InTASC 10: Leadership and Collaboration

Rationale

For this standard, I have chosen my Collaboration Log, a required artifact for the

summative portfolio, as well as a T3 workshop presentation to the Winters Mill High School

math department. Over the course of our placements, we were required to consult with a total

of five school resource personnel (at least two at each placement) regarding best practices for

classroom situations that we had faced or for meeting the diverse needs of our students. (I

consulted with two resource staffers at Winters Mill and three at Oklahoma Road Middle

School.) The Collaboration Log also documents the steps taken to implement these strategies.

This artifact is a strong exhibit of standard 10 because it specifically documents how I

have worked with others at my two placement schools to plan and deliver instruction that will

meet the needs of all of my students and ensure they are active participants in their learning.

Although I have gotten a tremendous amount of support from my mentors in both placements,

my goal has been to ensure I am making adequate use of all of the resources available at both of

my internship sites to provide an optimal learning environment for every student; the

Collaboration Log documents my achievement of this goal.

I also chose to include an artifact that demonstrates a role reversal: me sharing my

knowledge with others at the school. During October 2013, I attended a Texas Instruments “T3”

workshop dedicated to the implementation of the new TI-Nspire calculators and their use in

aligning instruction with the Common Core standards. The chairperson of the Winters Mill math

The teacher seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for

student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals,

and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession.

department asked me to give a presentation on the workshop at a department meeting later that

month, so I have included both a copy of the PowerPoint from the presentation and a copy of an

email I sent to the department following the meeting in response to questions that came up. The

combination of these two artifacts shows my ability to collaborate on both sides of the desk, so to

speak—I can be both a receiver and giver of information.

This artifact aligns with the “planning” and “teaching” components of the CPTAAR

cycle. Thorough planning is essential for meeting the needs of all learners, and the best way to

ensure a sufficiently comprehensive lesson is by working with experts in a particular field to

ensure that best practices are both being taken into account during the planning process and

being implemented properly during the delivery of instruction. In addition, collaboration is a

“give and take” endeavor—an effective teacher must be willing to both accept suggestions from,

and share suggestions with, others—and these artifacts show my ability to do both effectively.

EDUC 798: Internship II with Seminar

Intern: Ben Cohen Professional Collaboration Log Schools: Winters Mill H.S. Oklahoma Road M.S.

Date

Resource Consulted/Position

Topic/Purpose of Discussion

Summary

Application

3/7/2014 Ashley Nimmo

Speech-Language Pathologist,

Winters Mill H.S.

To develop a plan for helping J. express complex ideas (mathematical and otherwise) and communicate his needs, as detailed in his IEP.

J. has improved at understanding complex mathematical ideas but continues to struggle with expressing them. For example, during the most recent unit on square roots, he was eventually able to pick up on the procedures for simplifying and rationalizing square roots but often needed prompting when asking questions—his inquiries were often limited to “I don’t understand” or “I need help” rather than communication of a more specific need. When guided through the problem, however, J. is able to explain the steps to be taken—though occasionally using simplistic vocabulary (e.g., “the house” rather than “radical”)—and pinpoint the step(s) that cause difficulty for him. J.’s ability to communicate his needs is occasionally limited by his struggles forming complex sentences, which affects him in all classes, not just math.

As I have done all semester in accordance with his IEP, I will continue to work with J. to improve his ability to express the ideas in this class. Some accommodations will continue to be necessary—such as permitting him to use simpler vocabulary—but within this framework, my mentor and I have attempted to get him to understand and express increasingly complex ideas. For example, while it is unrealistic at this time to expect him to ask verbatim why the product of two unlike square roots is itself a radical, we do expect him to ask a question along the lines of “Why does the number stay in the house?” instead of simply declaring he doesn’t understand.

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Date

Resource Consulted/Position

Topic/Purpose of Discussion

Summary

Application

3/11/2014 Olga Reber

ESOL Resource Instructor,

Winters Mill H.S.

Best practices to use with two ESOL students, K. and C., in foundational Algebra I. K. is a 10th grader whose primary language is listed as English; C.’s primary language is Spanish, and he is currently in 9th grade due to the language barrier. (This was a follow-up to a Jan. 27 discussion on the same topic.)

