ATTENDEES

Alderwood: Liz Clark, Susan Little, Megan McClellan, Kathy Lorson-Howell Birchwood: Danielle Ayers, Colleen Henehan, Denise Binderup, Kelly Morgan, Denise Bentley Carl Cozier: Jeff Jacobs, Sara Balston, Angie Azzara Columbia: Gayle O'Malley, Susan Pevonak Geneva: Jennifer Magnusson, Amy Tisdale, Jan Stamey, Lisa Niva Happy Valley: Lisa Thoreson, Linda Stevens, Shirley Potter Larrabee: Lowell: Northern Heights: Becky Sipsey, Rick Lingbloom, Kristin Roche, Julie Jiminez Parkview: Jill Caldwell, Angela Hawkins Roosevelt: Janis Gustafson, Kim Rutledge, Jennifer Noyes, Courtney Weinmann Silver Beach: Sharie Burdick, Shari Lingbloom, Sunnyland Laurie Anderson, Lisa McAlpine, Karen Cox

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 minutes - First Grade Spring

FIRST GRADE SUGGESTIONS & KEY LEARNINGS

SUGGESTIONS

Need different snap cubes (terrible). Check out multi-links.
Make sure all Special Ed teachers get a copy of the Guide book.
Share instructional strategies using Investigations units (4)
Time to celebrate
Time for open Q/A discussion
Like the time – sharing and collaborating
More tech
Being prepared – reminders
Consistent assessment
Classroom Management

KEY LEARNINGS

Need for measurement kit: balance scale, scoops, funnel, etc, Lit books
Good to know where district stands on curriculum,what we're expected to use (2)
Sharing our ideas was helpful.
Realized the confusion I feel about what to teach, when, and how was shared by most people I talked to (2)
There are significant gaps in TERC where supplemental curriculum is necessary
Technology connections
Everyone has a different order to teach each investigation – is one better than the next?
Looking forward to the work coming from the Math Task Force
It was great to talk with teachers who all use TERC.
I am leaving with a renewed interest in the TERC curriculum.
Where our district is headed in Math and how secondary teachers' teaching methods are connected to primary/intermediate methods and goals. (way to go on those WASL stats!)
New ideas for management during small group work
I need to set up my math to develop “kid's questioning” climate
More open-ended activities to meet the whole spectrum of abilities
Still unsure about how our math program connects with our report card
There are other teachers in the district that are doing the same kinds of things I am. There are others who are not doing anything like what I am.
Team collaboration is the key to improvement in this area.
Keep the math targets (GLEs) as my focus, using Investigations as primary material – supplement with other math materials.
Remember the big ideas for first grade math.
Set realistic goals and expectations for myself and for my kids.
Become more familiar with a couple of the TERC units.
What works – what doesn't. Enjoyed the collaboration.
The mathematical thinking unit can be skipped because it is repeated .
Ideas on implementing TERC (8)
It was reassuring to me to be able to discuss successes and challenges with colleagues (2)
I need to focus more on TERC, less of SFAW and Kathy Richardson.