Teachers Supporting Teachers’ Understanding of Numbers: A Professional Development

Experiment

Kady Zavacky Sarah SiegCitrus Grove Elementary

Professional Development SchoolDeLand, FL

Mercedes Tichenor Doug MacIsaacNina B. Hollis Institute for Educational Reform

Stetson UniversityDeland, FL

2014 National Council of Teacher of Mathematics Annual Meeting & Exposition, New Orleans, LA

April 10, 2014

Volusia County Schools Stetson University

Professional Development School Partnership

Long standing - 16 years

Citrus Grove Elementary PDS Opened 2011 – Third year of operationSecond year as a PDS

School initiatives are school directed

Learning community - Mutual trust

Citrus Grove DemographicsPre K – 5 School 801 Students

56%28%

9%4% 3% White/NH

HispanicBlackAsian/PIMultiracial

ELL ESE ELL and ESE

Econ. Dis.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

14% 12%2%

68%

Male52%

Fe-male48%

Male

Female

Purpose• School Improvement Plan– Faculty PD in math

• PDS Network Goal–Support pre-service and in-service activities to

enhance professionalism

• School based focus area for Citrus Grove–Collaborate with Stetson University to provide PD

activities for faculty in the area of mathematics instruction

Professional Development: Spring Sessions

Young Mathematicians at Work Book Study

Format

• Hybrid Model– Face to face meetings–On-line discussion forum, task

submission, and idea networking via Edmodo

• 6 Professional Development Points

Primary Intermediate

Number Sense Number Sense

Addition & Subtraction Multiplication & Division

Topics

**Originally, we had planned on covering 3 books. Each group would have their grade-appropriate book as well as the Number

Sense Routines book.

Teacher Led Face-to-Face SessionsDecember 19 - January 30 - February 27

•Cross grade-level and subject sharing

•Collaboration of:–New Strategies–Implementation Methods

•Hands on Activities/Modeling

Online Format• used for the online discussions

• Edmodo Group was divided into two small groups.– Primary (Addition and Subtraction)

– Intermediate (Multiplication and Division)

– Cross group discussion was available in the main discussion forum

• Participants were expected to make two online contributions in between each face-to-face session.– Participants:• Write a reflection of the topic at hand. (i.e. Do I already do this?

Do I anticipate issues with using this in my classroom? What do I like? How might I use this?)• Respond to the reflections of other participants. (i.e. Tips or tricks

they learned when implementing a certain strategy, agreements, disagreements, constructive advice or questions)

Online Setup

Starting the Discussion

Online Sharing

Sample Prompt for Discussion

One of the big ideas from Chapter 1 is “Mathematizing”. “It is the questions that drive mathematics. Solving problems and

making up new ones is the essence of mathematical life”. (p. 12)

Discuss with your group what you think the difference is between mathematics and

mathematizing. What evidence of either do you see in your classroom?

Face-to-Face Activity

As Michael drove home from his visit, he began to think about the different ages in his family. He is 31, his younger brother is 29, his mother is 55, and his dad is 57. During his drive, Michael pondered a number of questions related to these ages.

Directions: With your group, solve the problems located in the

center of your table.If different group members have different ideas, use

more than one to determine which you like best.SHOW YOUR WORK!

The point? Activities such as this enlightened our teachers!

This helped us to emphasize the importance of discussion and “stretching it.”

By asking the students to explain their strategy, other students walk away from the lesson with new ideas and explanations from their peers.

Allows the educator to uncover misconceptions and correct it.

Professional Development: Summer Extension

Number Sense Routines Book Study

Number Sense Routines:

Summer PD• Built on Spring Math PD

• 30 Teacher Participants (Grades K-5)

• 4 sessions held bi-weekly over the summer break.Face-to-face discussionsHands-on activities

• 6 Professional Development

Points

Session 1

Session 2

Topic Activities

•Number Sense Routines•Visual Routines •Quick images

•Ten frames

Topic ActivitiesCounting Routines

•Count around the circle•Choral counting

Session 3

Session 4

Topic Activities

•Quantity routines- Making sense of numbers and their relationships

•Ways to make a number•Today’s number•Mental Math

Topic Activities

•Calendar and data routines- using numbers everyday

•Line plot of daily temperatures•Moon phases•Counting days in school

Let’s Get Hands-On•Quick Images examples

• Ten Frame Quiz-Quiz-Trade

http://www.edplus.canterbury.ac.nz/literacy_numeracy/maths/numdocuments/dot_card_and_ten_frame_package2005.pdf

http://www.ablongman.com/vandewalleseries/Vol_1_BLM_PDFs/V1%20All%20BLMs.pdf

Impact

• Multiple teacher-led hybrid book studies in the 2013-2014 school year.

• Student FCAT scores shows large growth. 3rd grade FCAT scores: (100% teacher participation!)• 2012 Testing Year: 35% scoring a 3 or higher.• 2013 Testing Year: 68% scoring a 3 or higher.

• Academic coaches and PD facilitators have targeted student discussion as one of the primary focuses of math instruction.

For more information contact

Kady Zavackykrzavack@volusia.k12.fl.us

Sarah Siegssieg@volusia.k12.fl.us

Mercedes TichenorStetson University

Comments and Questions