In this December 2013 Issue:
- President's Message- Jason Cushner
- Mahesh Sharma Interview
- Common Core lesson resources
- A paper on math coaching to help others teach deeper
- Algebra for All- but when? The president of the NCTM chimes in.
- New Study Finds That Gender is NOT a Predictor of Success on Math Tests
- Smarter Balanced test resource
- ATMNE Conference in Killington: Where the Elite. Met (wow, that lost its rhyme in the past tense, didn't it?)
- Ken Gross- More than 12 Dozen Accolades to the Bezuska Lifetime Service Award for Teaching and Learning
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President's Message December 2013
I hope you are all doing well during this intense time of year. It was wonderful to see so many of you at the ATMNE Fall Conference. Just after that VCTM held a retreat to create a vision for the next couple of years. We are an organization that is committed to students having a math education that is engaging and prepares students for the future. Some schools are still operating in an education system that is outdated, and we need to prepare students for a rapidly changing world while we get ready for the Common Core State Standards and Education Quality Standards that are coming our way.
VCTM has chosen three main projects to take on this year to support in that effort:
1. Creating a digital platform that provides support and connections for what you need in math education
2. Start a local learning series to provide professional development and connections in your region
3. Creating the next VCTM conference that provides a window into what’s happening statewide with the implementation of some of the new and evolving math education practices
We welcome your feedback on how VCTM can best serve math education in Vermont.
Jason Cushner
VCTM President
Program Coordinator Big Picture South Burlington
Rowland Fellow
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Mahesh Sharma On Common Core, Flipping the Classroom, and Non-Negotiable Skills: I recently had the opportunity to sit down and talk with math education expert, Mahesh Sharma. Having the good fortune to have taken his class when it was offered at St. Michael's 23 years ago, I reached out to him to offer his thoughts about the Common Core and other subjects when he was in Montpelier last week doing teacher training for several school districts. To read the interview, scroll below to the next post - David Rome
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You've Got to See it to Believe It! If you're like me, figuring out how to teach lessons that you have been using in the past being mindful of the Common Core can be a daunting challenge- VCTM Board Member T.J. Jemison recommends this Illustrative Mathematics site to help you find lessons and activities that get at the deep instruction needed to meet CCSS standards
Using our neighbors to the west, we can learn much more about the Common Core through their Engage NY website. So many articles and videos- take advantage of the fact that there are are many available lessons and ideas for you to pluck off the ones that you need.
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K-5 Coaching- New Opportunities With New Approaches While the focus of Board member Tracy Watterson's paper is about the transformation of an elementary school teacher's transformation via a math coach, all can benefit from reading about the process. A new organization in Vermont, the Vermont Math Leadership Council, is there to find new leaders who are invigorated by stories like this.
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Algebra: Not If but When by NCTM President Linda M. Gojak
One of the questions I am asked frequently by teachers, parents, and reporters is, “When should students take algebra?” Let’s assume that we’re talking about a college preparatory algebra 1 course. The content and instruction must be designed to develop both conceptual and procedural understanding. For students to be considered successful in first-year algebra, the expectation must be that reasoning and making sense will be priorities of both teaching and learning. Read more.
One of the questions I am asked frequently by teachers, parents, and reporters is, “When should students take algebra?” Let’s assume that we’re talking about a college preparatory algebra 1 course. The content and instruction must be designed to develop both conceptual and procedural understanding. For students to be considered successful in first-year algebra, the expectation must be that reasoning and making sense will be priorities of both teaching and learning. Read more.
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Remediation, Not Gender, Plays Role in Increasing Test Scores. A Geogia (state) study has found that gender differences on standardized test scores are insignificant, something that most of us have felt was a decades old stale notion. What the study does show, however, is that remediation is effective for raising test scores. While the study is long and will likely eat a half ream of paper if you choose to print it out, the implications section begins on page 72 and has some interesting observations- thanks to Carole LaVigne of Burlington HS for finding this for us.
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No- It's Not a Breakfast Cereal. But we will be having it served up soon- so you can get a preview of the menu of the NECAP replacement, the Smarter Balanced test. It's coming folks- so if you would like to stay current about the test that will replace the NECAP in 2014-2015, then please use this resource.
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ATMNE Conference in Killington- More than 350 math educators from all around New England met in October in Killington. Past President sends us her photos and description of the conference in case you missed it!
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Ken Gross- A Man for all Teachings. For those of you who know him or have been taught by him, there is no doubt that Ken Gross of UVM, the recipient of the of the Rev. Stanley J. Bezuska Lifetime Service Award for Teaching and Learning was deserving. A humble and humorous man, he has engaged thousands of UVM students and summer high school students at the Summer Institute every summer. Ken was honored at the October ATMNE conference held at Killington, and for more about Ken's accomplishments, read more about them here.
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