Empowering Teacher Agency: How Data-Driven PD Models are Improving K-5 Math Achievement

Empowering Teacher AgencyHow Data-Driven PD Models are Improving

K-5 Math Achievement

Tim Hudson, PhDVice President of Learning

@DocHudsonMath

Kelly UrlacherSr. Curriculum Designer

@UrlacherMath

To improve elementary student

achievement in math, district

administrators must explore

innovative approaches to

professional development that

improve teachers’ understanding

of mathematics concepts.

Low Math Scores

2015 NAEP

4th Grade 40% Proficient

8th Grade 33% ProficientSource: US Institute for Education Sciences

Keeping Administrators & Teachers Up at Night

Teacher Support for Personalization

Large majority of teachers don’t feel

supported in their use of digital learning

tools and analysis of student data to

differentiate learning.Source: Gates Foundation


• Students differ as learners in terms of background experience, culture, language, gender, interests, readiness to

learn, modes of learning, speed of learning, support systems for learning, self-awareness as a learner, confidence

as a learner, independence as a learner, and a host of other ways.

• Differences profoundly impact how students learn and the nature of scaffolding they will need at various points in

the learning process.

• Teachers have a responsibility to ensure that all of their students master important content.

• Teachers have to make specific and continually evolving plans to connect each learner with key content.

• Teachers are required to understand the nature of each of their students, in addition to the nature of the content

they teach.

• A flexible approach to teaching “makes room” for student variance.

• Teachers should continually ask, “What does this student need at this moment in order to be able to progress with

this key content, and what do I need to do to make that happen?”

Key Elements of Differentiation

Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom by C.A. Tomlinson & M.B. Imbeau, ASCD, © 2010, pp. 13-14

• Extreme learner variation

• Wide range of scaffolding

• All students must succeed

• Need specific and evolving plans

• Understand students AND content

• Be flexible for student variance

• “What does this student need at this moment in order to be able to progress with

this key content, and what do I need to do to make that happen?”

Key Elements of Differentiation

Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom by C.A. Tomlinson & M.B. Imbeau, ASCD, © 2010, pp. 13-14

Teacher Math Content Knowledge

Teachers with Math Specialization from College:

K-4 3%

5-6 8%

6-8 31%Source: Michigan State University


91

Student adds

place values

independently

What is 29 + 72?

Student

doesn’t

regroup the

ones

Student

carries but

double counts

Student

combines

all digits

911 1112,972

Administrators Want PD Support

Only 29% of teachers are highly satisfied with PD.

Principals largely share teachers’ concerns.

Federal PD Funds: $2.6 billion per year

District PD Funds: $8K–$12K/teacher per yearSource: Learning Forward, Gates Foundation


Obstacles to Providing Strong Professional Learning

• Time: Scheduling, Availability & Contractual Restrictions

• Relevant Content: Empowering teachers with PD choices

• Educator Centric: Control over time, place, path or pace

• Funding: Substitutes, teacher time, PD facilitator

Low Math

Scores

Teacher Support

for Personalization

Teacher Math

Content Knowledge

Administrators Want

Efficacy & PD Support

2015 NAEP

Math Proficiency

4th Grade 40%

8th Grade 33%

Large majorities of

teachers don’t feel

supported in their use of

digital learning tools

and analyze student

data to differentiate

learning.

Teachers with Math

Specialization from College:

K-4 3%

5-6 8%

6-8 31%

Only 29% of teachers are

highly satisfied with current

PD offerings.

Principals largely share

teachers’ concerns.

