1

Issues, Challenges & Next Steps For All of Us

TEAM Math ConferenceTUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY

September 11, 2009

Francis (Skip) FennellProfessor of Education

McDaniel CollegeWestminster, MD

&Past President

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

2

Remembering…

3

Congrats on all you do AND on the support for the Elementary Teacher Leadership Academy…

4

The Competitiveness Thing

5

THE COMPETITION THING

6

And from the Secretary…

• “We must encourage students to take more advanced math and science classes. Employers today need workers with ‘pocket protector’ skills – creative problem solvers with strong math and science backgrounds.”

Nerds Rock!!

Margaret Spellings, June 21, 2007

7

NCLB…

• The Obama administration has made clear that it is putting its own stamp on education reform. That will mean a new name and image for a law that has grown unpopular with many teachers and suburban parents, even though it was enacted with bipartisan support in Congress.

Washington Post – June 23, 2009

8

From the Secretary…

• Common Curriculum Standards• ARRA funds

– Title I– Race to the top (coming soon)

• STEM stuff is important.

Nerds STILL Rock!!!

Secretary Arne Duncan

9

• Highest scores ever – grade 4 mathematics• Highest scores ever – grade 8 mathematics• Increasingly diverse student population• Need to increase numbers reaching proficiency• NMAP and NAEP

Encouraging…

10

But…

• PISA Results

• High School Graduation Rates

• NAEP Grade 12

• TIMSS – Advanced

• What about TIMSS?

An all too silent concern!

11

What do we do with this??

12

And, of course…

13

No Child Left Behind Challenges

• Meeting AYP• Highly Qualified Teachers

– Getting – Keeping

• Math – All students, every day– Equity– Special Education

• Overemphasis on high stakes assessments.– Life does not come at you in multiple choice moments

14

And, from my sister…*

Madaline Fennell, the Nebraska teacher of the year: Teachers are asking for,

• fully funding education and assessment programs that are federally mandated; • language that addresses the special needs of students with disabilities, such as

implementing state assessment systems that track the academic growth of individual students;

• replacing penalties against failing schools with methods to enhance achievement;• multiple methods of assessment that evaluate a student's progress over the entire

year, instead of just through standardized tests.

Ms. Fennell said that while there are positive aspects to the law, it is also"fraught with numerous deficiencies." The expertise of teachers who have beenchosen as the best of the best in their states, she said, can help lawmakerscraft a better version of the No Child Left Behind Act. "Teachers need to beincluded in this reauthorization," she said. "Please, leave no teacher behind."

* NOT

AND when will this happen?

15

Why Focus and Coherence?

• Long lists of state learning expectations• “Mile wide, inch deep” math curriculum • Identify the mathematics that should be the focus

of instruction and student learning, preK-8• Mobility• International Comparisons• National Curriculum Clamoring• National Math Advisory Panel

Recommendation

16

4th-Grade Learning Expectations byContent Strand

Number&

Operation

Geometry

Measurement Algebra

Data Analysis,

Probability & Statistics

Total Number of Learning

Expectations

California 16 11 4 7 5 43

Texas 15 7 3 4 3 32

New York 27 8 10 5 6 56

Florida 31 11 17 10 20 89

Ohio 15 8 6 6 13 48

Michigan 37 5 11 0 3 56

New Jersey 21 10 8 6 11 56

North Carolina 14 3 2 3 4 26

Georgia 23 10 5 3 4 45

Virginia 17 8 11 2 3 41

Reys, et al., 2006AND, you???

17

18

Proportional boxes to multiply…

• Draw a rectangle to show 46 x 7 = 322Draw a rectangle to show 46 x 7 = 322

7

40 6280

4246 x 7 = (40 x 7) + (6 x 7) =

280 + 42 = 322

Navigations 3-5, Number and Operations, 2007

19

Curriculum Focal Points: Help is on the way…

• Grade Band Books for Teacher Leaders (grade 3-

5 is out, 6-8 soon, PreK-2)

• Grade-by-grade Books for Teachers (grades 3-5

completed).

• And, just what is NCTM doing about High School?

20

Beyond the Focal Points…

• Focus on High School Mathematics: Reasoning and Proof

• Topic Books:– Algebra– Geometry– Data Analysis and Probability

Vote for this dude!!!!!!

21

And now what?

• Common Core Curriculum– High School Mathematics

• Guiding Principles for Mathematics Curriculum and Assessment

• Math Forum – October 4-6; Reston, VA

• Next Steps – Accept High School, move toward K-8; but what about assessment?

22

Coherence - Who cares?

• Congress• Publishers• United States Department of Education• NSB• NSF• Parents• 37 of 42 state coordinators of mathematics…• Others…

• And most importantly, TEACHERS care!

23

Communication

Three Views!

