Getting to Math Understanding

WI STEM Summit

October 2012

Mary Ann Hudziak

CESA 6 Math Coordinator

mhudziak@cesa6.org

920-236-0523

“I taught it, they just didn’t learn it.”

-by a teacher

Checking for Understanding

• How do you know if your students understand?

Today’s Classroom

What differences exist in your classroom today compared to five (5) years ago?

• Teaching strategies• Technology• Goals/expectations• Room organization• Class structure• Other

Designing Good Instruction• Start with the Standards• Chunk the standards into meaningful groups for

instruction• Articulate what students should know, be able to

do and understand for each “chunk” of learning• What does this learning look like? How will you

know that the students have it?• Anticipate multiple entry points

Start with the Standards

• Become acquainted with the standards you are responsible for in your classroom.

• Write each standard as two or more “learning targets” that explain what students will know, be able to do, or understand as a result of reaching that standard.

• Share these learning targets with your students as you are teaching to them.

Learning Targets

“Students who don’t know the intention of a lesson expend precious time and energy trying to figure out what their teachers expect them to learn”

(Moss, Brookhart, Long – 2011).

Learning Targets:3 Easy Steps

• Begin with the stem, “The student will…”

• After the stem, add a verb: analyze, recognize, compare, provide, list, etc.

• Once you have a stem and a verb, determine the actual product, process, or outcome: The student will be able to recognize foreshadowing in various works of literature. – The student will interpret the results of the calculations . . .

Multiple Entry Points

• Assess for current levels of understanding• Identify gaps early• Differentiate learning for ALL• Plan for intervention and enrichment

Copyright 2012 CESA 7, Green Bay, WI

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Assessment is how we check for readiness. Readiness to begin, readiness to move on or dig deeper.

• Interest Inventories• Pre-Tests• Formative• Summative

Assessment

Many Types and Purposes of Assessment

Brainstorm

• What do you use to check for understanding or readiness?

Assessment• How will you know if each student has hit

the target?

• Align assessments

with expectations.

Align Assessments w/ Targets

• Assessments should be aligned with your standards and targets.

Target Assessment

The student will list . . . Allow for the opportunity to list.

The student will construct . . . A 2-D drawing or 3-D or object.

The student will compare . . . Show through visual, oral or written format the similarities and differences.

Assessment

• Consider a rubric for assessment evaluation

• Align the rubric with the standard and/or learning target(s) it is meant to measure

• Share with your students and/or include their input.

Copyright 2012 CESA 7, Green Bay, WI

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“Questions, problems, scenarios or prompts that demand engagement in concepts and that stimulate students to make purposeful connections to meaning or relevant mathematical ideas.”

Mathematical Tasks

Copyright 2012 CESA 7, Green Bay, WI

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Example of Mathematical Task

Share

Ideas to use for Checking for Understanding

– Paper/pencil– Individual white board/page protectors– Calculator– Clickers– Ipad, ipod, phone, tablets, . . .– Web– Interactive white boards– Games