How do we foster creativity and aesthetic appreciation of mathematics beyond the beauty of theorems and equations?

How do we move from fear of mathematics in education to embracing mathematics as a tool, not only for analysis, modeling, measurement, and hypothesis testing, but also as a source of imagination, wonder, and awe?

How does mathematics help us both appreciate aesthetic alternatives to symmetry in nature and to better understand the behavior of systems?

 What is the value of a triptych of multiple visual, mechanical, and mathematical models?

Please join us for an evening celebrating the wonders of mathematics!

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LearnNow.org was developed as a joint effort by UD researcher Roberta Golinkoff and collaborators from Johns Hopkins Medicine Brain Science Institute; Temple University; Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education; the Families and Work Institute; and Maryland Institute College of Art. By creating the first comprehensive research index on the topic, Golinkoff and her colleagues wanted to affect the way parents, teachers and policymakers understand how learning really happens and how to facilitate it.

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“That’s a very good way of looking at math and pi,” said Tom Fernsler, of the Math Science Educational Resource Center at the University of Delaware. “Everything today that’s made that is round or requires a calculation involving a circle, sphere or curved surface involves the use of pi.”   Read more

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As a former teacher, principal and assistant superintendent of schools and now the director of Metamorphosis, Inc., Lucy encourages school systems to focus on shifting school dialogue in order to engage the adults in meaningful conversations based on evidence of student learning.  A proponent of systems thinking, she notes that this requires time for teachers and administrators to plan and observe lessons together, to establish clarity and deepen understanding of effective teaching and learning in action, and to develop a common language for describing and assessing what they see in classrooms.

Although the day was long and the hour was late, Lucy’s message resonated with the audience. Dr. Shelley Rouser, Special Assistant to the Secretary of Education, shared her sentiments about the evening, “I could sit here for hours and listen to her. Not only does her message uplift the profession, but she simultaneously challenges our thinking about our ability to influence those things that many people feel are inevitable.”  Many members of the audience were indeed able to spend more hours in conversations with Lucy also attended the February 1^st meeting of the Mathematics Instructional Specialists Team (MIST).  For the past year, this group of instructional specialists has been meeting monthly to study Lucy’s book and other coaching resources and to practice the questioning and listening skills she espouses (http://www.amazon.com/Content-Focused-Coaching-Transforming-Mathematics-Lessons).

Jennifer Trievel, a coach from the Colonial School District who attended both sessions with Lucy elaborated, “Her talks were amazing! It gave me so much to think about in terms of how I can better my coaching skills and how I can help to make a greater change within our district. She gave me some much needed motivation and things to think about as I move forward! I can honestly say, the MSERC community has challenged my views and pushed me to be a better teacher, coach and professional!! I am grateful to be a part of the community!! “

If you are a teacher or teacher leader who wants to work collaboratively with a coaching community of learners, you may be interested in attending MIST which meets during the work day on the first Friday of the month. For more information, please contact Val Maxwell (vmaxwell@udel.edu).

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One of the highlights of our time together was watching a teacher video from one of our own group members. This month, MOT Charter School teacher Lauren Hoskins (pictured here teaching a tens-frame Number Talk with her first grade class), shared her video. In discussing the experience Lauren said, “Number talks are a great way to gain more information about the level of number sense each student has and an excellent opportunity to have students share their thinking.  It allows learners at all levels to participate in a math discussion and develop greater number sense by listening to the thought process of their peers.”

Here is some feedback from a teacher new to the project:
“What I enjoyed the most was the discussion and collaboration with other math teachers. This enabled me to learn how other schools at different grade levels teach math.  The connections with others to be able to share ideas and thoughts to build better learning environments for students enabled me to strengthen my skills as a math instructor.  I also enjoyed learning about leadership styles.  It is rewarding to be challenged in my own thinking. Overall this was the positive energy I wish every teacher could experience.  I’m glad it was me. Can’t wait till the next one!”