Annual PD Funding:

Federal $2.6 billion

District $8K–

$12K/teacherSource: US Institute for Education Sciences Source: Gates Foundation Source: Michigan State University Source: Learning Forward, Gates Foundation


Components of DreamBox Learning

K-8 Digital Math

Curriculum

Teacher Dashboard

+ Home Connection

MyFlex PD On Demand:

Content-Specific PD

Administrator

Reporting

Teacher accesses DreamBox Progress Data

and PD links on the Insights Dashboard

Students complete DreamBox Lessons,

whether Self-Directed or Teacher-Assigned

Teacher uses new, deeper

learning about math concepts to

inform classroom practice

Teacher completes DreamBox

PD Modules to Deepen Math

Content Understanding, Anytime,

Anywhere

© DreamBox Learning

• Grades 3-5

• 650 Teachers

• 11,000 Students

• Analysis suggests students demonstrated improved growth in mathematics when their teacher more frequently accessed DreamBox Learning PD

Initial Analysis

36%

50%

32%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5

Increased Growth On Grade Level Concepts for Students Whose Teachers Completed 3 or More PD On Demand Modules

Administrator View: “Just in Time” Math PD is a Game Changer

“DreamBox’s PD modules are important for teachers. It

provides them a safe environment to access the information

they need to explore topics they may be unfamiliar with.”

– Jesse, Numeracy Coordinator

Professional Development Lacking Teacher Agency

Little input from teachers

Potpourri of topics chosen by system

leaders and principals based on multiple,

often competing, objectives

Decisions about what teachers need to

know are made by the central office and

school administrators

Topics are often unrelated to teacher and

student learning

Calvert, L. (2016). Moving from compliance to agency: What teachers need to make professional learning work. Oxford, OH: Learning Forward and NCTAF.

What do teachers want in their PD?

Source: Learning Forward, Gates Foundation

• Relevant

• Interactive

• Delivered by someone who understands their

experience and situation

• Sustained over time

• Teachers as professionals

• Delivery Method

Professional Learning Supporting Teacher Agency

Teacher-identified learning objectives

Based on data (including observations)

Focused on teachers’ and students’

continuous growth

Topics address specific classroom

challenges

Teachers decide what they need to

learn


Teachers as Learners

DreamBox Insights Dashboard

What math concepts are my students learning right now in DreamBox?

MyFlex PD On DemandWhat DreamBox PD is available that will

help me improve my own math understanding of what my students are

learning?

Understanding the classroom taught

curriculum

• When teaching a math concept to the whole class from the pacing calendar, textbook, or other source, a teacher can access PD On Demand modules for that topic to better understand the math concepts and more confidently facilitate classroom lessons for the topic.

Informing small group differentiation

• When a small group of students is simultaneously working on a math concept in DreamBox that isn’t being taught in class, the classroom teacher can access PD On Demand modules to understand the math concepts and facilitate a strategy group to discuss the topic.

Providing individual student support

• When examining student-level reports to support remediation, acceleration, or grade level differentiation, the classroom teacher can access PD On Demand modules relevant to that student’s needs.

Two Students. Millions of Self-Directed Learning Paths.

The Pacing Calendaris Here

Teachers Create Data-Informed, Adaptive Assignments

© DreamBox Learning © DreamBox Learning

Simple Progress Monitoring for Any Standard

© DreamBox Learning© DreamBox Learning

Understanding the Classroom-Taught Curriculum

Link to PD On Demand Module for the Assigned

Topic



curriculum




Providing individual student support


Informing Small Group Differentiation

Link to PD On Demand Module for the Topic

Names of Students

Math Topic

Teacher’s Progress Through the PD Module



curriculum




Enhancing individual student support


Enhancing Individual Student Support

Links to PD On Demand Module

for Student’s Self-Directed

Topics


Teacher accesses DreamBox Progress Data

and PD links on the Insights Dashboard

Students complete DreamBox Lessons,

whether Self-Directed or Teacher-Assigned

Teacher uses new, deeper

learning about math concepts to

inform classroom practice

Teacher completes DreamBox

PD Modules to Deepen Math

Content Understanding, Anytime,

Anywhere


“Technology–enabled innovations have a different

problem… those that provide online content

and learning materials, use basic pedagogy – most

often in the form of introducing concepts by video

instruction and following up with a series of

progression exercises and tests. Other digital

innovations are simply tools that allow teachers to do

the same age-old practices but in a digital format.”

