Improving Middle School Mathematics Achievement through Classroom Assessment
 

This professional development initiative represents a partnership between the University of Louisville Center for Research on Mathematics and Science Teacher Development, the Kentucky Department of Education, and the Kentucky Educational Development Corporation and its affiliated districts.  Major funding for this initiative is provided by a grant through KDE.

 

Purpose

The purpose of the professional development initiative is to improve middle school student achievement in mathematics by providing middle school mathematics teachers effective strategies for integrating high quality formative assessment into their instruction.

 

Description of Professional Development Initiative

The professional development initiative will be a year long, 60-hour program that includes a 30-hour intensive fall session on October 31 – November 3, 2007, followed by ten 3-hour early evening monthly sessions interspersed throughout the 2007–08 school year.  The sessions will focus on the following topics:

·         Overview of learning theories in mathematics

·         Definition of learning outcomes

·         Types and roles of assessment

·         Analysis of assessment items and tasks

·         Development and discovery of quality items and tasks

·         Strategies for assessing student learning

·         Analysis of assessment items and strategies

·         Development of questioning strategies

·         Ways to provide productive feedback

·         Strategies and sources for addressing misconceptions and weaknesses

·         Student self-assessment and peer assessment

 

Professional development activities will utilize lists of student learning goals and outcomes, samples of items and tasks, samples of student work, videotapes of teaching, cases of teachers’ struggles with assessment, and samples of rubric and scoring guides.

 

Leaders

Professional development leaders include Ann Bartosh, Linda Montgomery, and Charma Leveridge Linville of the Kentucky Department of Education, along with KEDC math consultants Janet Castle and Cathy Pennington.   

 

Participating Teachers

Twenty-four middle school mathematics teachers from KEDC districts will be selected to participate in the professional development initiative. Any 6th-, 7th-, or 8th-grade KEDC mathematics teacher who teaches at least two mathematics classes (special education teachers will be considered on a case-by-case basis) and can attend both fall and school-year sessions are eligible.  Participating teachers must also be willing to complete assessments and inventories, to be observed as needed, and to share the information with other teachers in their district as part of the professional development initiative.  Participating teachers will be paid a stipend of $1000 and receive free resource materials.  Teachers or districts will be responsible for travel expenses. The district will be asked to pay a $250 fee to KEDC for each teacher from his/her district selected to participate in the initiative.  Districts will be reimbursed for the cost of the participating teacher’s substitute teacher on Wed.-Fri., Oct. 31–Nov. 2, 2007.

 

Dates and Location

            Fall Schedule:  Wednesday-Thursday, October 31 - November 1, from 8:30-11:30, 12:30-5:00 p.m.

                                    Friday-Saturday, November 2-3, from 8:30-11:30 and 12:30-3:30                 

                                    Location—KEDC, 904 Rose Road, Ashland

            School-Year Schedule:  Dates to be determined; ten meetings from November – May 5:00-8:00 p.m.

                                   Six small group sessions, four large group sessions, locations will vary and sites will be located in close proximity to the teacher’s home school