In our busy lives it isn’t easy to carve out time to reflect on your learning. But it is only through experiences AND reflection that we truly learn. Sometimes in the day to day grime we forget to celebrate how far we’ve come. So forgive me for being indulgent, but this is a look back in Elementary Mathematics.
One of the most successful professional development for elementary math is the collaboration of the teachers through Math Curriculum Councils (MCC). Every grade and school has a member involved in the MCC which meets once a month. Through these meeting we have accomplished a tremendous amount. We have created internal assessments, non-negotiables (common focal standards every child must achieve in K-2), district-wide common problem solving steps, grade-level vocabulary lists, and built curriculum that addresses the Common Core, to name a few. Everything we do in elementary mathematics goes through the MCC. The MCC members are key people to communicate our work to their fellow grade-level teachers. They are the GO TO people in their schools. MCC members are the essential piece to elementary mathematics.
Another success is the systematic data collection on all students. We closely monitor students through universal screeners and district-wide internal assessments. The data is discussed at grade-level data meetings. At these data meetings we talk about students’ growth, strengths, weaknesses, what’s working, and what’s not working. Together decisions are made about interventions and curriculum. This year we are working on collecting data on fundamental math skills in K-2 and targeting intervention and instruction around those skills.
Over the past five years we have made tremendous progress in Mathematics, but we still have far to go. We are constantly redefining and renewing our practice and must remember to REFLECT often.
No comments:
Post a Comment