K. has generally demonstrated mastery of the concepts in this class throughout the semester—her quiz and test scores are typically at or near the top of the class. C., whose scores are typically similarly strong, has also generally demonstrated mastery, though he at times has difficulty either explaining the steps to take to solve a problem or elaborating when he has a question; many of his questions consist of him going back over the steps he has taken to solve a problem and then stating he has gotten stuck, without elaborating on what specifically is causing him trouble. (It should be noted that he is able to comprehend prompting questions, such as “How do you simplify a square root?”) For both students, emphasizing key vocabulary—such as the various ways to express “add,” “subtract,” “multiply,” and “divide” in a word problem—will help both students’ understanding of the problems, as will rewording and simplifying problems and breaking down the process of solving them into step-by-step instructions.

I can continue to best prepare these students for success by following these procedures, including helping them to break down problems on both formative and summative assessments and identify key words in these problems (e.g., “is” corresponds to “equals”). These students should also be allowed extended time to complete assessments when needed; this is standard practice for all students in the class. Another strategy that will be used in the coming lessons is the use of “foldables” to help these students with memorization of basic concepts (such as the aforementioned key words and phrases). While C. has generally needed more assistance with the language barrier, I also expect K. to continue experiencing significant benefits from my use of these strategies.

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Date

Resource Consulted/Position

Topic/Purpose of Discussion

Summary

Application

3/27/2014 Beth Prestianni

Guidance Counselor,

Oklahoma Road M.S.

Strategies for working with E., a new student who is experiencing social and academic difficulties acclimating to the school and has recently begun to demonstrate self-injurious behaviors.

E. is a new student who recently transferred in from another school system in the state. She recently came in with several self-inflicted cuts on her arm, which she claimed were the result of being scratched by her cat. She has also written many “dark” or “disturbing” stories, both for her ELA classes and for her own edification. According to Guidance, she has a difficult home life and may also be experiencing difficulties (both socially and academically) transitioning to a new school this late in the year. I can help by making her feel like as much of a part of the group as possible rather than the “new kid;” for example, I need to be cognizant of how frequently I call on her and avoid subconsciously doing so at a less frequent rate than with the rest of the class. I will also need to keep a fairly close watch on her physical condition and inform Guidance and the school nurse if I observe any signs of self-injurious behavior (such as more deep cuts in her arm).

Since E. is also in my mentor’s homeroom, I have taken time before and after school to both get a sense of where she stands in the math curriculum and get to know her on a personal level so I can make her feel less like an outsider and more like “one of the gang.” I have observed that she has frequently turned in assignments late; according to Guidance, this may be another manifestation of her anxiety over adjusting to a new environment, but my mentor and I will need to address this with E. if it continues. My mentor and I are continuing to monitor E.’s physical well-being, as well as any justifications or excuses she gives for any signs of self-inflicted physical abuse (such as being attacked by her cat). The most crucial aspect of this is making sure she does not present a danger to herself or others and immediately alerting the administration if it appears that is the case.

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Date

Resource Consulted/Position

Topic/Purpose of Discussion

Summary

Application

4/8/2014

Alaina Haerbig

G/T Resource Teacher,

Oklahoma Road & Sykesville M.S.

To develop a plan for challenging I., a gifted and talented student in honors math, beyond merely acceleration and curriculum differentiation; ideally, the strategies will benefit all students in the class.

I. has been formally identified as a gifted and talented student and is a member of the fifth-period Math 7 Honors class. He is involved in a number of projects outside of class as part of the G/T program—including the creation of a math computer game and pre- and post-tests to measure its efficacy—and I have been looking for ways to challenge him in class as well. In addition to the general strategy of acceleration, I was advised to employ “compacting”—for example, having him only do multiples of 3 on the homework rather than all questions. In addition, it was suggested that I show him a different way to go about solving problems (in fact, he frequently asks about a different method than the one demonstrated in class). I. should also be frequently exposed to higher-level questions (i.e., the upper level of synthesis on Bloom’s taxonomy). It should also be noted that many of the strategies described herein can work to the benefit of all students in the class, not just I.

Previously, when I. asked about an alternate way to solve a problem, I would demonstrate that method for the class. I have changed tactics and now ask him to go through the steps of the alternate method he is asking about; this has proven to be useful for stimulating both his thinking and that of other students in the class. I have also begun including more higher-level questions during demonstrations—again, not just for I., but for the class as a whole. Many students (not just I.) have told me they thoroughly enjoy these new methods; I am eager to see how their achievement on this unit’s summative assessment compares to their prior grades.