As a result of the work we do in EMTL the teacher leaders and mathematics specialists in the project are sharing what they learn with their students and with their colleagues back in their schools.  Part of the teachers’ homework each month is to take a lesson we have shared in EMTL, try it with their classes, and share what they are learning with colleagues. Shortly after our November meeting Jennifer Anderson, a mathematics specialist from the Colonial School District (pictured here) volunteered to videotape her Number Line lesson. She then shared her lesson plans, her video, and her reflections on the lesson with other fourth grade teachers. Meeting with colleagues to plan, share, and reflect on teaching is one way that teacher leaders build a collaborative teaching and learning community within schools.

Carie DeBaca, a math specialist from the Capital School District who is currently in her third year in the project summed up the value of this type of collaboration by saying: “When a group of educators can come together around the common goal to improve student understanding, so many benefit. I am excited about the number of teachers, coaches and supervisors who attend EMTL and can share the great strategies, research, and collaborative ideas with others.”

Perhaps you know someone with leadership skills and potential who would like to become more skilled and confident in helping other teachers become more effective teaching mathematics. We are looking forward to our next EMTL meeting scheduled for January 15^th, 2013. For more information about EMTL, email Valerie Maxwell, vmaxwell@udel.edu.

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Teachers, math specialists and administrators are invited to a dinner conference hosted by the Mathematics & Science Educational Resource Center (MSERC) and the Delaware Teacher Center. The event will take place:

Thursday

January 31, 2013

5:30pm – 8:30pm

Sheraton, Dover, Delaware

Guest Speaker – Lucy West discussing “Teaching Learning Communities.”

Ms. West will share insights into how district teachers, specialist and administrators construct a share understanding of effective instruction.  If you would like to know more about about this inspiring event and click for the register form.

• Event Flyer
• Event Registration

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According to the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics,  “A single mathematics education leader can have an incredible impact on the development and effectiveness of others. Leaders in mathematics education at all levels of the school or district organization are crucial for ensuring attainment of high-quality school mathematics programs”. In support of this vision, MSERC provides a monthly forum for math specialists to reflect on their work, their successes, and their challenges and to talk as a professional community about research based efforts to improve the teaching and learning of mathematics. In discussing their work math specialists often express the concern that, despite their best efforts, classroom teachers are still unsure or unable to implement the changes that benefit student learners.  For example one of the math specialists observed that, “even though teachers are teaching from the same curriculum, attending the same professional development, and looking at data with their colleagues in the same PLCs, when it comes to teaching the lesson there is a wide variety in the quality of the lesson that is actually taught”.

During this school year MSERC is taking steps to address this concern. Our group of approximately 35 specialists from school districts throughout the state has been dubbed the Mathematics Instructional Specialists Team (MIST). Each of our monthly meetings is organized around learning the process skills and habits of mind of “collaborative coaching” as a means for inspiring and moving teaching and learning conversations forward.  Our meetings focus on: a) helping teachers design and implement lessons from which students will learn, and b) encouraging teachers and specialists to communicate with each other in a focused and professional manner.

In November each of the MIST participants shared their observations from effective classrooms. Then, using written and video resources, we practiced strategies for recording and interpreting the progress of a lesson using clear and descriptive language. We discussed ways in which our language and our use of questioning can be used to open doors for honest communication with teachers.  Between now and the next meeting, each participant will do another observation and will write a draft set of notes to form the basis for further conversation. We also watched video from Content-Focused Coaching: Transforming Mathematics Lessons (West & Staub, 2003), paying careful attention to the ways in which Lucy West, master coach, questioned teachers’ understanding of the mathematical goals of the lesson, and addressed teachers’ underlying beliefs about learning expectations for their students.

The next meeting of MIST is scheduled for Friday, December 7^th, 8:30 AM- 3:30 PM at Wilmington University.

Valerie Maxwell

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