Stories and Questions From Three MSP/ITQ Sites Davida Fischman, fischman@csusb.edu, CSU San BernardinoPaul Gardner, pgardner@sjcoe.net, San Joaquin COEArthur Beauchamp, acbeauchamp@ucdavis.edu, UC Davis

Questions we asked ourselves• Project model: whole-school vs. volunteer teachers or teams

from multiple schools/districts?• What might be effective ways to transfer project learning

across projects?• How can we best support transfer of knowledge from

seminars/institutes to classroom practice?• What professional development formats are effective in

creating sustainable change? • What professional development formats are effective in

building leadership capacity and professionalism?

ALEGRIA!Partnership between •CSUSB-Inland Counties Math Project•Ontario-Montclair SD (one K-8 school)•San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, Mathematics Coordinator

Context• Whole-school; K-6 grew to K-8• 25-28 teachers• 63% EL students• 92% Low SES• Evolving into STEM school• Large number of non-ALEGRIA initiatives in the school

ThemesContent•Number sense, structure of number systems•Equivalence•Fractions - meaning and operations•Multiplicative vs. additive thinking•Patterns and Functions•Development of concepts through the gradesPedagogy•Multiple representations of concepts•Language support for EL students and others•Classroom discourse – listening mathematically to students•Formative assessment

Development of ProjectTeacher Content Growth

Admin Support Community of Practice

Teacher Desire

Year 1 Yr0 -> Yr 1: ES = 0.24 s.d.*

High/active Whole-school, some LS Gr. 4-6

High

Transition: 50% of teachers were let go or retired

Year 2 Yr1 -> Yr2:ES = 0.28 s.d.

High/passive Whole-school, LS teams Gr. 3-7

Mixed

Transition: 30% of teachers let go or retired

Year 3 Yr2 -> Yr3:ES = 0.07 s.d.

High/mixed Whole-school, LS teams Gr. K-8

Increased

Transition: 43% of teacher were let go or retired

Year 4 High/mixed LS teams Gr. K-8 High (for LS)

* Standard Deviation = 7.39

Development of Project• Year 1: • Principal and teachers excited, full participation in seminars and

summer institute• Principal on leave part of the year, returned with full plate, less

active in project• Unable to hire coach, turned to lesson study as alternative• End of year: 50% of teachers let go due to budget (more were

“pink-slipped”) and retired• Year 2:• New teachers entering, some only after summer institute. Were

only mildly encouraged to attend institute• Lesson study helped catch new teachers up to speed, create

productive grade-level communities of practice.• End of year: 30% of teacher let go and retired

Development of Project• Year 3:• Some additional turnover in teachers• Similar integration issues with new teachers (content and

community)• Lesson study throughout the grades a major factor in improving

school collaborative culture• End of year: 50% of teachers let go or on leave

• Year 4:• Additional turnover in teachers• Teachers eagerly awaiting (smaller number of) lesson study

sessions• Continuance of large number of initiatives

Example of Leveraging Funding: Lesson Study Conference

How does one project inform another?• ALEGRIA: mobility of teachers diluted the effect of the project.

Conclusion for ACES: district-wide, bring in teams of teachers but allow teachers to continue in the project if/when they move to other schools.

Excerpts from Teacher Reflections• I think as a whole we are more reflective and really try to find other

ways to get the concept across.• My conceptual understanding of fractions and functions has

deepened which makes me a much better teacher of these concepts• Lesson study has helped me in understanding how students think

and opened my eyes to student misconceptions.• …helped me think critically and find different ways to approach a

problem/task. Patterns and rules seem to make more sense as I visually see them and manipulate them.

• … Especially in the area of language. I am constantly seeking to use terms that clarify my students understanding especially for my second language learners.

• My assessment of math has changed drastically, I use way more formative assessments w/ frequent feedback

• I am able to conceptually explain mathematical concepts, push my students to answer the why (you personally drove me crazy with that question, lol ), and can demonstrate many different ways to approach and solve equations… (growth in student scores)

Sacramento Area Science Project

Refining your work over time.

Thinking of Practices Across Projects or Time

• Think for a moment about a significant practice that you have used in professional development that has crossed program boundaries (either between concurrent programs or from one program to a subsequent one). If you are involved in your first program, thing of a practice you’d like to see further developed.

Talking about Practices Across Projects or Time

• Think for a moment about a significant practice that you have used in professional development that has crossed program boundaries (either between concurrent programs or from one program to a subsequent one). If you are involved in your first program, think of a practice you’d like to see further developed.

• Now, talk with a partner about the practice you identified and how it has persisted, become more sophisticated, strengthened or informed your project(s).

An Example Progression2000 SASP

begins conducting and

investigating Lesson Study

2002 SASP hosts Lesson Study

Conference for CSMPs

2004 CAMSP with YCOE – project uses Lesson Study as the academic year follow-up

Add “showcase” event in 2006

2006 SASP – NSF grant Lesson Study constitutes a major

activity in the PD

2008 CAMSP with EGUSD – Lesson

Study is a component of the

PD for teachers

2007, 2008, 2009 SASP, collaborating with other CSP sites hosts Lesson Study Conferences

2012 new CAMSP with EGUSD Lesson Study plays a significant role

2011-12SASP assisting other sites to

develop capacity in Lesson Study

2012Lesson Study Practitioners Conference

Supported by ITQ

2004 – CPEC ITQ – Lesson Study is the academic year PD

Questions we asked ourselves• Project model: whole-school vs. volunteer teachers or teams

from multiple schools/districts?• What might be effective ways to transfer project learning

across projects?• How can we best support transfer of knowledge from

seminars/institutes to classroom practice?• What professional development formats are effective in

creating sustainable change? • What professional development formats are effective in

building leadership capacity and professionalism?