Transcript Slide 1

An Update:
National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics
United States Department of Education - MSP Regional Conference
Washington, D.C.
Francis (Skip) Fennell
Professor of Education
McDaniel College
Westminster, MD
&
Past President, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
January 7, 2009
First things first!
• A strong K–12 mathematics education for all
students is important for our nation’s economic
stability, future national security, and workforce
productivity.
• Everyone must be mathematically literate and
recognize the importance of mathematics
learning. NCTM believes that teachers and what
they do in the classroom are at the heart of
making this vision a reality.
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The Competition Thing
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From the Secretary…
• “We must encourage students to
take more advanced math and
science classes. Employers today
need workers with ‘pocket protector’
skills – creative problem solvers with
strong math and science
backgrounds.”
Margaret Spellings, June 21, 2007
Nerds Rock!!!
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Mathematics for all students
• NCTM supports programs and practices that
encourage the acquisition of high-level
mathematics skills by a wide range of overlapping
populations:
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children of poverty,
English language learners,
urban and rural students,
students of all races and ethnicities,
students with learning difficulties,
students who are female, and
students who are mathematically gifted.
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And yet…
• Important, but NOT for me
– Parents are aware of the importance of
math, but remain complacent
– Students pay lip service to the
importance of higher level math…
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NCTM Strategic Priorities
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Curriculum
Equity
Linking Research and Practice
Professional Development
Advocacy
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Curriculum and Assessment
• Increase efforts to focus and align the PreK-8
curriculum to achieve coherence.
an NMAP recommendation
• NCTM supports developing stronger intervention
programs and assessments, with an emphasis on
the ongoing use of formative assessments.
an NMAP recommendation
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Curriculum
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The Intent
To address:
• Long lists of mathematics learning
expectations at the state level with little
consistency across states
• Emphasis on breadth resulting in lack of
depth, i.e. “mile wide, inch deep” curricula
in mathematics
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Number of 4th-Grade Learning Expectations
per State by Content Strand
Number
&
Operation
Geometry
Measurement
Algebra
Data
Analysis,
Probability &
Statistics
Total Number of
Learning
Expectations
California
16
11
4
7
5
43
Texas
15
7
3
4
3
32
New York
27
8
10
5
6
56
Florida
31
11
17
10
20
89
Ohio
15
8
6
6
13
48
Michigan
37
5
11
0
3
56
New Jersey
21
10
8
6
11
56
North Carolina
14
3
2
3
4
26
Georgia
23
10
5
3
4
45
Virginia
17
8
11
2
3
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Reys, et al., 2006
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The Rationale
• Identify key mathematical ideas
across preK-8 that prepare students
for future mathematics, particularly
algebra
• Identify the mathematics that should
be the focus of instruction and student
learning at each grade level, preK-8
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Algebra??
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NCTM Curriculum Principle
A curriculum is more than a
collection of activities. It must be:
• coherent
• focused on important mathematics
• well articulated across the grades
Principles and Standards for School Mathematics, p. 14
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NCTM Curriculum Principle
“…a well-articulated curriculum gives teachers
guidance regarding important ideas or major
themes, which receive special attention at
different points in time. It also gives
guidance about the depth of study warranted
at particular times and when closure is
expected for particular skills or concepts.”
Principles and Standards for School Mathematics, p. 16
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What’s a Focal Point?
• A major mathematical topic of emphasis for
a grade level;
• More than a single objective, standard,
expectation, or indicator;
• An important link in the chain of building
mathematical understanding, preK-8;
• Not an element of a list of discrete topics to
check off as mastered by students.
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• Open number lines
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66
76
83
86
56 + 27 =
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Boxes to multiply…
• Draw a rectangle to show 46 x 7 = 322
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280
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46 x 7 = (40 x 7) + (6 x 7) =
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280 + 42 = 322
Navigations 3-5, Number and Operations, 2007
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What do we know now?
Use status:
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Over half of the states
Most publishers
Teacher education programs, textbooks
Over 1,200,000 downloads later
Curriculum Center Survey results
Most popular NCTM publication – sales
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And…
• Focus on Grades 3-5
• Coming
– Focus on Grades 6-8
– Focus on Grade:
•3
•4
•5
• And more to follow
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Concerns and Challenges
• Confusion – Understanding what is meant
by a focal point – target, area of
emphasis?
• What does it mean to focus?
• Will states and school districts “drop”
curricular topics?
• When will the state tests change?
• What about high school?