(p. 25)

Digital Content Matters for Students & Adults

Fullan & Donnelly, Alive in the Swamp: Assessing Digital Innovations in Education, © July 2013, www.nesta.org/uk

Pop Quiz

3,998 + 4,247 =

304– 298

“How do you teach number sense? A large body of research

has shown that number sense develops gradually, over time, as

a result of exploration of numbers, visualizing numbers in a

variety of contexts, and relating to numbers in different ways.”

“How do you teach number sense? A large body of research

has shown that number sense develops gradually, over time, as

a result of exploration of numbers, visualizing numbers in a

variety of contexts, and relating to numbers in different ways.”

True for Both Students AND Teachers

“True virtual manipulatives allow more than simply a viewing of objects on the computer screen. They allow increased engagement, forcing the user to interact with dynamic objects. Through this interaction students

have opportunities to make meaning and see relationships as a result of their own actions. And it is

this interactive engagement with a dynamic representation that is the key to the knowledge

construction process.”

From Virtual Manipulatives In The K-12 Classroom, Moyer, Bolyard, Spikell, 2002

MyFlex PD On Demand: Content Matters


1. Model different methods for computing

2. Regularly calculate mentally

3. Have class discussions about strategies for computing

4. Make estimation an integral part of computing

52%

33%

46%

36%

50%

32%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%


Increased Growth For Students Whose Teachers Completed 3 or More PD On Demand Modules

Prior Grade Concepts

On Grade Concepts

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0


Dre

amB

ox

Gro

wth

Po

ints

Increased Growth For Students Whose Teachers Completed PD Modules for Concepts both On Grade Level and at Other Grades

Completed No PD Modules

Completed PD Modules At GradeLevel and At Other Grade Levels

+60%

+42%

+28%

Administrator View: “Just in Time” Math PD is a Game Changer

“In addition to giving teachers a quick, easy way to boost and refresh

their own skills throughout the school year, teachers really like the

flexibility of being able to access the PD On Demand modules from

home and in the evenings. That convenience means more teachers

will access it.”

-Natalie, Elementary Mathematics Supervisor

Seven Steps to Improve Teacher Agency in PD


1. Make all professional learning decisions only in serious consultation with teachers and principals. Ensure at least 50% teacher representation on school and district teams that are responsible for every stage of decision making from planning and data analysis to design, implementation, and evaluation.

2. Rethink organization of the school day so that educators have time to meet regularly to collaborate with colleagues to improve teaching and learning.

3. Involve and support teachers in analyzing data and identifying teaching and learning challenges.4. Establish learning communities where educators solve problems of practice and share

responsibility for colleague and student success.5. Give teachers choices regarding their professional learning, including who they work with and

where they focus their learning.6. Ensure that professional learning is for the purpose of continuous growth, not evaluation.7. Resist the temptation to “scale up” or mandate a particular form of professional learning without

thoroughly examining the context in which it will be implemented. Understand that learners must want to improve their practice and see how the learning opportunity will help them do so.

Seven Steps to Improve Teacher Agency in PD


1. Make all professional learning decisions only in serious consultation with teachers and principals. Ensure at least 50% teacher representation on school and district teams that are responsible for every stage of decision making from planning and data analysis to design, implementation, and evaluation.

2. Rethink organization of the school day so that educators have time to meet regularly to collaborate with colleagues to improve teaching and learning.

3. Involve and support teachers in analyzing data and identifying teaching and learning challenges.

4. Establish learning communities where educators solve problems of practice and share responsibility for colleague and student success.

5. Give teachers choices regarding their professional learning, including who they work with and where they focus their learning.

6. Ensure that professional learning is for the purpose of continuous growth, not evaluation.7. Resist the temptation to “scale up” or mandate a particular form of professional learning without thoroughly examining the context in which it will be

implemented. Understand that learners must want to improve their practice and see how the learning opportunity will help them do so.

Q & A


@DocHudsonMath


@UrlacherMath

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and teachers with powerful instructional data

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See all of our awards at dreambox.com/awards

http://www.dreambox.com/awards

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Thank you!


@DocHudsonMath


@UrlacherMath

Empowering Teacher Agency: How Data-Driven PD Models are Improving K-5 Math Achievement

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