PRIMESPartnerships and Research Investigations with Mathematicians, Engineers, and Scientists

Professional Development Model

MSP Regional Meeting

February 13-15, 2008

San Francisco, CA

Using Data from PRIME TIME to Inform

Design of PRIMES• Teacher content knowledge increased based on

pre- and post praxis tests – 62% of teachers improved– 23% of teachers declined– 15% of teachers remained the same

• Classroom observations using Lesson Design, Lesson Implementation, Mathematics Content, and Classroom Culture– Positive findings for Mathematics Content

Questions Posed ~ PD Models• How did you determine the most effective professional development

model to increase teacher content knowledge?

• What period of time constitutes a summer workshop? How was the number of professional development contact hours for each participant during the 12-month reporting period determined?

• What does a typical day of program interaction between teachers and IHE faculty/Specialists look like? What does the pre- and post-professional development look like? Is there follow-up in place to make sure that teachers are “learning”; if so what types of follow-up are being used? What are the results of the follow-up and how are they used?

• What standards guide the professional development models used by your state? Do these include benchmarks; if so, what are they?

What standards guide the professional development

models used by your state?

Rhode Island Quality Standards for Professional Development

• Context Standards– Learning communities, Leadership, and Resources

• Process Standards– Data-driven, Evaluation, Research-based, Design and

strategies, Learning, and Professional communities of learners and practice

• Content Standards– Equity, Engaging families and communities, and

Quality teaching

Goals of PRIMES

• Improve performance in high-quality mathematics and science by all students in participating grades

• Improve teacher quality and ability to teach all students high levels of mathematics and science for understanding

• Build school capacity to lead and support standards-based teaching and learning

• Build a grade 6-16 partnership that supports mathematics and science education throughout the state

Building Context to SupportTeacher Learning

TeacherTeacherLearningLearning

TeacherTeacherLearningLearning

Distributed leadership/mutual accountability

Assistance fromcapable others

Indicators of student progress

Goals setand shared

How did you determine the most effective

professional development model to increase teacher

content knowledge?

Systemic Approach to PD

• Focus on enhancing teacher content knowledge through multiple means– Intensive two-week summer PD

• Network of schools

– On-going school-based PD • 2 hours per week after school

– Classroom co-teaching model• PRIMES science specialist• First Steps faculty

PD for PartnersBuilding a system for improvement

• Student Learning is Everyone’s Responsibility

– Engineering students from Brown University share their research

– Teachers and College Board reach out to families

– University faculty work with teachers and administrators

PD in Woonsocket

• Elementary & Middle School Science

– GEMS-NET Science ~ University of RI• Scientists and Teachers-in-Residence

– Co-teaching Lessons • PRIMES Science Specialist

PD in Woonsocket

• Elementary & Middle School Mathematics

– First Steps Mathematics~ University of Western Australia (grades K-8)

– Classroom modeling

– Connected Math ~ Lesley University

– Masters Degree in Mathematics Education

Models of PD

• 100 + Hours of PD– Summer Institutes 2 weeks– School-based 2 hours per week

• All Partners

• PD Providers– Higher Education Faculty– Graduate and Under Graduate Students– Science/Mathematics Specialist– Organizations

The instructional practices and assessments discussed or

shown in this presentation are not intended as an endorsement

by the U.S. Department of Education.