like LIFT?

Video and self reflection

Learning teams: Formative Assessment, Technology,

Questioning and Summarizing, Student Engagement

Informal assessment of application of course in the classroom

Lesson Study

1. How do teachers change as a result of participation in a) knowledge of mathematics, b) classroom practices

and c) school leadership?

2. What is the effect of teacher change on

student learning and achievement? 3. What can be learned from how the institute is developed and enacted?

Assessments of Math Knowledge• Course pre and post assessments• Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT)

Student achievement scores on state assessment

Observations• Classroom Snapshot• Observation of Learning Environment • Scripting and opportunities for learning

Changes in teachers math knowledge

Changes in classroom environments

The teachers are learning math specific pedagogy, but are still working on putting it into practice.

We need to help the teachers change their focus from teaching to understanding and monitoring student learning.

Things we thought would be visible to teachers are invisible - need agreed upon definitions.

Teacher success Ability to create a classroom math learning

environment that exhibits high levels of a learning centered classroom

Use math content knowledge for teaching

Student success Ability to problem-solve, reason, and

communicate mathematical thinking Become proficient in grade level standards Apply mathematical knowledge in the “real

world”

Teachers strongly agreed that Lesson Study helps to support inquiry based instruction and to know what students know

Teachers need good models for honest and reflective dialog

Principal support matters

Important for the teams to communicate and collaborate regularly

Need more agreed upon detailed definitions on which to base goals and activities

Difficult to develop and implement at the same time

Seeing positive changes in teachers

Would this work in your university?

Questions

Comments