Group L2 Action Plans
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Team Name |
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District of Columbia Public Schools |
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Team Leader |
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Simeon Sanders - Simeon.Sanders@dc.gov |
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Area & Recs |
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Learning Processes 12, 10 |
Algebra Readiness
· Identify Algebra readiness indicators based on state standards, research, NCTM Focal Points, Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (PSSM), National Math Panel Critical Foundations of Algebra and student data (combination of end-of-course exams, teacher recommendations, short-cycle assessments, and district assessments.
· Develop and implement an “authentic” Integrated Algebra I course for middle grade students.
Differentiated Instruction
· Establish a partnership with teachers of mathematics and special education teachers to properly accommodate ALL students through various methods of instruction.
Teacher Preparation
· Establish mathematics institutes for teachers of mathematics that focus on mathematics content, pedagogy, and how current research impacts the teaching of mathematics.
o Identify funding sources to facilitate ongoing teacher training.
o Develop or look into an assessment tool to determine program effectiveness.
Explore assessments (pre- and
post-) for student achievement and teacher effectiveness as it impacts
pedagogy.
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Team Name |
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American Association for the Advancement of Science - DC Fame Program |
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Team Leader |
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Florence Fasanelli - ffasanel@aaas.org
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Area & Recs |
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Learning Processes 12, 13, 14 |
The DC Fame team includes two instructors, a researcher whose expertise is in middle school grade curriculum, and one graduate of the DC FAME project which is funded through a U.S. Department of Education MSP grant. The goal of this program is to enhance the mathematical knowledge and teaching and leadership ability of District of Columbia public, private, and charter middle school teachers. At the Forum, we propose to work on specific recommendations involving the learning process. We are particularly concerned with how to ensure middle school students' acquisition of conceptual and procedural knowledge of rational numbers and proportional reasoning as well as social, affective, and motivational factors that influence inner city students' ability to learn and enjoy mathematics.
Specifically, we are concerned with the affective domain and how to overcome students’ lack of belief in self and how to help them to refocus on effort rather then ability. This results in improved mathematics learning.
Teachers in this program are obtaining a deep understanding of elementary mathematics suitable for teachers of middle school mathematics. Rational number concepts still plague many of their students. Thus we seek more knowledge of research and practice in this area. Motivation and persistence is also a problem with many of our teachers' students. Our teachers have studied research in this area and have shared techniques to motivate students. However, we need to examine further research and practice in this area.
Plan:
Areas of concern:
Student competency in rational number lessons in CMP
Affective domain of students
AAAS feels that we need to have a series of leadership meetings to discuss and share ideas to engage and motivate students. The meetings would include both current and alumni graduate students. Project 2061 has a library of videos tapes made for their study of teaching and learning specific units in Connected Math series. These will be utilized with the 50 plus FAME members.
This will positively effect the students’ mathematical disposition.
By focusing in on a frame of time of the rational numbers, instead of looking at a broader period of time/mathematical skills, and paying attention to the affective domain to motivate the students
.
This would be a joint project of the mathematics dept of the DC Public Schools.
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Team Name |
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Department of Mathematical Sciences, U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY |
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Team Leader |
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Donald A. Outing - donald.outing@usma.edu |
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Area & Recs |
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Learning Processes 10, 13, 13 |
Reports indicate that students with a strong grasp of mathematics have an advantage in academics and in the job market regardless of ethnic background or family income. The reports point to the eighth grade as being the critical point in student's mathematics education. Summer intervention programs that inspire middle school students to continue studying mathematics in high school could improve these numbers. Programs that inspire undergraduate mathematics students to continue studying mathematics in graduate school have already proven successful, e.g., SUMSRI at Miami University and SPIRAL at the University of Maryland. Additionally, programs that encourage high school students to succeed in their pre-college performance have been successful in increasing the rate at which participants complete secondary education and enroll in postsecondary institutions, e.g., Upward Bound.
The Department of Mathematical Sciences, U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY has developed an impressive track record in the area of strengthening minority representation in mathematics: Funding from the Army Research Office to promote awareness of underrepresented groups in mathematics fields. Support from NSF grants which promote College Algebra Reform for HBCUs. Funding from the MAA for sponsoring a Career Mentoring Workshop for Women held at West Point. One-third of our faculty are individuals from underrepresented groups, to include four African Americans and ten females with PhDs in Mathematics. Outreach to middle schools to include presentations on Mathematics Equals Opportunity. The Department is interested in developing a Summer Mathematics Camp for mathematically talented middle school students from groups historically underrepresented in mathematics fields. The primary goals of the Summer Mathematics Camp would be to encourage students to take rigorous mathematics courses in high school, to increase the representation of groups underrepresented in mathematics, to improve the mathematics education of groups underrepresented in mathematics, and to prepare students for post high school education.
The primary goals of the United States Military Academy Summer Mathematics Camp are
Our primary objective is to get funding to begin enrolment by April, 2009.
