Alliance for Teaching

Mathematics to Special Education Learners

Strengthening

Content Knowledge and Collaboration of

General and Special Education Teachers Milwaukee Public Schools

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Math and Science Partnership MeetingWisconsin Department of Public InstructionOctober 19, 2010

Vision

• Improve mathematics performance for students in grades 4–9, particularly for students with special needs and for students who struggle, and

• Support a school culture for collaboration of general and special education teachers on improving math learning for all students.

Goals

• To strengthen the mathematics content knowledge of general and special education teachers;

• To enhance mathematics instructional and assessment practices, focusing on appropriate accommodations and modifications for special education students;

• To increase collaboration on math instruction between general and special education teachers.

Project Overview

Project Staff• UWM Mathematics

– Kevin McLeod

• UWM Mathematics Education– DeAnn Huinker

• UWM Special Education– Judy Winn

• MPS Teachers and Specialists– Melissa Hedges, Math Teaching Specialist– Chris Guthrie, Special Education Teacher– Beth Schefelker, Math Teaching Specialist– Mary Spidell, Special Education Supervisor

Project Timeline

Participants

• Year I – 35 participants

Certification General Ed 9

Special Ed 19

Other 7

Teaching experience 1-16+ years 7-928.6%

0-322.9%

Grade Levels Elementary 12

Middle 13

Both 10

Year 1

• Met 19 Tuesdays January through July • Focus

– Numbers and Operations– Barriers to learning mathematics

• Language, visual perception, behavior

– Scaffolded instruction to address barriers

Projects/Assignments

Evaluation• Evaluation 1. Content Knowledge

What is the impact on teachers' math knowledge for teaching? Are there differential effects on general education versus special education teachers?

• Evaluation 2. PracticeWhat is the impact on teachers' perspectives on teaching math? What is the impact of the project on teachers' classroom practice?

• Evaluation 3. CollaborationWhat changes are observed in collaborative practices of general and special education teachers as a result of project participation?

• Student AchievementWhat is the impact on student achievement in math, both overall and for student subgroups, specifically special education students?

Measures• Content Knowledge

– Mathematical Knowledge for Teachers (MKT)• Practice

– Teacher Surveys – Focus Group– Informal probes– Observations

• Collaboration– Surveys– Focus Group

• Student Achievement– WKCE– Benchmarks

Content Knowledge(Numbers and Operations)

Teacher NCOP Year I MKT Scores

N Mean NCOP Score

Standard Deviation

Mean Gain

Pretest 31 -0.12 0.98 0.45

Posttest 31 0.33 0.78

ComparisonGroup 86 0.05 0.76

Practice

Collaboration

Student Achievement Benchmarks Q2 – December, 2009 and Q4 May, 2010

Student Population Growth (Scale Scores)

Math Alliance All MPS

General Education Mean 15.06 12.76

N 359 28,658

SD 26.90 28.77

Special Education Mean 20.51 15.12

N 141 6457

SD 29.43 31.94

All Students Mean 16.60 13.20

N 500 35,115

SD 27.71 29.40

Our Challenges

• Curriculum development– Sparse special education math– Little guidance in linking two fields– Understanding philosophical differences

• Collaborative planning and teaching– Ways to integrate the strands– Challenges consistent with teacher collaboration

literature – e.g., time, instructor content knowledge

Our Challenges

• Range of teacher content knowledge• Linking project participants to student

mathematics achievement results – District data– Roles of participants

• Attrition