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Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Vote for the Common Core LiveBinder!

Exciting news here at Kalamazoo RESA!
We've just been informed that the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics livebinder has been nominated for the "Top 10 Binders of 2013" contest.

Thanks to the person who nominated it!
"AMAZING aggregation of materials! As a professional developer, this binder is a frequent stop and recommendation to my teachers"

If you're so inclined, please vote for the binder to be included in the Top 10 of 2013. It's #8 on the list. Voting is open now till the evening of June 16. Spread the word!

And, as always, visit the binder for all resources Common Core Math
related.


Vote for your Top 10 Binders for 2013!

Math Literature Recommendations for Students

Need summer reading suggestions for your students?
The California Department of Education has put together a Recommended Literature list of contemporary titles for children and adolescents. The searchable collection of almost eight thousand titles, many written over the last decade, covers a broad range of subjects and grade levels to help students meet the College and Career Readiness (CCR) Anchor Standards and Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for Mathematics and other subjects. It also reflects the quality and complexity of texts students should be reading both at school and outside of the classroom, as well as rich cultural diversity. Works include fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama to accommodate a variety of tastes, interests, and abilities.

Want more ideas? The Math Forum hosts Mr. Brandenburg's List of Recommended Books on Math and Science. Annotated and organized into math and science sub-topics, it features capsule reviews and reading level ratings:


How to learn math: free Stanford course

How to Learn Math
Registration is open for a new short course on Stanford University's free on-line platform.

Designed for teachers of math (K-12) or for other helpers of students, such as parents, "How to Learn Math" consists of eight 10 to 15 minute-long sessions intended to change students' relationships with math.

In addition to videos of Professor of Mathematics Education Jo Boaler, research ideas, and peer- and self-assessments, her course includes interviews with students, Udacity's Sebastian Thrun, Stanford Professor Carol Dweck, and others.

The self-paced course launches Monday, 15 July, and closes Friday, 27 September.

Boaler, the author of books such as What's Math Got To Do With It?, also serves as editor of the research commentary section of NCTM's Journal for Research in Mathematics Education (JRME). 

Delta Math Data Days (PD) 2013-14

Data Days: Fall, Winter, and Spring
This one-day workshop will bring together Delta Math Implementation Teams to focus on analyzing your Delta Math screening data. We will identify your district's high priority math standards for each grade level and develop plans for addressing these needs.  We will deliberately connect these plans with your overall school improvement plan and continuous improvement process. This workshop will be repeated at mid-year (to monitor progress and adjust plans) and at year-end (to evaluate progress and develop next year’s plans).
Together, we will use your screener data to answer these questions

  • Where are our students struggling in math? With which content?
  • What are the HIGH PRIORITY readiness standards for math?
  • How can we strengthen our core math curriculum in response to our data?
  • What additional support is needed to prepare students for learning instruction?
  • Which students might benefit from Tier 3 intervention? Summer school?
  • How can we leverage our School Improvement Plan's math strategies and activities to respond to our data?
Register now for the fall session on 
Register now for the winter session on 
Register now for the spring session on
Michigan's Balanced Assessment System and Smarter Balanced

This one-day workshop, offered once in the fall and once in the spring, will bring together teachers and administrators to explore Michigan’s new Balanced Assessment system slated for implementation next school year. The Smarter Balanced assessments will be part of our new Balanced Assessment system. Smarter Balanced summative assessments will be used for federal accountability. But, Smarter Balanced offers more than just the required summative assessments. Come explore the additional tools and resources that are being released for use starting this school year.
Together, we will explore and answer each of these questions
  • What will be included in Michigan’s new Balanced Assessment system? What role will Smarter Balanced play in this system?
  • What tools will be offered as part of the Balanced Assessment system? What type of PD will be provided?
  • What is included in the Smarter Balanced digital clearinghouse of resources? When can we access these resources?
  • What will happen to the ACT? When is it going away? Will there be a MEAP assessment in 2014?
  • What support will teachers need in transitioning to the new assessment system?
  • What needs to happen with my district or school’s technology plan so that we are ready for the new assessments?
  • What do our parents and guardians need to know about the new assessment system?
Register now for the fall session on November 1, 2013

Grades 6-12 Math PD 2013-14

Secondary math instruction & assessment in light of the Common Core: the Mathematics Assessment Project
To truly meet the demands of the Common Core State Standards it is not sufficient to simply revise the list of mathematical content covered in the curriculum. The Standards' emphasis on Mathematical Practices require students to be able to think mathematically, and apply the techniques they have learned to rich problems in diverse contexts. Achieving this requires changes in the way mathematics is taught and assessed in most schools.

