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The main goals of the Getting Ready for Algebra project are to:
- Formalize an infrastructure of learning partnerships to improve teacher content knowledge in mathematics and instructional strategies, leading to all students, including special education and English learners, being prepared to successfully complete Algebra I, the gatekeeper to higher education.
- Develop online professional development resources aligned with California state standards and adopted instructional materials, readily available to teachers, so they will reach high levels of expertise in teaching mathematics.
- Build district and school level leadership capacity to support mathematics instruction for students in need of mathematics intervention.
Original cohort participants attend 80 hours of intensive professional learning opportunities, including 24 hours of follow-up time, and 8 hours with the online Getting Ready for Algebra program. Time in mini course sessions, coaching visits and online activities fulfills their required 40 hours of additional training. Follow-up activities include reflective exercises, lesson design and redesign, and collegial work.
The Getting Ready for Algebra project is funded by a California Math Science Partnership (CaMSP) grant.
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Summer Institute
The Getting Ready for Algebra Summer Institutes address major mathematics standards and concepts that prepare students for Algebra I and are tested on both the California Standards Test and the California High School Exit Exam:
- Number Sense
- Algebra and Functions
- Statistics
- Data Analysis and Probability
- Algebra I
- Measurement and Geometry
Mathematical reasoning and problem solving are overarching themes that enrich and challenge teachers’ work throughout the summer program.
The Getting Ready for Algebra Summer Institutes feature the following areas:
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Mini courses and follow-up activities are designed to:
- Provide participants with opportunities to work closely with mathematicians around issues they are encountering in their own classrooms
- Follow-up on key needs identified during the Summer Institute
- Support participants in their continued learning and professional development
Mini Courses
Four mini courses are planned for the 2007-2008 school year, and provide face-to-face seminar opportunities for learning.
Dates
Tuesday October 2, 2007
@SDCOE
Tuesday November 27, 2007
@SDCOE
Tuesday February 19, 2008
@SDCOE
Friday April 9, 2008
@SDCOE
(Please note: All sessions will contain information on Peer Coaching and GRA Online, but other topics may change due to participant needs.)
All mini-course sessions are from 8:00am - 4:00pm.
Follow-Up Activities
Follow-up is implemented throughout the life of the project, and includes a variety of activities:
- Reflective exercises and model lesson demonstrations
- Lesson design and redesign based on textbooks and standards
- Collegial work via classroom visits, coaching, and peer study teams
- Online mathematics network with other math teachers and GRA leaders
- Error analysis of assessments to determine common student misperceptions
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Does participation in state-of-the-art, participatory, and collaborative professional development affect teacher content knowledge, instructional practices, math leadership, and student achievement in mathematics essential for success in Algebra I? Getting Ready for Algebra’s evaluation component seeks to answer this question by measuring project results in the areas of content, implementation and effectiveness.
Data collection is continuous, and involves the following activities and data points:
- Teacher surveys and inventories, including participant use of instructional strategies to meet the needs of English Learners and students with special needs
- Teacher pre- and posttesting using the Learning Mathematics for Teaching (LMT) assessment. This instrument measures both mathematics content and pedagogy and will be used to assess growth over the program implementation
- Classroom observations and coaching from project observers
- Student performance using standardized test scores
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Classroom Visits
Cohort group members will be visited by members of the project team. The goals of these visitations are to:
- Gather feedback and information to make the program most effective for participating teachers
- See mathematics lessons in action
- Give teachers opportunities to get and give feedback on mathematics instruction and needs
Visitation Coordinator
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