ATTENDEES

Alderwood: Rebecca Lacey, Kari Miller Birchwood: Roxanne McKee, Rose Trowbridge Carl Cozier: Caren Pitsch, Valorie McElroy, Richard Long Columbia: Natalie Jude, Joyce Sweeney, Danielle Cecotti Geneva: Jamie Gochnour, Juliea Ritchie Happy Valley Susie Holmes-Webb, Jean Peaco, Jennie Brado, Amy Roselli Larrabee: Kelly Glynn, Liz Wade, Jennifer Blethern Pittis Lowell: Amanda Voigt, Sarah Neyman Northern Heights: Kristin Roche, Lisa Hawes, Debbie Nelson Parkview: Cheryl Israel, Cindy Webley Roosevelt: Russ Nuckolls, Ann Fleming Silver Beach: Adele Aust, Becky Walstad, Jan Ericson Sunnyland Kristin Odenthal, Cindy Christenson

OUTCOMES

To provide consistent, powerful instruction in all classrooms across our district by learning from each other and refining our individual practice

OBJECTIVES

New – Through a deeper understanding of each unit, teachers will explore and design a yearlong structure for implementing Investigations

Shared - By sharing experiences with implementing the Investigations, teachers will refine their practice, the structure, and the management of each unit

Alignment – By understanding the purpose of a clear articulated curriculum, teachers will discuss strategies for a consistent implementation of Investigations

NEW LEARNING

Teachers read a statement on table tents from Improving Student Achievement in Mathematics, Part 2: Recommendations for the Classroom. The full text can be found at: http://www.ericdigests.org/2003-1/math3.htm. Everyone had an opportunity to read the research that supported the statements and to discuss their current thinking about the article. Teachers shared teaching strategies and practices that support student achievement in mathematics.

SHARED

Teachers chose an investigation that they would like to discuss with others at their grade level. A recording sheet was provided to support table discussions and included approach, grouping, resources, technology, materials management, assessments and parent connections.

ALIGNMENT

Teachers regrouped to include members from each of the shared learning discussions.

The teachers discussed the suggested pacing and sequence for the Components of Investigations in Number, Data, and Space for the school year.

Table leaders used a recording sheet, to guide the discussion and to make recommendations to the Elementary Math Task Force about pacing, sequencing, curriculum connection and challenges to overcome at their grade level. This work will be used by the Elementary Math Task Force in creating the Bellingham School District Math Support Guide.

ALIGNMENT

Members from the Elementary Math Task Force shared progress and current work they are doing. They are planning to have a Bellingham School District Math Support Guide out in September 2005. Input and questions were gathered from the teachers and will be shared with the Task Force.

Math WASL scores from Grades 10 and 7 were shared with the group. Both middle school and high school levels are implementing new math curriculum and using resources that are similar to Investigations. Both levels are receiving professional development to support implementation of the new direction in mathematics instruction. The data indicates a clear upward trend in student math scores.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Q A

grade level meeting

SECOND GRADE SUGGESTIONS & KEY LEARNINGS

SUGGESTIONS

Schools with large Hispanic populations need district support with parent letters that help them know how to work with kids at home
Develop mathematical understandings-do not implement a particular set of materials such as TERC (2)
More Math materials/expectations
2 nd grade teachers should meet at 1:00 like 3 rd grade so we can have lunch (2)
Take 1 TERC unit per month to concentrate on
Let's talk about science, expectations, resources (2)
Writing – talking about processes for proofreading and editing as well as publishing.
Have one group present each book in TERC.
It would be nice to be formally trained in TERC to be more effective with the implementation of the lessons
Unstructured time to share (2)
Please define for us the “absolutely must teach” for grade 2 math/science and which materials we must use.
One math “meeting” each month.
Writing ideas/help… Setting up the day… Time to go through the phonics book

Key Learnings

How important it is for us as a district staff to be growing in our math understandings, not learning a resource
Lots of people find it hard to assimilate new curriculum. We tend to stick with what works, bring in new as we can.
Investigations materials/units can coordinate with other materials being used… but it's our primary resource
I'm not along in my thinking about the work load of TERC
Alignment of Investigations with GLE's (2)
Learned what I do and don't have to teach
Investigations truly does not teach place value!
Great ideas on how to incorporate TERC into other subjects (3)
Using more technology in math
We are all a work in progress when it comes to using TERC
Looking at GLEs and comparing them to BSD requirements
Number Sense needs to be a focus
TERC's sequence isn't necessarily the best