2009 Oct 13
For Immediate Release
Math-Science Partnership
First photo: Shannon Williams, 3rd grade teacher at Cottonwood Elementary Shool and Kimber Marquez, 5th grade teacher at Cottonwood Elementary School work on the definition of "average." Second photo: Sara Coker, 4th grade teacher at Cottonwood Elementary School organizing a solution.SCC's Math-Science Partnership Benefits K-12 Teachers, Students Across Arizona
Scottsdale, AZ (September 2, 2009) – Since 2004, Math instructors from Scottsdale Community College have facilitated professional development workshops to in-service teachers at seven school districts across Arizona.
Funded by Math Science Partnership (MSP) grants from the U.S. and Arizona Departments of Education, SCC Math faculty created workshop curriculum with the goal of increasing the confidence and qualifications of K-12 math teachers across Arizona, and ultimately increasing AIMS test scores.
Just this past year, the Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District (COCSD) in Yavapai County reported significant gains in the number of students scoring at the highest level on the Math portion of the AIMS test, attributing their success, in part, to their participation in the workshops and collaboration with SCC faculty.
"There was an unprecedented improvement in AIMS scores during the first year of the teachers' professional development," said Dr. James Vicich, SCC Math faculty and workshop facilitator. "The literature states that it takes sometimes three to five years after coaching for improvement to be seen, so SCC's and Cottonwood's accomplishment is significant."
Over the years, the SCC team has provided training to over 260 math teachers, impacting over 10,000 students to date. Participating districts and schools included the Scottsdale School District, Gila River Community Schools, Salt River Community Schools, Deer Valley School District, Glendale School District, and most recently, the Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District.
"This experience helped us to see, in a non-threatening atmosphere, how important it is for a mighty change in the way we teach and learn mathematics in America," said Carrie Reay, Math teacher with the COCSD.
According to Vicich, the workshops provide K-12 teachers with the opportunity to develop deep, well-connected conceptual understanding, problem solving skills using multiple solution paths and strategies, and the experience of using appropriate instructional strategies, such as paired board work, that encourage students to present their mathematical ideas to their classmates for critique and feedback.
"One of the biggest benefits of the partnership are the wonderful instructors that we have enjoyed so much," said Patricia Hutchinson, Math teacher with COCSD, about SCC's Math faculty. "They have been open, cooperative, friendly, so knowledgeable, and patient. They have made us feel smarter."
The initial Math Science Partnership proposal was written in 2004 by Dr. John Sickafoose from SCC. The current workshop coordinator, Dr. James Vicich, was joined this past year by his fellow SCC facilitators, Dr. Ted Coe and Professor Donna Guhse, and Professor Scott Adamson from Chandler-Gilbert Community College.
"The AIMS scores were amazing," said Hutchinson. "I think the fact that we let our students into the teaching and learning process and made them more accountable helped raise our scores. The fact that our learning took place over a year with time to synthesize was wonderful."
Dr. Coe and his colleagues spent one week this and last summer, and 4-5 Saturdays throughout the school year on workshops. During workshops, SCC and CGCC instructors facilitated the "three C's" – Content, Confidence, and Competence (to teach math).
"Math Science Partnerships involve working with teachers, helping to improve their learning of Math and their role as a teacher of Mathematics," said Coe.
On a typical Saturday, Coe and his fellow facilitators worked with 25-30 teachers on problem solving. Facilitators explored larger ideas on common Math-related topics, and they helped the teachers raise the baseline on the three C's.
"The way we're teaching the teachers is a model for them to teach their students," said Coe. "We're practicing what we preach – we don't lecture."
Coe and his colleagues took disconnected sets of procedures and instead told stories that made more sense in terms of teaching math. "It was wonderful to see the teachers make a philosophical change to teaching math," said Coe. "It doesn't have to be just telling students how to do something."
Workshop participants have reported positive impacts in their classroom practices, an increase in their students' enthusiasm for Mathematics, and an increase in their own confidence to allow students to explore, make conjectures, and communicate their ideas publicly.
Patricia Osborne, Assistant Superintendent with the Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District, feels the workshops have significantly changed how her teachers think about teaching math.
"Teachers are now confident in themselves and their skills to give the students the authority for their own learning," she said. "This change has also spread over to other subjects."