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Date

Resource Consulted/Position

Topic/Purpose of Discussion

Summary

Application

4/23/2014 Shelley Grisham

Instructional Assistant – Math

Intervention, Oklahoma Road

M.S.

Strategies to complement and enhance the mathematical abilities of our seven students in the Math Lab, all of whom are below grade level in math.

Currently, seven students in our classes spend time in the Math Lab for supplemental instruction. C. is the furthest behind; he is currently performing at the level of a sixth-grade student in the first month of the school year. M., who was in the program last year as well, is now only two months behind her peers. Much of the time in Math Lab is spent working on concepts individually, particularly those that are assessed on the MSA or that are a focus of the Common Core standards. Manipulatives and games are also used frequently. In all, it is clear that these students benefit from instruction and practice that specifically targets the content areas in which they need additional remediation (e.g., fractions, decimals, or word problems). Students also utilize Pearson Education’s “Success Maker” program to determine their current level and identify the areas in which they need remediation; my mentor receives regular progress reports generated by the program, which include the percentages of skills mastered and questions answered correctly and time spent on the program.

It would be unfair and improper to devote full-class time to remediation of these skill sets. However, I can continue to help these students by preparing additional practice problems for them on the topics with which they are struggling, and perhaps by building remediation into units when possible. For example, for students such as M., who began the year at a fifth-grade level in math, and C., I can assign additional homework problems dealing with fraction operations and manipulation following next week’s lesson on percent of change. For students such as M., who is now almost on par with her peers, I will need to carefully monitor her performance in class to ensure it is consistent with her Math Lab achievement. My mentor receives frequent updates from the lab, and so we will carefully review these to determine the respective courses of action for these seven students.

Professional Resource Personnel: Winters Mill High School

Name Position/Area(s) of expertise Administration Eric A. King ...........................Principal Brian Booz .............................Assistant Principal (students A-K) Joe Guerra ..............................Assistant Principal (students L-Z) Greg Knill ..............................Academic Facilitator Counseling Marissa Terrano .....................Students A-D Seth Budai ..............................Students E-K Christina Mohlhenrich ...........Students L-R Heidi Kohls ............................Students S-Z Cheryl Held ............................Crisis Intervention Specialist English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Maria Artista ..........................ESOL Tutor Theresa Kaufman ...................ESOL Resource Teacher Olga Reber .............................ESOL Resource Teacher Special Education Maura (Moe) Albright ............Instructional Assistant; Time-Out Room Monitor Diana Barley ..........................Special Education Assistant Robyn Bridges .......................Instructional Assistant Mary Butler ............................Special Education Resource Teacher Brenda Eckles ........................Special Education Assistant Diana Fowler ..........................Special Education Assistant Debra Knill .............................Instructional Assistant Jennifer Kruelle ......................Special Education Resource Teacher Amanda Lahner ......................Special Education Resource Teacher Meghan Lintz .........................Special Education Resource Teacher Rachel Manko-Hinds .............Special Education Resource Teacher Regina McCombs ...................Special Needs Teacher (functional life skills teacher) Ashley Nimmo .......................Speech/Language Pathologist Cheryl Skipper .......................Special Education Assistant Claudette Wood .....................Special Education Assistant Other August Cheetham ...................School Social Worker Lynn Earp ...............................Reading Specialist Gail Faust ...............................Media Specialist Sarah Totten ...........................Career Connections (student internship placement)

Professional Resource Personnel: Oklahoma Road Middle School

Name Position/Area(s) of expertise Administration David Watkins .......................Principal David Bortz ............................Assistant Principal Counseling Christen Purcell ......................8th grade; 7th grade A-K Beth Prestianni .......................6th grade; 7th grade L-Z Special Education Lisa Arndt ..............................Speech/Language Pathologist; IEP team chair Amanda Bailey .......................Learning for Independence (functional life skills teacher) Ruth Knapstein .......................Special Education Assistant Kim Pfleegor ..........................Special Education Resource Teacher Debbie Plummer ....................Special Education Assistant Anita Rutherford ....................Special Education Resource Teacher Mary Beth Whalen .................Special Education Resource Teacher Other Donna Bahorich .....................Reading Specialist Shelley Grisham .....................Instructional Assistant: Math Intervention Alaina Haerbig .......................G/T Resource Teacher Jessica Kachur ........................Media Specialist Joanna LaBoue .......................Reading Resource Teacher

5/10/14&

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TI-NSPIRE W

ORKSHOP

T H E E F F O R T , I S I N MA K I N G I T S E E M

E F F O R T L E S S INTRO TO TI-NSPIRE CALCULATORS

• Newest addition to TI family of calculators

• Approved for use on SAT, ACT, and AP exams

• Intended to help bring math classes into alignment with Common Core standards

• Two versions: Nspire and Nspire CAS (Computer Algebra System)

WHAT CAN I DO WITH A TI-NSPIRE?

