Rethinking Math Instructionwith Blended Rotation Models

DreamBox Learning® K-8 MathAvailable in English & Spanish

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• Millions of personalized learning paths

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• Leverages Gaming Protocols

Rigorous Mathematics Curriculum

• Reporting Aligned to CCSS, Texas TEKS, Virginia SOL, Canada WNCP, & Canada Ontario Curriculum Reports

• Standards for Mathematical Practice

BLENDED ROTATION MODELS

Quick Poll: Which of these roles best

describe you?

a. Teacher

b. Coach

c. School Administrator

d. District Administrator

e. Other

Highlander Institute

● Non-profit organization

● Based in Providence, RI

● Provide consulting services

● Host regional events

● Lead FuseRI program

STATION ROTATION FLIPPED PLAYLIST PD

Agenda

● Overview of HI approach to PD

● 3 models for blended math instruction

○ Station Rotation

○ Flipped

○ Playlist

● Lessons Learned

● Q & A

Getting Started

1. Where are they now?

a. Survey

b. Observation

2. Where do they want to go?

a. Introduction to BL models

b. Identify problems to solve

c. Establishing a vision

3. Recommend models & tools to match needs and assets

Roadmap of BL Development Over Time

Macro Differentiation

● Primarily interim/

summative data

● High, med, low

groupings

● Teacher direct

delivery or video

● Flipped, station

rotation

Micro

Differentiation

● Ongoing formative

data use

● Groupings depend

on student need

● Flipped, station

rotation, lab

rotation

Individual Mastery

● Student progresses

on-/offline at own

pace

● Learns 24/7, in and

out of classroom

● Teacher/student

check-ins &

coaching

● Course scope &

sequence created

ahead of time,

students don’t wait

for teacher

● Flipped-mastery,

individual rotation,

flex

Fully

Personalized

● CCSS acquired

through lens of 21st

Century skills &

Digital Literacy

● Students express

content & skill

mastery through

creation of digital

media

● Assessment is almost

entirely performance

based & tracked

formatively

● Peer to peer coaching

& evaluation drive

instruction & student

grouping

● Model irrelevant

Ongoing, organized

data frequently

across various

skills. Whole group,

teacher-centered

instruction becomes

limited.

From teacher-

centered to student-

centered. Not

dependent on whole

class, students learn at

own pace, selects tech

that advances their

learning anytime /

anywhere.

Methods, pacing,

content all

personalized, offering

students voice,

choice around what

and how they learn.

BLENDED LEARNING PROGRESSION

BLENDED ROTATION MODELS

image from Christensen Inst.

BLENDED ROTATION MODELS

Quick Poll: Which of these models

have you used or supported?

a. Station Rotation

b. Flipped

c. Playlist

d. None of the above

STATION ROTATION

● Approx. 40 PPSD K & 1

● Desktops, laptops, or tablets

for ⅓ of class

● Adaptive math software:

DreamBox

● 3 stations

● Approx. 25 min/station

image from Clayton Christensen Institute

STATION ROTATION

STATION ROTATION

Advantages

● Small group instruction

● Differentiation

● Data from software

● Ss working at own pace

Challenges

● Management

● Hardware issues

● Differentiation

● Keeping up w/ students

FLIPPED CLASSROOM

● HS Algebra & Geometry

● Ss watch instructional videos

as HW

● T reviews data and adjusts

instruction

● Class time is spent working

through problems

image by elearninginfographics.com

FLIPPED CLASSROOM

Teacher-created

instructional videos

In-class application

and small-group

tutoring

FLIPPED CLASSROOM

Advantages

● Ss can watch videos

multiple times

● T only has to create

them once

● Ss get support with

application

● T can collect formative

data through videos

and observation

Challenges

● Requires time & some

tech skills

● Requires access to

devices & internet

outside of school

“I like that you can re-

watch the videos until

it makes sense.”

“Its nice to

be able to

collaborate with

my peers and ask

questions I have

while I'm doing it.”

INDIVIDUAL ROTATION (PLAYLIST)

Teacher-created content

playlists○ “internal flip”

○ can include videos,

websites, readings, problem

sets, assessments

○ more common in secondary

INDIVIDUAL ROTATION (PLAYLIST)

Google Doc Playlist

Blendspace Playlist

Advantages

● Ss can refer back to

playlist later to study

● Teacher is freed up to

conference, observe

● T can embed formative

assessments

● Students have choice

over path and pace

Challenges

● Requires 1:1 in school

● Requires T time to build

and manage

● Ss must develop skills

for being more self-

directed

INDIVIDUAL ROTATION (PLAYLIST)

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

These new models...

● are messy

● take time to learn

● require new tech skills

● disrupt systems that already “work”

So, how do you get

teachers to embrace them

anyway?

MINDSETS

Educator Competencies (version 2.0)

DRAFT/DISCUSSION PURPOSES ONLY

QUALITIES

SKILLS

TECHNICAL ADAPTIVE

Core values and beliefs

● New vision for teaching &

learning

● Orientation towards change

and improvement

Personal characteristics and

patterns of behavior

● Grit

● Transparency

● Collaboration

Complex, generalizable skills

● Reflection

● Continuous improvement

and innovation

● Communication

Task-specific know-how and

expertise

● Data practices

● Instructional strategies

● Management of BL

experience

● Instructional tools

iNACOL COMPETENCIES

MINDSET

● Acknowledge what isn’t working

● See the models in action

● Show it can be done in their classrooms

New Vision for Teaching & Learning

Grit, Transparency, Collaboration

● Model these qualities

● Capitalize on existing PLCs

● Showcase the work of local leaders

QUALITIES

ADAPTIVE SKILLS

● Long-term Cycles of Support

○ Observation

○ Feedback

○ Reflection

○ Goal-Setting

Reflection & Continuous

Improvement

TECHNICAL SKILLS

● Walk before you run

○ Get the model up and running

○ Introduce new tools gradually

○ Analyze data and use it to inform groupings,

differentiation

○ Use pre-assessment

● Let the need drive selection of tool

Model, Tools, Data Use

CONCLUSION

Blended math models:● enables small group and one-on-one instruction

● is more student-directed & personalized

● enhances, rather than replaces, good teaching

Blended PD necessitates:● Learning with teachers

● Modeling best practices

● A long-term commitment to the work

CONCLUSION

Questions?

@ l_jack2

DreamBox Lessons & Virtual Manipulatives

Intelligently adapt & individualize to:

• Students’ own intuitive strategies

• Kinds of mistakes

• Efficiency of strategy

• Scaffolding needed

• Response time

Actionable Reporting

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