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April 2004

Welcome to Exemplary Initiatives online!

Exemplars is a community of users dedicated to helping schools become successful in standards-based performance assessment and instruction. Our monthly newsletter features short pieces from Exemplars users, as well as brief reflections on current education issues and trends that impact standards, assessment and instruction.

If you would like to contribute, or have comments you would like to share, please get in touch with us at info@exemplars.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

No Teacher Left Behind

Shirley McKee, Calcasieu, LA - Elementary Consultant

Inservice training for teachers can be a real challenge in a large school district. It's tempting to just "present" the information, mandate the implementation and hold teachers responsible for the quality of that implementation. Choosing this format creates a void between teaching the teachers and classroom follow-up. Just as Madeline Hunter and so many others have advocated the importance of modeling for students, it is likewise important to model for teachers. With the advent of "No Child Left Behind," it has become increasingly essential that we look at "No Teacher Left Behind."

One important step in the direction of making professional development more meaningful to teachers has been to model instruction in a variety of realistic settings. During the fall of 2003, Exemplars consultant Deb Armitage was in Calcasieu Parish Schools for seven days. She spent two of the days in several schools across Calcasieu Parish in southwest Louisiana. Schools were selected to reflect a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds and student achievement. Teachers were scheduled to observe a model lesson in grade two, three or four in their school or in one nearby, which meant minimal time out of their own classrooms. These observations were tied to a full day of inservice training either the day before or the day following the model lessons.

This teacher-friendly format of tying the model lessons to the day of professional development in problem solving, communication and assessment, has given teachers the opportunity to see the application of specific strategies in a realistic setting. It gave them a model to either practice as presented or to adapt to their own situations. It gave them a springboard for moving forward.

Implementing constructed-response problems has often proven difficult for teachers. Since it is an integral part of the Louisiana accountability system, it has become increasingly important that this part of mathematics not be skimmed past or even omitted from the elementary curriculum. Exemplars has been a leader in providing high-quality, real-life, open-ended problems for students for many years. While teachers had previously been exposed to the materials, even "inserviced" in their application, the actual classroom use of the Exemplars problems had been scattered prior to this year.

Following the reformatted training, teachers have been more responsive in implementing strategies taught than they were when material was given but not modeled. The added dimension of actual classroom modeling has made teachers more comfortable with the process. Within the schools, teachers have been participating in learning communities supporting each other both within and across grade levels. It has promoted teacher/staff discourse and a sense of mathematical community. Exemplars consultant, Deb Armitage, will return toward the end of the academic year to give teachers the opportunity to solidify the learning process through feedback and follow-up training. One additional benefit of using the modeling format has been that teachers not only saw an Exemplars mathematics lesson modeled as intended, but they have also had the opportunity to see numerous quality strategies for communicating with students. They have seen students enticed to communicate their thoughts to peers as well as communicating their explanations on paper. Teachers have seen best practices for establishing a working community in the classroom. Back to top

A New Perspective - See it to Believe it

Ross Brewer, President, Exemplars

You and your colleagues may have found yourselves wondering, "Now that we've just hosted a successful Exemplars workshop - how do we best implement what we've learned?" Thankfully, there is an answer to this question - classroom modeling. Many teachers feel overwhelmed after a workshop, and have a difficult time envisioning how to put new techniques into action. Teachers often question whether or not their students have the ability to be successful with problem solving. Exemplars users have found it helpful to step back from the classroom and observe their students interacting with a workshop instructor and with each other. We often need to "see it to believe it."

Classroom modeling serves as an extension of an Exemplars workshop. The process allows educators to observe a modeling instructor demonstrate to their students a teaching or assessment strategy, using the techniques they learned during a previous workshop. Allowing teachers to observe Exemplars being used with their students serves as an "a-ha" moment for many. Deb Armitage, an Exemplars consultant, is often asked, "How do I get my students to think about math?" "What questions do I ask them?" Deb points out, "Once they 'see the how to' after 'learning the how to', they are more likely to use the process and improve student learning. Many teachers just need to listen to someone else modeling in order to learn how to improve their math discussions with students."

Jacqueline Labate, an Exemplars consultant says, "When I do modeling I ask that teachers observe the lesson and meet with me after to debrief. This gives them a chance to ask questions and me a chance to point out what I'm doing or comment on what level the class is at." After the modeling session is complete, the focus shifts to questions the teachers have for the instructor. Jacqueline stresses the importance of dialogue amongst the educators. This enables them to brainstorm how to use techniques they have just seen. Educators walk away from a classroom-modeling session with confidence, and teaching problem solving becomes a realistic goal within their reach. Through modeling, Exemplars strives to bridge what's learned in a professional development session to what is practiced in the classroom. Back to top

Math Recipes

Barbara Renoux, Teacher - Sitka, AK

I did not grow up feeling mathematically empowered. I felt that math was a subject for "gifted" students and that average kids like myself would survive required math classes with minimal understanding. I learned quickly that memorization was the key to a passing grade. And after high school, who needed it!