The Mathematics Assessment Project has developed the Classroom Challenges to exemplify the types of activities needed to supplement traditional classroom practice and support the Standards. This professional development series has been designed to help teachers with the practical and pedagogical challenges faced in implementing these lessons.
This professional development series focuses on
  • introducing the model of formative assessment used in the lessons, its theoretical background and practical implementation
  • exploring the planning around the two types of Classroom Challenges in detail
  • exploring two crucial pedagogical features of the lessons: asking probing questions and collaborative learning

This professional development series is activity-based; built around a collection of example classroom lessons aligned to the Mathematical Practices and Content called for in the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. Groups of teachers will be engaged in constructive discussions about their own practices and how these could change. Teachers will be provided with time to plan to teach a lesson using these ideas in their own classroom, and meet again to reflect on their experiences.


Principals: attend with your teachers to watch, learn, plan, and support the implementation of the Common Core with fidelity.

Grades 3-5 Math PD 2013-14


Focusing on two critical areas for Grades 3-5 mathematics
  • Fractions
  • Multiplication and Division
Effective Fractions Instruction in Grades 3-5

“A high percentage of U.S. students lack conceptual understanding of fractions, even after studying fractions for several years; this, in turn, limits students’ ability to solve problems with fractions and to learn and apply computational procedures involving fractions.”The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) publishes practice guides in education to bring the best available evidence and expertise to bear on current challenges in education. In 2012, IES released “Developing Effective Fractions Instruction for Kindergarten through 8th Grade” The practice guide makes 5 research-developed recommendations for instruction. These recommendations help teachers to focus on having students develop deep understanding and reasoning about fractions.

In this three-day series Grades 3-5 teachers will develop a common understanding of what students are expected to learn about fractions and how they are supposed to learn it. Teachers will leave the series with detailed knowledge of their grade-level content standards for fractions, lessons that are in support of students developing a deep understanding of fractions, diagnostics for assessing students’ level of fraction understanding, and a plan for teaching fractions with the appropriate focus, coherence, and rigor as is called for in the Common Core. The series has been designed using the 5 recommendations from the Practice Guide and will help teachers bring the recommendations to life in their classroom.

Principals: attend with your teachers to watch, learn, plan, and support the implementation of the Common Core with fidelity.



Effective Instruction for Multiplication and Division in Grades 3-5
The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics calls for the instructional time in grades 3-5 mathematics to be focused on four critical areas. One of which is dedicated to students developing understanding of (and fluency with) multiplication and division and developing strategies for multiplication and division other than the standard algorithms.

In this three-day series Grades 3-5 teachers will develop a common understanding of what students are expected to learn about multiplication and division and how they are supposed to learn it. Teachers will leave the series with detailed knowledge of their grade-level content standards for multiplication and division, lessons that are in support of students developing a deep understanding of multiplication and division, diagnostics for assessing students’ level of multiplication and division understanding, and a plan for teaching multiplication and division with the appropriate focus, coherence, and rigor as is called for in the Common Core.

Principals: attend with your teachers to watch, learn, plan, and support the implementation of the Common Core with fidelity.

K-2 Math PD for 2013-14

Effective Instruction for Addition and Subtraction in the Early Grades (K-2)

The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics calls for the instructional time in Kindergarten through Grade 2 mathematics to be focused on four critical areas. Two of which are dedicated to students developing understanding of representing and comparing whole numbers, developing understanding of (and fluency with) addition and subtraction, developing strategies for addition and subtraction other than the standard algorithm, and developing understanding of whole number relationships and place value. 

