Transcript San Diego State University Mathematics Specialist Certificate Program: What Have We Learned? Steve Klass, Nadine Bezuk & Jane Gawronski.

San Diego State University
Mathematics Specialist
Certificate Program: What Have
We Learned?
Steve Klass, Nadine Bezuk & Jane Gawronski
Overview
 Mathematics
Specialist
Certificate Program
–Goals & Components
 Impact
of the Program on
Teachers
 Lessons Learned
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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)
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What is the SDSU
Mathematics Specialist
Certificate Program?

University-based program designed to
help inservice elementary teachers
improve student achievement by
enhancing their mathematics teaching.
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Goals and Focus of SDSU
Program

Goal: Improve student mathematics
achievement.
 Focus: Help teachers acquire:
– deep understanding of the mathematics
taught at elementary grades and
– the skills needed to teach mathematics
effectively.
 Coursework links content and pedagogy
to help teachers develop pedagogical
content knowledge.
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Mathematics Specialist
Certificate Program

Integrated program taking place over two
years; teachers meet for three hours on a
weekly basis.
– Teacher Education Component
• focusing on effective mathematics instruction, students’
mathematical thinking, and reflecting on practice
– Mathematics Content Component
• including number, geometry, algebraic reasoning
• provides a close look at the content of topics taught at
the elementary level
– *Teachers earn 12 semester units (6 graduate level TE, 6 lower division
Mathematics)
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Other Program Details

Two Options
– Primary (grades K - 2) Teachers
– Upper Elementary (grades 3 - 6) Teachers

Two-year Program
– Start with 5 days on SDSU campus
– Continue with weekly 3-hour afternoon
classes at a local elementary school
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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)
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How We Connect Content
and Pedagogy

Course calendar is interwoven, with TE and
Math classes offered on consecutive weeks.
 Instructors:
– Plan and debrief classes together.
– Attend each others’ classes and make
connections explicit.
– Model good teaching (e.g., ELL strategies,
facilitating communication in math classroom).
– Visit the classrooms of the program participants.

Contact us for more information about
curriculum and course content.
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Developing Pedagogical
Content Knowledge



Examine effective teaching by
analyzing video and written cases and
readings to develop a vision of
effective math classroom.
Consider how examining student work
informs planning and determining
whether instructional goals were met.
Emphasize children’s thinking and the
teaching practices that support their
mathematical development.
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Mathematics Specialist
Certificate Program
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.
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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.
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Changes Reported by Teachers
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.
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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.
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Nexus With Student
Achievement

Increased growth in mathematics
achievement of students of participating
teachers on the California Standards Test
(CST):
– 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]
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Mathematics Specialist
Certificate Program
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.
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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.

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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.”
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Next Steps

Developing partnerships with schools
– Alternative models
• January start
• Full release day
• Self-supporting
– Contracts with districts
– Endowment
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Contact Information
Center for Research in Mathematics and Science Education
Professional Development Collaborative
San Diego State University
6475 Alvarado Road, Suite 206
San Diego, CA 92120
Steve Klass
Nadine Bezuk
Jane Gawronski
619-594-5114
619-594-3971
619-594-3858
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
http://pdc.sdsu.edu
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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.
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