Then I entered the world of classroom teaching and found myself on the opposite side of the teacher's desk. Looking out I saw a room full of smiling faces eager to embrace the subjects of math and science! There was no fear of failure in their eyes. There was no misconception about who can "do math" and who would be just another average Joe. Their [elementary] age did not hinder their enthusiasm to tackle the "hard stuff." They were ready. I wasn't! It was time for me to make some major changes in my whole philosophy about math, kids and learning. The first thing I did was take classes, workshops and training in math instruction. I reached out to colleagues I thought were strong teachers, and eventually learned that my own mathematical education was not a fault of mine, but the result of poor instruction. I had the misfortune of taking high school algebra and geometry [I didn't dare go beyond that!] with teachers who catered to the cream of the class, and failed to recognize I needed their support and attention, too. I was not about to become one of those teachers!

The Alaska Math Consortium offers classes for teachers just like me - math phobics! I signed up and spent three weeks of my summer realizing that I not only could "do math" but I loved it! I took the Advanced Institute the following summer and eventually became a facilitator myself. I searched for other classes which addressed instruction in a more meaningful and hands-on approach. The more I learned, the more I longed to be stretched and challenged. To this day, I still have my eyes open for workshops or opportunities to further my knowledge in math, even with retirement just around the corner! I was drawn to classes which broke math concepts down to a concrete level, using manipulatives to develop the visual thinker in me. [Oh, the delight I found when I learned about base ten blocks and algebra tiles!]

While my own mathematical needs were met through these classes, they also shaped my personal philosophy about math instruction. I have become more sensitive to the needs of all my students. The way I teach math is not unlike the way I look at reading instruction. New learning is based on prior knowledge. Students need to explore and manipulate objects in order to make sense of the mathematical world. As a teacher, it is my role to support their learning with as much scaffolding as they require in order to feel successful. As they become more confident learners, the support system is eventually removed - piece-by-piece. Students also learn best when they are guided to make discoveries on their own. "Drill and kill" techniques cannot lead to mastery as effectively as providing children with enough opportunities to practice through exploration and games. Playing "Go Fish For Ten" can help even the youngest students eventually realize that 14 + 6 = 20 "because 4 and 6 are 10 friends and 10 and that other 10 make 20!" I continue to use materials which allow my students "to see" their way through math concepts.

Over the years, I felt that my recipes for math were solid, with just the right ingredients to provide my students with a balanced program. Everyone was happy. Still, there was something missing. I knew that I needed something more - a dessert - involving math problem solving. I went in search of such a recipe on the Internet and came across the site for Exemplars. As I read it over, my mouth began to drool! This is exactly what I needed. So, when I came into some money [The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematical Teaching provided me with a check!] I signed up for the closest Exemplars workshop to Alaska, which happened to be in Texas!

The workshop's presenter was Deb Armitage, a former classroom teacher from Vermont. She literally kept me on the edge of my chair. I even held off "bathroom breaks" for fear I'd miss something she said. First she presented the overall idea behind Exemplars. Then she handed out problems which had been tried and tested, just like a recipe in a test kitchen! We went over both the problems and the students' work, analyzing what children knew and could explain, and what was still missing. The rubric was invaluable for this! Finally, we got to roll up our sleeves, donned an apron and started cooking ourselves. Using the information Deb taught us and the rubric, we set about scoring problems. The more we did, the more we wanted to do! Who would have thought that sitting for two days in a windowless room could be so wonderful. The time flew!

I dreaded the thought of leaving Texas without the support of another colleague in my own district. I was the only Alaskan among so many Texans! But, I didn't really have to worry. Deb became my email support person. The more we emailed, the more confidence I gained. And so, now I really feel I have the perfect math program, complete with dessert! I felt so excited about my ability to teach students how to solve problems that I initiated a Math Club for third-fifth graders. [I teach a K-1 Multiage program.] We meet once a week after school just to solve math problems. They love it and so do their parents!

I'll be retiring at the end of this school year. While I have lots of plans for my retirement, one is to continue to keep cooking up great math recipes for kids. As a volunteer, I will be excited to work with students in the area of math. When I think about packing up my classroom for the last time, many things will be tossed or given to other teachers. But I will never give up my Exemplars Math binder! That's my recipe book! And whenever anyone asks about math, I hop up on my soapbox and shout the praises of EXEMPLARS! Back to top

QLD - A New Collaboration

Exemplars is pleased to be partnering with QLD Learning to implement standards-based assessment and instruction at Taylor ISD in Texas. Exemplars math and science material will be integrated with QLD's Curriculum Facilitator software. This software allows teachers to select instruction and assessment tasks by their state standards (TEKS), and is designed to help schools map, align, schedule and share instructional resources.

To learn more - visit qldlearning or taylorducks.