In this three-day series Kindergarten through 2nd grade teachers will develop a common understanding of what students are expected to learn about early addition and subtraction and how they are supposed to learn it. Teachers will leave the series with detailed knowledge of their grade-level content standards for addition and subtraction, lessons that are in support of students developing a deep understanding of addition and subtraction, diagnostics for assessing students’ level of addition and subtraction understanding, and a plan for teaching addition and subtraction with the appropriate focus, coherence, and rigor as is called for in the Common Core.


Principals: attend with your teachers to watch, learn, plan, and support the implementation of the Common Core with fidelity.

Monday, June 10, 2013

Fall 2013 Michigan Interim Assessment Pilot – Applications Due 6/14

The Bureau of Assessment and Accountability (BAA) is pleased to offer another opportunity to participate in the Michigan Interim Assessment Pilot for science and social studies for grades 3 through high school, and offer for the first time an opportunity to participate in the Michigan Interim Assessment Pilot for grades K-2 in the subjects of English language arts (ELA) and mathematics. When operational, these new interim assessments will be online, pre-post assessments given at the beginning of a grade/course and end of a grade/course. These operational assessments may also be used as one possible measure of student growth.
This is a reminder that we need your school’s participation in the Michigan Interim Assessment in grades 3 through high school for science and social studies, and in K-2 for English language arts (ELA) and mathematics and recruitment is happening now.  The Fall 2013 Michigan Interim Assessment pilot testing will take place in October 28 through December 6, 2013.
Please see chart below for minimum technology requirements when considering participation:
Minimum Technology Requirements for Student Testing Devices
Apple
Windows
MAC OS X 10.6 – 10.8
512 MB RAM
800 x 600 screen resolution
100 MB hard disk space
1 GHz processor
Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, Server 2003 and 2008
512 MB RAM
800 x 600 screen resolution
100 MB hard disk space
1 GHz processor
Neither tablets (iPad/Android) nor Chromebooks will be supported for this pilot.

NOTE:  THIS IS NOT THE INTEREST SURVEY FOR ONLINE MEAP TESTING
To participate in the Michigan Interim Assessment pilots, please complete the application.  Districts may have several buildings participate but each building must register with a separate application.  Applications must be completed by Friday, June 14, 2013.
                                 
For more information regarding the interim assessments, please contact BAA at 1-877-560-8378, or contact:

Interim Assessment Contacts
Elementary (K-5)
Erika Bolig
517-241-6397
Secondary (6-12)
Kim Young
517-373-0988
Technology
Matt Ayotte
517-335-4643


Questions?
For assessment questions, please email baa@michigan.gov.
For accountability questions, please email MDE-Accountability@michigan.gov.

For phone assistance with assessment or accountability issues, call 877-560-8378 and select the appropriate menu option. 

Graphing technology purchase offer expires soon

Texas Instruments - Education Technology




If you are planning to purchase new graphing technology this spring, this is your last chance to take advantage of a great money-saving opportunity. Upgrade to the new TI-84 Plus C Silver Edition calculator and get the complementary presentation software FREE!


You must act now!



Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Business leaders, educators, advocates, and parents in support of the Common Core


click on the graphic to access the full article

Technology grant applications available now

The applications for the 2013-2014 MACUL Grant Program are available online now!
The application window is open for MACUL members to apply for a MACUL Grant (up to $1500) to support effective use of technology in the classroom. Details are listed below as well as the links to the Overview, Worksheets, Rubric, and Application. Deadline for applying is 12:00 pm, June 28, 2013.
Purpose: To encourage and support members interested in promoting effective instructional uses of the computer or related-equipment.
Grant Goal: Each project should focus on an educational need or issue that can be addressed with the instructional use of technology, which has the potential of being replicated in other educational settings.
Grant Limit per Application: $1,500

Eligible Applicants: MACUL members who are classroom teachers, coordinators, administrators, or higher education personnel. MACUL Grant recipients from the last two years are ineligible to apply. If you are not a member, you can join MACUL for free.
If you receive a grant, the following items will need to be completed:
  • A submitted MACUL-Grant Project Summary Form and Budget Report,
  • Carry out plan for sharing the project with other educators and MACUL members,
  • Either present a one hour session at the MACUL Conference or submit a resource to MI Learning on iTunesU following the established submission process.
Grant Information and Overview
Grant Rubric
Grant Worksheets
Online Application

