Math Action Plan

2014-2015

Context in Ontario

�  “Ontario Students continue to show improvement in their achievement”

�  “72% of Grade 3 & 6 students meet or exceed the

provincial standard in reading, writing and mathematics, only three percentage points from achieving Ontario’s goal of 75%”

�  “Nevertheless, there has been a decline in mathematics results over the last few years.”

“Ontario students perform well on

provincial and international assessment results compared to other Canadian provinces and international

jurisdictions.”

Math Context in Ontario

PISA

PISA is an international program initiated by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and undertaken every three years to assess the achievement of 15 year old students in three domains: reading, mathematics and science. Each PISA administration focuses on one major assessment domain. In 2012, mathematics was the major domain, whereas reading and science were minor domains. In the PISA context, ‘mathematics’ denotes ‘mathematical literacy’ which implies a focus on students’ active engagement in mathematics and their preparedness for life in a modern society. As such, it is expected that students can demonstrate their capacity to use mathematical content and language in contexts that are appropriate for 15 year olds, when they are close to the end of their formal mathematics training.

PISA

Our Strengths:

� One of the top performing countries � Smallest gap between those who perform well

and those who are struggling � Scored well on computational tasks.

What are our next steps?

Provincial EQAO � Overall achievement results for EQAO

mathematics assessments remain low and have declined over the last five years in English-language district school boards

� Achievement in Grade 9 Applied mathematics remains low in both English- and French- language boards

� A gap in achievement exists between Grade 9 Applied and Grade 9 Academic.

Diving in to the Curriculum

The Curriculum in EQAO

Grade 3 Measurement

Grade 6 Measurement

The Curriculum in EQAO

Grade 9 Measurement

TVDSB’s EQAO

�  Performing below province in all strands

�  Significant challenges in open response questions

�  In Primary, weakest area is Thinking Skills �  In Junior, weakest is Knowledge and

Understanding �  In Grade 9 Applied & Grade 9 Academic, weakest

is Application

Ministry of Education: Mathematics Action Plan

� The Ministry currently supports an array of professional learning opportunities to support the teaching and learning of mathematics

� There is no one single effective practice to

improve achievement for all students, but rather a number of practices that need to be in place at the system, school and classroom level.

Mathematics in TVDSB

Pedagogical Content

Knowledge for

Mathematics

Collaborative Inquiry for Learning in

Mathematics (CIL-M)

Professional Learning

CODE Summer

Numeracy

Seven Foundational Principles These initiatives are organized around the Seven Foundational Principles for Improvement in Mathematics, K-12.

1.  Focus on mathematics. 2.  Coordinate and strengthen

mathematics leadership. 3.  Build understanding of effective

mathematics instruction. 4.  Support collaborative professional

learning in mathematics. 5.  Design a responsive mathematics

learning environment. 6.  Provide assessment and evaluation in

mathematics that supports student learning.

7.  Facilitate access to mathematics learning resources.

W Mathematics for Teaching

Job-embedded Professional

Learning

Job-embedded Professional

Learning

Reflection and Mathematics for Teaching

Reflection and Mathematics for Teaching

5 Attributes = Success in Mathematics

Skills Understanding

Strategies

Flexibility

+ Attitude

5 Attributes = Success in Mathematics

Procedural Fluency Skill in carrying out procedures flexibly, accurately, efficiently, and appropriately

Conceptual Understanding Comprehension of mathematical concepts, operations, and relations

Strategic Competence Ability to formulate, represent, and

solve mathematical problems

Adaptive Reasoning Capacity for logical thought, reflection, explanation, and justification

Productive Disposition Habitual inclination to see mathematics as sensible, useful, and worthwhile, coupled with a belief in diligence and one’s own efficacy

Teaching Through Student Work �  In order to identify key concepts and strategies through

student work, we can consider using the 5 Practices of Orchestrating Discussion…

1.  Anticipating likely student responses to challenging mathematical tasks

2.  Monitoring students’ actual responses to the tasks 3.  Selecting particular students to present their

mathematical work during the whole-class discussion 4.  Sequencing the student responses that will be displayed in

a specific order 5.  Connecting different students’ responses and

connecting the responses to key mathematical ideas.

Collaborative Inquiry for Learning in Mathematics (CIL-M)

�  Building Math Bridges JK-2 �  Developing Mathematical Understanding

Grades 3-6 �  Intermediate Math C.A.M.P. �  Cross-Panel Grades 7-9

What have we learned?

�  Grade 9 Math C.A.M.P. (New) �  Focus School Mathematics Pilot Project (New)

Collaborative Inquiry for Learning in Mathematics (CIL-M) �  Collaborative Inquiry initiatives consist of series of

Professional Learning and In-School Sessions focused on developing teacher content knowledge and instructional and assessment practices.

�  Teachers are supported by colleagues in implementing Inquiry based learning activities in their classrooms to engage students in real life applications of mathematics.

�  Through focused classroom observation and consolidation, teachers reflect on the changing classroom dynamic and increased student engagement.

Professional Learning

Elementary

�  P/J After Math Café �  Primary Math Research �  P/J Task Force �  Gr 4 Basic Facts Online

Book Study �  Gr 6 Number Sense Day �  Gr 7 & 8 Basic Fact Boot

Camp �  Intermediate Task Force

Secondary �  Math Coaching �  Math Learning Teams �  Grade 9 EQAO in D2L �  Math Subject

Association �  Senior Task Force

School-Based Networking

Reflections on Professional Learning

“Very effective! It's definitely a new mind set to adjust to think about.”

“Very useful to plan inquiry lessons together and see what it looks like in a classroom.”

“Comfort in attempting new strategies with a group.”

“I can't believe how much I've learned!”

CODE Summer Numeracy

For Educators

For Parents

For Community

For Students

Thames Valley Mathematics Team �  Superintendent of Student Achievement: Riley Culhane

�  Learning Supervisor: Scott Armstrong

�  K – 8 Learning Coordinators: �  Stephanie Mitchell �  Bill Nediger �  Ann Pigeon �  Christopher Silcox

�  9 – 12 Learning Coordinator: Mishaal Surti

�  Secondary Mathematics Coaches: �  Tricia Loney �  Katherin O’Hara �  Colleen Pollock