24

Parents and Others…

First, the media…

25

September 12, 2006

Arithmetic Problem

New Report Urges Return to Basics in Teaching Math

By JOHN HECHINGER

Critics of ‘Fuzzy’ Methods Cheer Educators’ Findings; Drills

Without Calculators

The nation’s math teachers, on the front lines of a 17-year Curriculum war, are getting some new marching orders: Make sure students learn the basics.

26

April 13, 2000Math Teachers Back Return Of Education in Basic

Skills

By ANEMONA HARTOCOLLIS

In an important about-face, the nation's most influential group of mathematics teachers announced yesterday that it was recommending, in essence, that the arithmetic be put back into mathematics, urging teachers to emphasize the fundamentals of computation rather than focus on concepts and reasoning.

27

Education Panel Lays Out Truce In Math Wars

Effort to Fix 'Broken' System Sets Targets for Each Grade, Avoids Taking Sides on MethodBy JOHN HECHINGERMarch 5, 2008; Page D1

A presidential panel, warning that a "broken" system of mathematics education threatens U.S. pre-eminence, says it has found the fix: A laserlike focus on the essentials.

The National Mathematics Advisory Panel, appointed by President Bush in 2006, is expected to urge the nation's teachers to promote "quick and effortless" recall of arithmetic facts in early grades, mastery of fractions in middle school, and rigorous algebra courses in high school or even earlier. Targeting such key elements of math would mark a sharp departure from the diverse priorities that now govern teaching of the subject in U.S. public schools.

"Without substantial and sustained changes to the educational system, the United States will relinquish its leadership in the twenty-first century," reads a draft of the final report, due to be released next week by the Department of Education These benchmarks mirror closely a September 2006 report by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, which many viewed as a turning point in the math wars because it recognized the importance of teaching the basics after the group for years had placed more emphasis on conceptual understanding. Francis Fennell, president of the math teachers group and a panel member, said the group's specific recommendations could help parents determine whether their kids are on the right track.

28

The Tonight Show with Jay LenoFriday, March 14, 2008

Opening Monologue: 9:46-10:11Jay Leno: “And a blue ribbon panel of educators put together by President Bush. President Bush put these guys together. He’s determined that other countries’ kids are better at math because we try to teach our kids too much. Huh. That’s the problem. We’re teaching them too much. Teach them less and they’ll learn more. In fact don’t teach them at all, they could grow up to be President of the United States. “

29

• Children should master the basic facts of arithmetic that are essential components of fluency with paper-pencil and mental computation and with estimation.

• It is important for children to learn the sequence of steps – and the reason for them – in the paper-and-pencil algorithms used widely in our culture.

PreK-4 – Curriculum and Evaluation Standards, NCTM, 1989, p.47

Importance of Computational Fluency, NCTM, 2000, 32

30

More and better mathematics for all students

This is an imperative for America’s competitiveness.

Do the kids care that Singapore is #1?

31

And yet…

• Important, but NOT for me– Parents are aware of the importance of math,

but remain complacent– Students pay lip service to the importance of

higher level math…

32

Only in America!!!!!

33

The World is Flat!

• …math and science are the keys to innovation and power in today’s world, and American parents had better understand that the people who are eating their kids’ lunch in math are not resting on their laurels.

Tom Friedman, 2005

34

• Engagement and sense of efficacy for Black and Hispanic students can be increased in mathematical learning contexts.

• Teachers and other educational leaders should consistently help students and parents understand that an increased emphasis on the importance of effort is related to improved mathematics grades.

• Effort Matters! Value this subject! A pox on the PT Conference from…

Learning Processes

34

35

36

The Parent Conference from …

• Well, I was never good in math either?

• Tell me, when will my child ever use this mathematics?

• Effort matters – NMAP

• The cultural thing…

37

Outliers

• The 10,000 hour rule“Practice isn’t the thing you do once you’re

good. It’s the thing you do that makes you good.”

• Rice paddies and math tests

38

Emerging Issues

• What algebra? When?• Early childhood mathematics education• Intervention• Elementary Mathematics Specialists• Special Needs: ELL and Special Education• Urban-specific Needs• High School and College articulation• And one of my own…

39

nctm.org/intervention.aspx

40

We NeedElementary School

Mathematics SpecialistsNOW!

NCTM News BulletinNCTM News Bulletin

41

mathspecialists.org

42

Learning As I Go…

Topic: 4th Grade Division• 10 years classroom experience in 2nd grade• 4th grade teacher came to me to learn about

division strategies/meaning/best practices• 2+ days of researching Van deWalle, TCM,

Randy Charles, other MRT’s, other resources, etc.

• Created chart of division example problems, types of problems and manipulative ideas

• Shared with grade 4 PLC

43

Give Them What They NeedWrapped in What They Want 

I was invited by a principal to work with a veteran staff that was resistant to change and somewhat antiquated in their approach to math instruction. Additionally 80% of their student population was successful on state assessments (so the staff felt that they were successful). Through building relationships ongoing PD, wrapping what they needed in what they wanted me to do raised their capacity for better math instruction and reached the kids outside of the 50%.

