Support for mathematics and numeracy leaders

How can mathematics departments implement the New Zealand Curriculum?

A look at effective pedagogy, data analysis, department infrastructure and supportive learning environments.

Date: 11 June Phil Doyle

• Jennifer Garvey Berger

• Give-one-get-one strategy

Resource

Support-for-secondary-middle-managershttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Support-for-secondary-middle-managers

• Effective pedagogy

• Data analysis

• Infrastructure and processes

• Supportive learning environments in classrooms and departments

Effective pedagogy

New Zealand Curriculum, p35

Effective pedagogy

• Is our department primarily focused on teaching and learning?

• Is our practice informed by evidence?

• Have I built reflective practice into departmental and teaching processes and structures?

• Am I supporting members of our department in a continuous cycle of improvement?

• How can I manage administration so that I can use the time in our department for professional development related to teaching and learning?

Data analysis• Why is using data so important?

• How do I know that all the teachers in our department share the same understandings about the use of data?

• Are the teachers in our department analysing the results for each of their classes?

• What about those students who didn’t succeed? Do we know who, why, what is being done for them?

• Are the courses we are running in our department meeting the needs of the students?

Data analysis

• Do we celebrate student success in our department?

• Do we listen to student voice in our department?

• Do we know what our students think about their learning?

• Do some of our students have knowledge and skills which could be shared with others?

• Have we carried out student climate questionnaires in our department?

Infrastructure and processes

"Opportunities for teachers to engage in professional learning and development can have a substantial impact on student learning. For example, in literacy studies, substantial effect sizes were reported by Phillips, McNaughton, and MacDonald (2001) (ES = 0.48) and by Timperley (2006) (ES = 0.89). These gains equate to more than two years’ progress in one year. More important was the progress made by the 20% of lowest-achieving students."

BES -Timperley, H., Wilson, A., Barrar, H., Fung, I., 2007

Infrastructure and processes

• As a team do we have a shared vision?

• How well do I know the teachers in your department – their strengths and weaknesses?

• Do I lead from alongside your team members and engage in co-construction?

• Do I do what you ask of others? • Do positive relationships exist between the members of

our department?

Supportive learning environments

• An effective professional learning community has the following characteristics:

• shared values and vision

• collective responsibility for learning • collaboration focused on learning both teachers' and students' • engagement with individual and collective professional

learning • reflective personal inquiry • openness to and participation in networks and partnerships • experience of mutual trust, respect and support

Supportive learning environments

• Heart of the Matter

• Nagotiation Game

Other Resources

• Ministry of Education website• tki website on exploring various ways schools can

collect and use data• http://www.tki.org.

nz/r/governance/consider/evidence-driven-intro_e.php• Best Evidence Syntheses• Ka Hikitia• Pasifika Education Plan• ESoL resources

It would be a fundamental misunderstanding of systems theory to assume that the system should change first. Each of us is the system; there is no chicken and egg. We must connect with others to change whatever parts of the system we can. Whenever one is acting to promote professional learning communities, there should be an obligation to connect it to larger issues—bigger dots, if you will. Waiting for others to act virtually guarantees preservation of the status quo. If individuals are proactive, they stimulate others.

Michael Fullan