OPI Update

Cross-State Project

The Cross State Project invited math leaders from Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Iowa to meet and collaborate.  Fifteen participants from Montana attended meetings in Rapid City, SD; Phoenix, AZ; and Minneapolis, MN.  The meetings covered math content and pedagogy in the classroom, teacher leadership, and creating effective professional learning modules.  The end product of the project was a set of 9 professional learning modules that can be used in any of the four states.  If you are interested in participating in opportunities like the Cross-State Project you should apply to be a Montana Math Leader (Keep Reading!)

Montana Math Leaders

As you know, the State of Montana is geographically very large; for this reason, we need math leadership throughout the state.  OPI is creating a group of math teacher leaders.  These leaders will receive support and training to: create professional learning (PL) materials, present PL, mentor teachers in their area, open their classroom for observations, and facilitate communities of practice.   Teacher leaders will receive stipends for time and travel, extra opportunities for professional learning, and a chance to step into a leadership role while remaining in the classroom.  You can apply here: http://goo.gl/forms/q7KQh8iBiu.

Jacob Warner

OPI Math Curriculum Specialist 

jwarner@mt.gov

NCSM Leadership Academy

NCSM Leadership Academy

Crowne Plaza, Billings, MT — July 13-15, 2015

Mathematics Leadership in a Time of Change: Building Leaders at all Levels 

“If the primary role of classroom teachers is to teach, who provides guidance on what to teach, support for improving how to teach, and assistance with interpreting assessment results...? The answer is leaders. These critical supportive roles require designated, trained, empowered leaders who are responsible for coordinating the planning, implementation, and evaluation of all aspects of the mathematics program...Leadership matters. A single mathematics education leader can have an incredible impact on the development and effectiveness of others.” (It’s Time pp. 15-16)

Being a leader of mathematics means taking steps for equity and social justice. “Social justice means equality and fairness among diverse people. We advance social justice when we advocate for, expect, and achieve fair outcomes, basic rights, security, and opportunities in school and society. Equity in mathematics achievement refers to equitable outcomes for all students, not just equity of access or opportunity.” (It’s Time pg. 8)

During the three-day academy, participants will focus on social justice for leading mathematics and learn more about: 

• supporting curriculum design by assisting teachers in using rich and challenging problems and activities that integrate mathematics into other disciplines and the content of other disciplines into mathematics; 
• supporting instructional strategies and materials by modeling effective instructional strategies for teachers; 
• supporting assessment by assisting teachers in designing and implementing a broad range of assessment tools; 
• supporting professional development by encouraging and facilitating ongoing professional collaboration and effective collaborative structures; 
• supporting partnerships by establishing and supporting forums and encouraging dialogue among groups that influence the shape and direction of school mathematics programs;
• supporting the understanding of the change process by learning how to encourage adult learners in reaching the goal of improving their own instruction to improve student achievement.

Register at www.mathedleadership.org 

Teacher Scholarships - Classroom Grant Thank You's

2015 Classroom Grant Winners

Candi Korf

Thank you MCTM for the grant money that helped pay for a new iPad in our classroom. Our students are enjoying it every day. I have included some pictures of a couple of kiddos using the iPad as an example as to how it is being used. One picture shows Madi using the iPad with TenMarks. The other two photos show Taran using the iPad to take a picture of his Math Minute Journal to put into the math section of our Three Ring program. 

Thank you again! We really appreciate it!!

Candi Korf 

Lewis & Clark

Middle School

Madi on TenMarks Program

Adding Math Minute to the 3 Ring Binder Program

Tarin - 3 Ring Binder program

Rachel Kimm

MCTM,

I am so grateful and honored to be chosen for the 2015 grant. I was able to use the money to purchase a iPad for my classroom. I am just learning about all of the exciting ways to utilize this tool in my classroom. My students were able to use the tool during math class to practice math facts as well as play education games after they had finished the lesson. Getting a chance to “play” on the iPad helped to keep my students motivated and working hard. They loved any opportunity they could get their hands on it. I also was able to use the iPad as an organizational tool for myself. I had my student keep journals for math for a formative assessment. Using the app Evernote, I had my students scan their journal pages so that I could assess them. This made grading much easier for me and allowed me to assess their understanding much quicker. I also plan to use my iPad as a classroom management tool by using the app Class Dojo, which tracks students behavior. Here is a picture showing my some of my students using the iPad to play math games. In the short time that I had it in my classroom it is clear that this tool will be very useful as I teach not only mathematics but all subjects. Thank you again!

Sincerely,

Rachel Kimm