44

What Algebra? When?

• Grade level?

• Background?

• Who’s teaching?

• The Misplaced Math Student – Lost in 8th Grade Algebra…

45

• Hey frank,

• The problem asked to write an equation that represented 4 more than 3 times a number.  He wrote 4 + (3 x n) and she was looking for 3n+4.  She said the 3n should start the answer and therefore his answer was incorrect.  I did write her a note today letting her know that based on the rules of the order of operations, parentheses always take precedence.  So left to right only comes into play after the parentheses have been worked.  I didn't get a response, but I'm sure I made her last day of school.

• And then…

May 22, 2009

46

47

• Fractions are a major area of study in upper elementary school mathematics. It is time to shift the emphasis and redefine the goal of fraction instruction from learning computation rules to developing fraction operation sense (Huinker, 2002).

• Do we do this?

48

NMAP - Student Preparation

• The first question concerned the adequacy of student preparation coming into the Algebra I classes. The topics that were rated as especially problematic were:

• Rational numbers;• Solving word problems, and;• Basic study skills.

Final Report on the National Survey of Algebra Teachers for the National Math Panel, NORC, September, 2007

49

Fraction Sorting

• Sort the fractions below as near: 0, ½, or 1

4/7 1/7 8/9 3/5

2/3 1/10 4/8 6/11

4/5 2/12 9/12 5/12

1/8 3/8 4/9 7/14

• What’s alike about all fractions near 1? Near 0?

50

Now what?

• There are 25 students in our class. Each student will get ¼ of a pizza. Your job is to find out how many pizzas we should order. Be sure to show your work.

• How many pizzas should we order?

Fractions!

51

52

¾

• What happens to the value of the fraction if the numerator is increased by 1?

• What happens to the value of the fraction if the denominator is decreased by 1?

• What happens to the value of the fraction if the denominator is increased?

53

• Tell me about where 2/3 + 1/6 would be on this number line (Cramer, Henry, 2002).

0 1 2

Sense Making:

“2/3 is almost 1, 1/6 is a bit more, but the sum is < 1”

54

In which of the following are the three fractions arranged in order from greatest

to least?

A. 2/7, 1/2, 5/9

B. 1/2, 2/7, 5/9

C. 1/2, 5/9, 2/7

D. 5/9, 1/2, 2/7

E. 5/9, 2/7, 1/2

8th grade NAEP, 2007; 49% correct; 5th grade Kara’s class – 68% correct

55

Lakers vs Nuggets

• Which player from the Lakers had the best shooting percentage

• Which player from the Lakers had the worst shooting percentage

• Same items for Nuggets

• Which players scored the most points, etc.

100% correct – 5th grade Kara’s class

56

You can’t make this stuff up!

The weather reporter on WCRB (a Boston radio station) said there was a 30% chance of rain.  The host of the show asked what that meant.  The weather reporter said ``It will rain on 30% of the state.''  ``What are the chances of getting wet if you are in that 30% of the state?''  ``100%.'‘

57

You can’t make this stuff up

• Gettysburg (Pa) Outlets – July 3, 2009. 50% off sale on all purchases at the Izod store. Sign indicates 50% off the all-store sale.– Patron – “well that means it’s free.”– Clerk – “no sir, it’s 50% off the 50% off sale.”– Patron – “well, 50% + 50% is 100% so that means it

should be free.”– This went on for a while. AND, there was a sign

indicating 70% off for some items, meaning 70% off the 50% off original sale, which our patron would interpret as the item being free and 20% in cash!

58

And what about teachers…

59

If we don’t step up to the challenge of finding and supporting the best teachers we’ll undermine everything else we are

trying to do to improve our schools.

Louis Gerstner, former Chair, IBM

60

Reflecting on your career…

Why did you decide to teach?• Love of the subject• “I knew I could get a job”• Change the world syndrome• Parental influence – “we, in my family, are all teachers.”

61

Do you remember?

• When I got everything done, I just sat down in the middle of my room and cried.

62

But, what about…

– Supervision issues!– Getting along with others– Finding stuff – copy machine wars!

• Locating a printer• Cartridges!

– Day-to-day victories and losses

SCHOOL CULTURE ISSUES

63

“I didn’t call myself anything. I was more than a teacher. And less. In the high school classroom you are a drill sergeant, a rabbi, a shoulder to cry on, a disciplinarian, a singer, a scholar, a clerk, a referee, a clown, a counselor, a dress-code enforcer, a conductor, an apologist, a philosopher, a collaborator, a tap dancer, a politician, a therapist, a fool, a traffic cop, a priest, a mother-father-sister-brother-aunt-uncle, a bookkeeper, a critic, a psychologist, the last straw.”

“Teacher Man” Frank McCourt (p.19, 2005)

64

Mathematics is the gateway to good jobs!

But it’s not justAlgebra II

65

We share a responsibility

This must be a concerted team effort, it’s about every child every day.

66

http://ffennell.com