Project Meeting – Core Group

November 9, 2012
Academic Hall Room 300 - McDaniel College Campus

8:30 a.m.      Welcome and Continental Breakfast

9:00 a.m.      Let’s get this started… - Greetings, Introductions, and Project Updates 

• Conference Updates -  NCTM Regional Conferences – Dallas; Hartford, CT; Chicago; AMTE – 2013 Orlando; NCTM and NCSM Annual Conferences – Denver
• DWW – round 2 – reschedule; later in the meeting
• MCTM Update - Sue Vohrer
• NCTM Update - Jon Wray 
• MTMS Focus Issue - Rational Number Sense
• Laura and NCSM, Angie and EdWeek, Crystal and MCTM, Beth and MCTM
• Other?

9:15 a.m.      Coaching Conversations: Transforming Your School One Conversations at a Time - Beth Kobett (slides)

9:30 a.m.        CCSS – Progress and Updates by County – time to share and respond to questions:

• Baltimore - First grade teachers implementing Investigations; PD on Nov. 9; poor feedback (i.e., not enough connections to upper grades mathematics); "Transition Grids" to supplement curr. for 2012-13 in upper elem. grades. 
• Carroll - "Specialization" model (STEM and Humanity teachers) exists in K-5 or 3-5 in schools; 2nd/3rd new implementation/transition (K-1 last year); 1st grade teachers are teaching at  higher levels than prior to this year; 4th/5th CC transition units; gaps exist at upper grades in terms of higher level thinking skills; focus on first-class instruction for teachers; a balancing act (some doing very well, others just "holding head above water"). 
• Frederick - K-5 implementation; feedback from schools, particularly 3-5; quarterly assessment feedback - students are not performing at same high levels as prior to this year; community forums - positive feedback, transition is complex, expensive, and some community members have communicated to FCPS leadership (e.g., potential funding for math instructional leaders at schools); Math Cadre (3 groups - full time in schools, part-time interventionists/PD, classroom teachers) developing PD modules for math leaders to use in schools with staff, challenges include time/access to share/implement resources. 
• Howard - PreK-2 and above grade level 3rd; things calming down - teachers at PreK-2 are working very hard, co-planning daily to better understand standards (a "bit size issue") and change instruction, and getting used to curr.; after MSA a focus on fractions in 3rd, 4th, 5th grade in scope and sequence; scores on quarterly assessments are lower and number performing above level has decreased; teacher evaluation concerns exist; Board Report last week met enthusiastically from BOE; parent concerns have settled down; modules for PD for all schools - continued support needed in non-MST schools; preparing for potential anxiety around 3-5 implementation; needs include funding for additional staff (more MSTs).

10:10 a.m.     Skip's Washington Post interview (Monday) and Steve Robinson (White House) - The "GT Track" Issues and Parent Concerns

• Frederick Co. - Magnet site; what makes G&T program different from an advanced class? Receive grade level CC, teacher enriches horizontally via projects/rigor; accelerate if appropriate; some parents backing off on pushing students into above grade level classes
• People have no idea what one means when one says, "This curriculum is more rigorous."
• Howard - Historically 2 grades above grade level; with CCSSM this acceleration rate is problematic; on grade level and GT might not be accepted as a viable solution; parent communication is key - appropriate challenge and rigor will be provided - parents need reassurance; an exception is a secondary certified teacher with support and PD on CC implementation in this role at the elem. level.; in some schools above grade level student percentages have been cut in half.
• Carroll - Parents reporting that students are challenged; challenges with Gr. 6 teachers viewing CC as skills checklist; built Progression documents and have a bank of formative assessments up through grade 3; SC in grades 4-5; in one school twelve 3rd graders are doing CC with STEM connections.
• More training needed Post-Bac in math for inservice teachers; funds for highly qualified K-8 STEM-related teachers; National Board Certification for Elem. Math Specialists.

10:30 a.m.      SMARTER Balanced Practice Items Update - Computer Lab (feedback tool to be used)

10:45 a.m.      Updated ems&tl Project website and CCSS Online Resources - Computer Lab

12:00 noon     Lunch

1:00 p.m.        DWW 2 update – Jon and Skip and others  - update; select make-up date for work group meeting (Dec.?)

1:10 p.m.        Establishment of ems&tl Wiki or other tool for sharing? – Jon Wray (online)

1:30 p.m.     CCSS and Instructional Decision Making

• Mixed Groups
• Focus Questions

2:00 p.m.       Coaching – defining it and how you are involved in coaching on a regular basis – (digging into our annual evaluative report) - Skip

3:00 p.m.       What are we missing? What are your needs?

• Empowering teachers - decision making 
• Old Dogs New Math for Parents book
• Quarterly parent math sessions - Use of Number Talks videos
• Math Solutions - Teaching PreSchool and Kindergarten Math  
  

3:15 p.m.       Adjourn

Upcoming Events:

• November 13 at 4:45-6:00 - McDaniel mathematics education professor candidate visit in AC.G07
• November 20 at 4:45-6:00 -  McDaniel mathematics education professor candidate visit in AC.G07
• December 5 (4), 11 (4), 13 (5), 14 (3) - ems&tl DWW Transition Project meeting(s)
• January 7 (6), 8 (5), 9  - ems&tl DWW Transition Project meeting(s)
• January 11, 2013 Meeting - ems&tl Project Meeting (Read Chapters 1-3 in Coaching Conversations book)
• March 22, 2013 Meeting - ems&tl Project Meeting (Let's firm up this date due to MSA testing)
• March 28, 2013 evening - Bob Siegler (Carnegie Melon) @ McDaniel College
  
• May 31 & June 7, 2013 - Summer Institute