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NMAP and Curriculum
• Increase efforts to streamline, focus
and align the PreK-8 curriculum to
achieve coherence.
• Validation
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NMAP
Conceptual Knowledge & Skills
• Curriculum focus and coherence PreK-8
• Closure with topics
• Major Topics of School Algebra
– Should be the focus of school algebra –
however algebra is “presented.”
• Proficiency with the Critical Foundations
– Whole numbers, fractions, particular
aspects of geometry and measurement.
– Benchmarks
• Access to algebra
• Teacher background
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Curriculum
High School Mathematics Project
Drafts Reviewed
Topic Books – Algebra, Geometry, Data
Analysis & Probability
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NCTM’s Goal
• Guidance for schools and states in the design of
curricula and assessment that target the most
important topics.
• Focus for teachers that gives sufficient time for
students to understand concepts and develop and
apply skills necessary for future mathematics.
• Clear direction for students and parents on the
importance of deep understanding of particular
topics at each grade level.
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Equity
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Equity Position Statement
Equity Summits 2008 and 2009
Iris Carl Annual Equity Address
Equity and Publications
– Online issue of JRME
– TCM focus issue
• Equity FOY for 2008-09
• Equity theme of 2009 Annual Conference and
Exposition
• And more!!!
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Linking Research and Practice
• Director of Research:
Dr. Judith Reed
• Research Analyses,
Briefs and Clips at
nctm.org/research.aspx
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NCTM Research
Clips and Briefs
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
and a
QuickTime™ QuickTime™
and a
decompressor
decompressor
are
needed
to see this picture.
are needed to
see
this picture.
Homework
Briefs provide the research in more
detail…
NCTM Research
Clips and Briefs
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Formative Assessment
Linking Research and Practice
• NSF-supported Research Agenda
Conference
– Summer 2008 and Follow-Up February
2009
– Mathematicians, Mathematics
Educators, Supervisors, Teachers,
Cognitive Psychologists, Policy Makers
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Professional Development
• E-learning programs reached 6 continents, 50
states, and 20 different countries
• 18 e-workshops, with over 700 sites connected
• 4 NCATE online report compiler training sessions
• Lesson Study course for teachers of grades 3-8, with
participants from 12 states
• 7 Learn-and-Reflect sessions at NCTM Conferences
and Affiliate Conferences
• To Come: Professional Development Continuum
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Professional Development
On the Web
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Large-Scale Assessment tool
Intervention
President’s Messages
Position Statements (2008)
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Mentoring
Early childhood
Equity
Technology
Algebra
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Advocacy and Outreach
• Senate STEM Caucus – Ken Krehbiel
• National Math Advisory Panel
• Testimony before Congress – re: focus and
coherent curriculum; NMAP Report
• Discussion with Obama transition team
• Math Now legislation
• Board meeting with Deputy Secretary Ray
Simon
• U.S. Department of Education – Doing What
Works
• Much more…
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Emerging Issues
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What algebra? When?
Early childhood mathematics education
Intervention
Elementary Mathematics Specialists
Special Needs: ELL and Special
Education
• Urban-specific Needs
• High School and College articulation
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What are Intervention Programs?
• Structured plans for providing
instructional activities and materials
to support students’ learning
• Additional instruction on content that
has already been introduced in the
classroom
• Intended to boost—not supplant or
copy—regular classroom instruction
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Intervention:
Instructional Actions
• Can occur in a variety of settings:
-Whole-class
-One-on-one
-With a tutor
-During school
-Before/after school
-In summer school
• Leads to follow-up assessment
– Have the actions been successful?
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What is Remediation?
Actions taken to reverse established patterns of
achievement by students who are already
struggling or failing and who need intensive, longterm help.
• Supplemental instruction on content students
are expected to have mastered but have not
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What is Intervention?
Plan of action implemented by an instructor
on behalf of students who may need extra
help or acceleration
• Students’ difficulties or strengths are in
early stages
• Intervention ideally addresses
weaknesses or strengths before they
become a problem for the student
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nctm.org/intervention.aspx
NMAP & Learning Processes
• Preschool background;
• Need for the curriculum to develop conceptual
understanding, computational fluency, and
problem solving;
• Importance of computational proficiency – facts,
standard algorithms, and properties;
• Fractions;
• Role of student effort;
• Diverse learners;
• Readiness.
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We Need
Elementary School
Mathematics Specialists
NOW!
NCTM News Bulletin
Questions?
f
[email protected]
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