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Team Name |
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National Association of Mathematicians |
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Team Leader |
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Donald Outing - donald.outing@usma.edu |
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Area & Recs |
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Learning Processes 13, 10, 12 |
Reports indicate that students with a strong grasp of mathematics have an advantage in academics and in the job market regardless of ethnic background or family income. The reports point to the eighth grade as being the critical point in student's mathematics education. Achievement at this stage clears the way for students to take rigorous high school mathematics and science courses which are keys to college entrance and success in the labor force. Surveys indicate that most students would like to go to college; however, many mathematically talented minority students plan to drop mathematics as soon as they can. There is an urgent need to intervene to encourage middle school students to continue studying mathematics in high school. Programs that inspire undergraduate mathematics students to continue studying mathematics in graduate school have already proven successful, e.g., SUMSRI at Miami University and SPIRAL at the University of Maryland. Similar programs developed for middle school students could increase the numbers of students taking rigorous mathematics courses in high school
The National Association of Mathematicians (NAM) has always had as its main objectives, the promotion of excellence in the mathematical sciences and the promotion of the mathematical development of groups historically underrepresented in mathematics fields. It also aims to address the issue of the serious under-representation of minorities in the workforce of mathematical scientists. The organization achieves its goals by focusing on five areas: 1. Mathematics Education 2. Professional/Career Development 3. Scholarly Productivity 4. Student Development 5. Databases. NAM has received funding from numerous agencies to include National Science Foundation, National Security Agency, and MAA to conduct activities and conferences to accomplish its goals.
Goals:
Timeline:
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Team Name |
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Mathematics for ALL: Students At Promise for Success (VA) |
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Team Leader |
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Yvonne Smith-Jones - ysjones@hopewell.k12.va.us |
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Area & Recs |
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Learning Processes 13, 14, 11 |
The team members work closely with rural and urban school districts in Southside, Central, and Eastern parts of Virginia. Math is the queen of sciences and is a vertically structured field. One builds upon the math concepts based on what is learned previously. By the time children enter kindergarten they have varying levels of mathematical knowledge, skills, and interests. How do we connect with and build upon what students already know in elementary grades? How do we help students to develop conceptual understanding, improve computational fluency, and facilitate authentic problem solving that help the students appreciate math as something "sensible, useful, and worthwhile?" How do we make mathematics attainable for all students including those with special needs? Research on individual differences in learning of mathematics will be central to all activities. In order for the children to appreciate mathematics and develop an interest, we need to help the family members also to nurture the students in the learning process. Drawing from the research on social and cultural approaches to learning, the team will focus on the parents' perspectives on mathematics learning and study the importance of school family connection in the learning process of mathematics.
Hopewell City Schools has improved student achievement in mathematics Standards of Learning for the past few years. The school provides after-school programs and encourages students to participate in special projects like robotics. Sutton and Sutton are involved in high performance computing, broadening engagement, and STEM initiatives for K-12. The team has identified the need to work with families to encourage the students to appreciate and learn mathematics. The current interest is to make mathematics accessible for all students, including those with special needs.
The domain of work for the plan is the creation of a template for parental involvement, community involvement, student participation and teacher professional development to address the affective and motivational issues that lead to under-representation.
The plan will create community-based, pre-school programs for parents, based on:
- existing technical resources available to schools;
- home-based resources;
- school to family connections; and
- the Head Start program.
These resources will be deployed through:
- family outings to broaden children’s experience and build their background knowledge;
- community initiatives of every kind;
- the creation of a curriculum with activities that parents can use to build their own children’s skills and knowledge; and
- contacts between teachers and leaders in their neighborhood, so that educators can come to know the community they are working in.
- partnerships with local businesses and city or county administrators, to involve them as models for children’s development and interest in pursuing STEM careers.
The scope and the time frame for the work
The initial scope of the work will match the scope of the Math for All initiative, which covers the state of Virginia. The initial time frame will be six months:
October 2008: Articulation between pre-school and kindergarten teachers
November 2008-January 2009: initial meetings with pre-school parents
February-March 2009: brainstorming, design and testing of models of activity for the curriculum
These are the possibilities that we see for information sharing, motivational support and collaboration between teams.
We suggest that we use a Ning (similar to a Wiki, but with access open only to designated users) to keep other teams informed about progress.
The structure that we would like to set up to facilitate the work.
We need:
- to organize a meeting with early childhood coordinators and leaders;
- to agree a calendar of dates for meetings and work sessions.
No new structures are needed; the plan can be executed within the framework of the existing Math for All project.
The expected outcomes of the plan are to expose the parents of 350 children to mathematical understanding in their home and neighborhood environments. The results of the plan will be evaluated by measuring the numeracy skills of the children, using existing test results or assessments. The children’s use of technology will also be monitored by the instructional technology resource teachers already employed by the Math for All program