Whatcom County Math Project

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Whatcom County Math Project

• A Partnership with
• The Transition
• Math Project
• 2008-2009

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THE TRANSITION MATH PROJECTWHAT IS IT?

• TMP is a
• collaborative venture
• involving educators
• from
• K-12 schools
• Community and Technical Colleges
• Baccalaureate Institutions

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TMP PHASE I WORK2004-2006

• Defining clear targets for college readiness in
  math.
• Help students progress from high school math to
  college-level math.
• TMP identified the math skills and knowledge high
  school graduates need to complete college-level
  work the College Readiness Standards.

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WHATCOM COUNTY MATH PROJECTPhase II Work
2006-2009

• Partner Organizations
• Whatcom Tech Prep Consortium
• District Involvement Bellingham, Blaine,
  Ferndale, Lynden, Lynden Christian, Mt. Baker,
  Meridian, Nooksack Valley School Districts.
• Bellingham Technical College
• Whatcom Community College
• Western Washington University

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WCMP Main Goals2008-2009

• Community Math Outreach
• Professional Development
• Data Collection

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Community Math Outreach

• College Readiness Math Standards Posters
• Consistent Skills Set Guide
• Outreach in a Box

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• College Readiness Mathematics Standards Posters
• To order email Angela Murray at
  amurray_at_bham.wednet.edu

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Consistent Skill Set Guide

• In the Fall of 2006, a Whatcom County School
  District Survey reported that parents wanted to
  know more about their childs math curriculum and
  find out ways to support or help them with their
  math classes.
• Idea Consistent Skill Set Guide- a
  comprehensive PARENT FRIENDLY guide that
  illustrates where a student should be in their
  math education at grade level.

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The Inspiration . . .
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Example Grade 9, Algebra I

• In ninth grade, your child should be very skilled
  in . . .
• Performance Explanatory Comment
• Expectation Examples
• You can help. . .

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Outreach in a Box

• Goal Get the message out to parents, students
  and the community about the reasons why a student
  needs to undertake a rigorous math course taking
  sequence that includes Algebra II.
• Create a sense of urgency by providing
  information about the math skills and knowledge
  necessary for success in college and work.

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Important, But Not For MePublic Agenda Report

• . . . While parents and students have a measure
  of appreciation for the role science, math, and
  technology will play in the future world of work,
  this appreciation remains thin, and relatively
  few seem to absorb the implications in a personal
  sense. Most parents do not see improving math
  education as a top challenge facing their local
  schools. . .
• There remains, in other words, a considerable
  urgency gap between leaders and experts on the
  one hand and parents and students on the other.
• Learning about concrete opportunities in college
  and the workplace warmed students to the idea of
  taking more math and science courses and taking
  them more seriously.

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Resources
Math and Science Matter Brochures
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Handouts for Parents
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TMPs Planning 4 Math Success Resources
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Public Service Announcements
WA State Students explaining why math matters in
work and life.
Xbox Creator
Pilot
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Levels of Outreach

• Level I
• Piggyback onto an existing event
• Math Table with resources to hand out and math
  teachers on hand to speak with parents and
  students.
• Level II
• Math outreach is part of the agenda
• Presentation with Table Set Up
• Math Experts/Guest Speakers
• PowerPoint
• Level III
• Community Math Night
• Keynote Speaker, Guest Speakers, Panel of
  Speakers.

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If only we had . . .
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FUNDING IS AVAILABLE TO. . .

• HIRE A COMMUNITY MATH OUTREACH CADRE
• ORGANIZE THE OUTREACH EVENT
• STAFF THE EVENT

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Professional Development
Lesson Writing Workshop
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Lesson Writing WorkshopDecember 2008

• FUNDING FOR . . .
• 1 math teacher, from each high school, to
  attend the year long workshop.
• TASK Write a high quality lesson plan based on
  the College Readiness Standards.

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The mathematics standards training is not
required. However, starting in the spring of
2010, math tests at all grade levels end of
course or the Washington Assessment of Student
Learning (WASL) will assess whether students
have learned the mathematics content contained in
the revised standards. -OSPI Website
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• WCMP could arrange the training for high school
  math teachers.

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Data Collection

• Whatcom Community College Pre-College Math Survey
  conducted in Fall 2005.
• To be administered again in Fall 2008 to 930 WCC
  students in pre-college math courses.

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• 1. How long was the gap between the students
  last class taken and the first WCC class?
• What was the students highest level course taken
  in high school?
• 3. Are students placing in the course they expect
  to?
• Why are students not taking math for 4 years in
  high school?
• What are some of the primary reasons students
  like/dislike math courses?
• Do we actually have a significant number of
  running-start students taking (and paying for)
  pre-college level math and why?
• How much college level mathematics do students
  plan on taking?

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Data Collection2006-2007 and 2008-2009
Survey Topics
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Whatcom County Math Project

• Contact Information
• www.bham.wednet.edu/WCMP
• WCMP Team Paul Clement, Heidi Ypma, Liz
  Cunningham, Jack Feil
• Project Coordinator Angela Murray