• TI Navigator system: wirelessly transmit documents and formative assessments to all students’ calculators (can also monitor all students’ calculators simultaneously—both their progress (“x/n working, y/n submitted”) and what’s currently on their screens)

• Example: send students “quick poll” to serve as formative assessment (can also use to assess whether students are ready to move on or need more practice)

• Warm-up problems: “Graph a function that models a curve;” superimpose graph over a picture of a bridge

• With Navigator system, can view individual students’ responses as well as statistics for class as a whole

WHAT CAN I DO WITH A TI-NSPIRE?

• Similar to a miniature version of Geometer’s Sketchpad: Students can measure angles, lengths of line segment and arc, construct perpendicular and parallel lines, etc.

• Also includes applications for algebra (CAS only), trigonometry, statistics, calculus…

• Selected functions can be disabled if desired (such as while students are working on an activity)

5/10/14&

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TI WEBSITE ACTIVITIES

• On TI Education website (education.ti.com), there are Nspire activities broken down by subject area (Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, etc.)

• education.ti.com “Activities” “Math Nspired”

• education.ti.com “Solutions” “Common Core State Standards”

•Activities are open-source and free to download; accompanying worksheets and teacher notes are also included

• All activities are also rated (the number of “thumbs ups” is given for each)

• Programming language similar to BASIC

TI-NSPIRE TEACHER SOFTWARE

• Quick polls, images, etc., all originate from teacher software

• Every set of Nspires comes with teacher software and one-year license

• In the absence of a Navigator system, it is possible to place documents on all calculators in a docking station with USB cord

QUESTION TIME!

Now the real fun begins…

1/26/2014 TI-Nspire update - Outlook Web Access Light

https://webmail.carrollk12.org/owa/?ae=Item&t=IPM.Note&id=RgAAAAAwpNjVy1k9TooRq%2bbx9jTSBwBJuNb8ARSKTaTpCatrReu1ATMJFNRAAAAb3L… 1/1

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TI-­Nspire updateCohen, BenjaminSent: Wednesday, October 30, 2013 9:35 PMTo:

Attachments: Geometry menu.png (107 KB);; Question types png (108 KB);; Multiple choice question.png (130 KB);; Freeresponse question png (121 KB);; Systems of linear equation~1 png (130 KB);; Intro to conics activity.png (135KB);; STL arch graph.png (317 KB)

Hi everyone,

Thanks again for being such a good audience yesterday. In response to your feedback,

I wanted to send around some screen shots of the Nspire teacher software so you can

see what I was talking about. Attached are images of the types of questions, as well

as two samples (one free response, one multiple choice). I also included images of

two activities--one on systems of linear equations, one on conics--so you can get an

idea of what they're all about; like I said, every activity on the TI website also

includes some guiding questions and a description of Common Core alignment. The last

one is an image overlaid with a graph of a parabola; we used something similar as a

warm-up problem at the workshop. The sidebar is also a little different in this one-

-the view can be adjusted so you can see a mockup of the calculator on the left

side; if you have an ActivInspire, or if we get SMART Boards, you can use it just

like you would a normal Nspire.

As far as pricing...it appears the kits are not sold directly through TI. I checked

the website for Techline (one of two Maryland suppliers), which lists the cost of a

30-user Navigator system as $2,610 and an Nspire "classroom pack" (30 calculators)

as $4,230 (marked down from $5400). Interestingly, a CAS classroom pack is only

marginally more expensive--$4,305, marked down from $5,550. (If any of you are

interested in acquiring an Nspire for your own personal use, you can get one for

about $130 on Amazon, or $140 for a CAS.)

I hope this helps! If you have any additional questions, please send them my way.

Cheers,

Ben

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Ben Cohen

Student Teacher, Mathematics Department

Winters Mill High School

560 Gorsuch Road

Westminster, MD 21252

(410) 386-1500

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