Transcript A Mathematics Specialist Program: Its Structure and Impact on Practicing Elementary Teachers Nadine Bezuk & Susan Nickerson.

A Mathematics Specialist
Program: Its Structure and
Impact on Practicing
Elementary Teachers
Nadine Bezuk & Susan Nickerson
Overview
 Math
Specialist Certificate
Program
–Goals & Components
 Impact
of the Program on
Teachers
 Lessons Learned
Mathematics Specialist
Certificate Program-Goals and Components
Why Mathematics
Specialists?

“Because of the increasing
mathematical sophistication of the
curriculum in grades 3 - 5, the
development of teachers’ expertise is
particularly important. Teachers need to
understand both the mathematical
content for teaching and students’
mathematical thinking.” (NCTM (2000)
Principles and Standards, p. 146)
What is the Mathematics
Specialist Certificate
Program?

University-based program designed to
help inservice elementary teachers
improve student achievement by
enhancing their mathematics teaching.
Goals and Focus of the
Program

Goal of the program is to improve student
mathematics achievement.
 Focus is on helping teachers acquire:
– deep understanding of the mathematics
taught at elementary grades and
– the skills needed to teach mathematics
effectively.
 Program coursework links content and
pedagogy in order to help teachers
develop pedagogical content knowledge.
Mathematics Specialist
Certificate Program

12 units of coursework
– 6 undergraduate units of Mathematics
• including number, geometry, algebraic
reasoning
• provides a close look at the content of topics
taught at the elementary level
– 6 graduate units of Teacher Education
• focusing on effective mathematics instruction,
students’ mathematical thinking, and reflecting
on practice)
Other Program Details

Two Options
– For Primary (grades K - 2) Teachers
– For Upper Elementary (grades 3 - 6)
Teachers

Two-year Program
– Start with 5 days on SDSU campus
– Continue with weekly 3-hour classes
afternoon at a local elementary school
Integrating Teachers’
Knowledge and Practice

“Effective programs of teacher
preparation and professional
development cannot stop at simply
engaging teachers in acquiring
knowledge; they must challenge
teachers to develop, apply, and analyze
that knowledge in the context of their
own classrooms so that knowledge and
practice are integrated” (National
Research Council (2001), p. 380).
How We Connect Content
and Pedagogy

Course calendar is interwoven, with TE and
Math classes offered on consecutive weeks.
 Our instructors:
– Plan and debrief classes together.
– Attend each others’ classes and work to make
connections explicit .
– Model good teaching in our courses.
– Visit the classrooms of the program participants.
Developing Pedagogical
Content Knowledge

Examine effective teaching by analyzing
video and written cases and readings to
help develop a vision of effective math
classroom.

Discuss and model powerful strategies
(e.g., ELL strategies, facilitating
communication in math classroom).

Consider how examining student work
informs planning and determining whether
instructional goals were met.
Developing Pedagogical
Content Knowledge
– Emphasize children’s thinking and
the teaching practices that support
their mathematical development.
– Examine student work:
– Reflect on how children come to think
about and understand math topics.
– View videos of classrooms and of
students doing mathematics and
consider the implications for teaching.
Impact of the Program on
Teachers
Measuring the Impact of the
Program on Teachers
Surveyed 71 teachers who completed
the program in May 2004.
 Compared the performance of
participating teachers’ students on the
California Standards Test with that of all
students who took the test.

Changes Reported by Teachers
100% reported having a better
understanding of the mathematics
they teach.
94% reported their mathematics
teaching was better.
87% said that their beliefs about
teaching and learning mathematics
had changed over the course of
the program.
- Teachers who reported no changes
said the program reinforced their
existing beliefs.
Changes Reported by Teachers
(cont.)
90% said their expectations for
students related to mathematics
had changed.
- Teachers who did not report a
change cited high expectations
already for their students.
More than 95% identified specific
areas of mathematics that they
would like to know more about.
Other Findings

Teachers are interested in further study
in mathematics and math education.
– 23 teachers out of approximately 90
teachers from the first two years went on to
take additional math coursework
– 7 have enrolled in a Math Ed. Master’s
Degree Program at SDSU

Many teachers are serving in leadership
roles in their school districts.
Nexus With Student
Achievement

Increased growth in mathematics
achievement of students of participating
teachers on the California Standards Test:
– In grade six, the increase in the percent of
students scoring at Proficient or Advanced level
was 6.48% ; district-wide, sixth grade increase
was 4.1%.
• [Note: CST has 5 performance levels: Advanced,
Proficient, Basic, Below Basic, and Far Below Basic]
Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned





Less is More (depth rather than breadth).
In-service teachers often need:
– Support to be reflective, and
– Examples of what effective practice looks
like.
Must find balance between support and rigor.
Effective pedagogy is more than curriculum
training.
Two-year program allows time to support
teachers as they make changes in practice.
Lessons Learned

Incentives are important and encourage
teachers to participate:
– Units, certificate, stipends.
Integration of Math and Teacher
Education coursework is essential and
requires ongoing collaborative planning.
 Cohort model fosters a sense of
learning community among teachers.

One Teacher’s Comments About
the MSCP’s Impact on
Her Teaching
“I feel my knowledge and understanding
of mathematics has been expanded to
the point where I will never teach math
the same again. I know too much about
group/partner work, using manipulatives;
reflective writing, student-directed
teaching, student responsibility. In short, I
feel enlightened. I feel I finally
understand math.”
References

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
(2000). Principles and standards for School
Mathematics. Reston, VA: Author.
 National Research Council (2001). Adding it
up: Helping children learn mathematics.
Kilpatrick, J., Swafford, J. & Findell, B. (Eds.)
(2000). Washington, DC: National Academy
Press.
Contact Information
Nadine Bezuk
Center for Research in Mathematics and Science
Education
San Diego State University
6475 Alvarado Road, Suite 206
San Diego, CA 92120
619-594-3971
[email protected]
http://pdc.sdsu.edu