SW1 FOS Networking Session Dec. 16, 2011

Etienne Brule Junior School

DATA GAN Focus/Inquiry Question

How did you take your GAN (Greatest Area of Need) and formulate a focus and/or an inquiry question for your Pathway/Professional

Learning Team Focus?How did the data inform this focus?

Over the years our EQAO scores for math problem-solving has not met our expectations . Therefore, we decided as a group to focus on math problem-solving skills.

The EQAO scores for 2010 -2011 provided us with the evidence that we needed to focus on math problem-solving skills. Most students received 10 or 20 as a score on the math problem-solving questions.

Rationale for the Focus/Inquiry Question

What research, resources or educational experiences helped you to formulate this focus and/or inquiry question?

We looked at the breakdown of the EQAO questions in the math section and determined that our students needed more work on solving multi-stepped problems, as well as open-ended questions.

We used Marian Small resources, specifically “Making Math Meaningful to Canadian Students, K-8”, to help formulate a focus.

Our educational experience of unpacking EQAO data and on-going student observation helped formulate our focus on math problem-solving.

Formative Instructional ImproveAssessment Strategies Understanding

How did you use a balance of assessment tools and strategies along the Pathway to monitor and improve student thinking and understanding?

The following assessment tools and strategies were used:

Posted clear LEARNING GOALS and SUCCESS CRITERIA to help students know what the “Look-Fors” are to achieve the learning goals and to explicitly understand “What do I need to do to be successful?”

Observation of students to determine next steps in addressing their needs

Provide choice through strategy menu

Provide a variety of problem-solving strategies that are explicitly stated and accessible to all

Provide Parallel Tasks (i.e., provide choice of tasks that focus on the same key idea(s), but reflect different developmental levels)

Provide a variety of problem-solving strategies that are explicitly stated and accessible to all

Allowing students to demonstrate their understanding and consolidate their learning through Math Congresses

Differentiated instruction to reach all students

Differentiating for Marker StudentsHow did you provide differentiation

(instruction and/or assessment)specifically for your Marker Students at

any grade?

After observing the marker students and determining what their needs were, we would sit down in small groups and reinforce the strategies that had been taught.

We provided parallel tasks for the students (i.e., give choice of tasks that focus on the same key ideas/concepts, but reflect different developmental levels/skills.

We allowed them to choose what strategies they wanted to use.

We allowed them to choose what tools they wanted to use.

ReflectionHow did this Pathway inform your thinking and

practice?

Placing a focus on problem solving in the Number Sense strand would not ordinarily take place in early October, especially for Grade One students. It is usually undertaken later in the term when we feel that the students have had a stronger foundation with adding and subtracting numbers and recognizing number patterns etc. However, this experience of focusing on problem solving in early October has been a positive and surprising revelation to see that the students were so successful in their level of understanding and application of the problem-solving strategies, that it has informed our teaching practice to continue to initiate it early in the fall term.

We also realized that students need more math vocabulary before presenting problem solving skills in the grade 3 program.

Be prepared and provide Parallel Tasks which reflect different developmental levels - both for students exceeding the expectations and those who are struggling to meet expectations - throughout pathway and not just for assessment purposes. Parallel tasks allow for all students to participate and deepen understanding of the “key/big ideas” that are being focused upon and increase the level of student engagement and achievement.

Artifacts