Monday, June 3, 2013

Help support the Common Core in Michigan

The Michigan Council of Teachers of Mathematics asks for your support in fighting a battle forged in the Michigan Congress.  We need your voice more than ever to sound off about efforts to turn back the adoption of the Common Core in this state.  MCTM has adopted a position paper on this very issue.  We have distributed our position to Michigan policy makers with plans for a more wide range distribution.  We have continued to articulate a stance of higher standards and equity for all children in our great state. 
The Michigan House of Representatives has passed a bill that can turn back the clock for Michigan students.  Every child deserves the right to a high quality education that provides opportunities to be prepared for the world of work and to be college ready.  MCTM knows that this readiness does not begin in grade 9 but begins in kindergarten.  All K-12 educators must work together to get students ready starting in the early grades and building across to grade 12.  The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics provides rigorous standards that are coherent and well articulated across the grades. 
Standards are academic goals or targets.  They are essential so that all schools no matter how they choose to reach those targets are aiming for the same student outcomes.  Schools and districts determine the curriculum which is a plan for instruction consisting of differentiated instructional strategies and activities that best meet the needs of their diverse student population.  A curriculum is customized and is not one size fits all. 
MCTM President Irene Nordé, Ph.D.
House Bill 4276 has passed sponsored by republican Tom McMillin and is waiting for a vote that may be held as soon as Tuesday in the Senate.  We are asking for your help by writing a letter to your senator to express support for the Common Core.  There are many misconceptions that have been shared with congressmen/women including the Common Core State Standards represent a national curriculum and not a state led effort. Both are not truthful statements.  To learn more on the status in the Michigan Legislature visit the link below.

A few talking points have been provided and a link to the Michigan legislature website for contacting your State Senators below.  Please share this communication with as many supporters as possible – both MCTM members and colleagues.  Thank you in advance for your efforts and support provided on behalf of Michigan students.
Main speaking points for grassroots messages to State Senators.. to be personalized to the Senator, using any locally-relevant details:
  • The language in the state budget that will prohibit the implementation of the Common Core State Standards and computer-adaptive Smarter Balanced Assessment will be detrimental to schools and students in your district and across Michigan.
  • This will cause us to reverse the course we all have been on for the past three years
  • It will cause Michigan to lose its flexibility waiver to the federal No Child Left Behind Act – which means that every school in Michigan will be accountable to having 100 percent of its students proficient in math and reading by next year.
  • Every school in your district will not be making AYP – and will have to begin the federal No Child Left Behind sanctions, like providing our students with choice and transportation to other school districts; costly tutoring services; and possibly the entire disruption of how we run our own schools.
  • It also will mean that you will be changing learning standards again for the teachers and students in your district; having the valuable teacher evaluations be based upon the old MEAP and Michigan Merit Exam; and having less federal Title I funds for the lowest-performing schools in your district.
  • The Common Core State Standards are high-quality standards that your school districts have spent great time and effort over the past three years to align curricula and begin implementing.
  • These Common Core standards are strongly supported by business leaders and education leaders in Michigan, including those leaders in your district.
  • Please don’t drag our schools back three years, and put us further behind the other states that are going forward with the Common Core and Smarter Balanced Assessments. These already have been vetted through extensive public comment three years ago, before the State Board of Education adopted them.
  • Please trust your local educators that the Common Core State Standards and Smarter Balanced Assessments are the right course our schools are on. These new standards will help the students in your district be career- and college-ready and help drive greater economic development in Michigan and in your district.
  • If this detrimental provision in the budget bill is adopted, and we are prohibited from continuing the implementation of the Common Core and Smarter Balanced Assessments, you will leave your local school boards, administrators, teachers, and parents with no place to go but backwards.

To find your State Senator, scroll down to the “Related Sites” at the bottom of the webpage.

Public Policy Committee 
Michigan Council of Teachers of Mathematics