Elementary Webinar: READY, SET, REVIEW FOR CCSS MATHEMATICS

Are we prepared for this year's Math EOG?  What have we learned from last year's data?  What are we doing to prepare our students now?

I highly recommend this NC-DPI Elementary Math Webinar for 3-5 Teachers:

Join us to learn more about effective strategies that will foster mastery and retention of critical mathematics skills and concepts. Real teaching in the form of review, formative assessment, and re-teaching using released EOG items as a resource. Help raise achievement, improve instruction, and make a difference in mathematics instruction for students.

Elementary Math Update

Join us for a Webinar on April 2 Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/206056600 Title: Elementary Math Update Date: Wednesday, April 2, 2014 Time: 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM EDT After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

County-Wide K-12 Math PLC Opportunity

Interested in participating in a county-wide PLC through participation in an online course focused on multiplication and division of whole numbers and bridging the understanding to fraction understanding?

• One major concern we hear from middle and high school teachers is that students still struggle to understand multiplication and division.  
• What do we do when students are in Math I and still don't know basic multiplication facts?  How do we intervene?
• How do we help middle school students solve equations if they don't know what it means to divide?  
• Better yet, in elementary school, how can we teach these concepts so that students develop an understanding early on?  

This online course is for teachers who want to understand student multiplicative reasoning - how students make their own mathematical distinctions when reasoning with multiple contexts for multiplication and division - and how to help students move beyond repeated addition early, instead of too late.

The design of a Massive Online Open Course for Educators (MOOC-Ed) allows the flexibility to participate at times that work with your schedule.  If you want to participate with other Johnston County teachers in a county-wide PLC with face-to-face discussions, which will provide some structure and vertical conversations around the topics, we're offering that option.  

Our first meeting will be an information session, and we'll discuss the structure of our meetings.  This will be held March 20 from 3:30 - 5:00in the Glenn Building Team Room.  If you want to find out more about the MOOC-Ed and are interested in this face-to-face participation, please let Leanne Daughtry (leannedaughtry@johnston.k12.nc.us) know and plan on attending to find out more.  Please forward this to others you think may be interested in this opportunity.      

For more information and to register, you can visit the course site:  https://courses.mooc-ed.org/dvm1  

Update:  The course will now run from April 7, 2014 - May 26, 2014.  New content will be made available weekly (scroll down to the schedule after logging in to find the available course material).   

a) Schedule:  The course runs asynchronously which allows participation at any time and in any place where you have access to the internet.  Course content will remain available through June, in order to allow for greater flexibility in your schedule.

b) Available Now: Learning Trajectory and Common Core Background material is available now!  Feel free to peruse this background material if you would like to learn more about Learning Trajectories and/or the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.  

c) Forums: Log in to the course, introduce yourself in the Forum, and get connected to colleagues around the country.

Another MOOC, Anyone?

Here's another opportunity to participate in a Massive Open Online Course for Educators (MOOC) to better understand the mathematical concepts in the Common Core State Standards.  We're open to creating a Johnston County group to participate in this MOOC journey together.  If you are interested in participating in this group, let Leanne Daughtry know (leannedaughtry@johnston.k12.nc.us). 

Division and Multiplication of Whole Numbers: Bridging to Fraction Understanding is the second in the “Mathematics Learning Trajectories for the Common Core” MOOC-Ed series. This professional development series focuses on learning trajectories as a framework for interpreting and implementing the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics (CCSS-M). Funded by a grant from the Hewlett Foundation to provide free professional development to educators around the new CCSS, this is the first of four courses that will be released throughout the year.

Division and Multiplication was developed by the GISMO Research Group at the Friday Institute, led by Dr. Jere Confrey and Dr. Alan Maloney. Beginning March 17, the course will introduce a learning trajectory approach to students’ multiplicative reasoning, exploring a stronger conceptual basis for multiplicative reasoning, so that multiplication and division of fractions is an extension of multiplication and division of whole numbers. It is recommended for elementary and middle grades mathematics educators.

For more information about this course or to register, please click here.

Formative Instructional and Assessment Tasks for the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics

When teachers understand what students know and can do, and then use that knowledge to make more effective instructional decisions, the net result is greater learning for students and a greater sense of satisfaction for teachers.  George Bright and Jeane Joyner (2005)

Looking for Common Core Aligned instructional tasks, quick checks, or formative assessment tasks?  Check out this resource from NCDPI:  

3-5 Tasks:  http://3-5cctask.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/home (updated)

K-2 Tasks:  http://commoncoretasks.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/

In my experience, these wiki sites work best on a computer, rather than an iPad.  

There you'll find tasks aligned to the Common Core State Standard for Mathematics that are designed to be used to guide instruction.  It is recommended that you first read the Overview to learn more about how NCDPI suggests using these tasks in your classroom.  

As more information  is released about the CCSS for Math, these tasks will be updated.  The NC DPI appreciates suggestions and feedback to help improve this resource.  Please send feedback to Kitty Rutherford (kitty.rutherford@dpi.nc.gov) or Denise Schulz (denise.schulz@dpi.nc.gov) 

Math Talk

I've added a new tab to the JCS LiveBinder - Math Talk.  Here is a video clip sample - you can find this and other videos under the red Math Talk tab of the JCS Elementary LiveBinder.  There are also articles and other math talk resources there.  Check it out!

Let me know if you have any resources to share...I'll be happy to add them to the LiveBinder, too!

New K-5 Math Resources Linked to the JCS LiveBinder!

Happy Tuesday!  While I was searching for resources to support us in our math continuum development, I stumbled upon the Cleveland County, NC site.  They maintain LiveBinders for each grade level, and I've linked those on our LiveBinder.  To view, go to the JCS Elementary LiveBinder, click on either the K-2 Math Resources or 3-5 Math Resources Red Tab, and then click on your "__ Grade Resources" grey tab. Remember that their Instructional Guides may not be in the same sequence as our Scope and Sequence Documents, but check out the resources under the domain tabs. Happy searching!

Another Opportunity to Award Excellence in Math and Science Teaching

Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching 

Alright, y'all...Here's another opportunity to nominate yourself or a colleague.  Winners receive $10,000 (ahem...who couldn't use that?!?), a paid trip for two to Washington, D.C. to attend a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities, and a certificate signed by the President of the United States.   Details follow...

What are the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching?

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) are the highest honors bestowed by the United States government specifically for K-12 mathematics and science (including computer science) teaching. 

Awards are given to mathematics and science (including computer science) teachers from each of the 50 states and four U.S. jurisdictions and recognize those teachers who develop and implement a high-quality instructional program that is informed by content knowledge and enhances student learning. 

Awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of mathematics and science (including computer science) education. The National Science Foundation administers PAEMST on behalf of The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Who is Eligible?

The following are eligibility criteria for nominees. They must:

• Teach mathematics or science (including computer science) at the K-6th grade level in a public or private school.
• Hold at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
• Be a full-time employee of the school or school district as determined by state and district policies, and teach K-12 students at least 50% of the time.
• Have at least 5 years of full-time, K-12 mathematics or science (including computer science) teaching experience prior to the 2013-2014 academic school year.
• Teach in one of the 50 states or the four U.S. jurisdictions. The jurisdictions are Washington, DC; Puerto Rico; Department of Defense Education Activity schools; and the U.S. territories as a group (American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands).
• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
• Not have received the PAEMST award at the national level in any prior competition or category.

Nominations are Now Open

The 2014 Awards will honor mathematics and science (including computer science) teachers working in grades K-6. Nominations close on April 1, 2014.

What are you waiting for???  Go to https://www.paemst.org/ to start your application (or nominate a colleague) today!