Welcome to Huffines Math AIS

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Welcome to Huffines Math AIS
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Math Accelerated Instruction

• A Recipe for Math Improvement

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Components of Math AIS

• TEKS/TAKS Curriculum Alignment, Development,
  Implementation and Testing
• Alternative Program Development
• Current Program Block Math
• Building Administrators/Counselor Support
• Future Program Adjustments

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I. Math TEKS/TAKS Curriculum Alignment,
Development and Implementation
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• District Commitment

1. Allow Math Coordinator time to organize summer
curriculum alignment /development, data analysis
training on computer generated test results, and
visits to campuses to meet with teachers
2. Provide up-to-date technology and training
which will allow teachers immediate feedback on
individual student performance and therefore be
able to adapt instruction to target weak concepts
immediately
3. Approve Summer Pay for Teachers to work on
curriculum and development2 to 3 weeks over a
span of 2 or 3 summers
4. Allow half day subs periodically during the
school year to analyze testing data and develop
Warm Ups/Re-teaching Active Learning Lessons for
weak objectives (concepts). This will create the
spiral learning that is necessary for struggling
learners
5. New Promotion Policy mandating summer school
if a student fails math or reading for the year
in order to be promoted to the next grade level .
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• Building Administrator Commitment

1. Extra staff units used for additional math
teachers to keep class sizes small and create
special math programs based on student need
2. Dedication of funds for Technology in the math
classrooms, Field Trips, Extra copy paper, Parent
Meeting snacks, Snacks for tutorial students etc..
3. Receptive to teacher input concerning staff
scheduling (same conf. period or same lunch for
planning and discussing math curriculum), student
scheduling (flexibility is key), and discipline
(refusal to do math work especially)
4. Allow half day subs periodically during the
school year to analyze testing data and develop
Warm Ups/Re-teaching Active Learning Lessons for
weak objectives (concepts). This will create the
spiral learning that is necessary for struggling
learners
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• Teacher Commitment

• Willingness to change or adjust the order and the
  way concepts are taught in the curriculum

2. Timesome paid and some not---to work on
curriculum, tutor students after school and even
on contact during conference period and evenings,
revise lessons as needed after school or on a
weekend
3. Emotional Investment and faith in the newly
redesigned curriculum that students can
successfully handle the more difficult material
4. Flexibility with constant revision of lesson
plans, assignments, class procedures,
motivational techniques
5. Team Player---share ideas, share the work
load, share lessons, share triumphs as well as
set-backs and offer support to each other
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Suggested Time Frame and Agenda for Curriculum
Development

• Summer 1 Develop TEKS based Curriculum Calendar,
  Calendar the Textbook to the newly created
  Curriculum Calendar, Create TAKS formatted Tests
  for each unit, Pull together TEKS/TAKS higher
  level lessons with notes/examples and assignments
  to support expectations on newly created Tests
• Summer 2 Revise Curriculum Calendar if needed,
  Create TEKS/TAKS based Quizzes, Incorporate some
  higher level active learning lessons, Continue to
  develop rigorous lessons and assignments, Revise
  notes and examples
• Summer 3 Continue to adjust and rework to make
  all Tests, Quizzes, Assignments, and
  Notes/Examples realistic and workable without
  calculators

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The Secret Ingredients

• Teachers have ownership and faith in curriculum
• Teachers in all participating middle schools
  share common goals and expectations
• Teachers develop a camaraderie and can offer
  advice and support via e-mail or phone throughout
  the year
• Teachers know what is being taught and when at
  all participating schools so that a transferring
  student can be expected to pick up instruction
  where he or she left off
• Teachers are excited about sharing ideas,
  lessons, and self-created assignments with each
  other

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II. Special Program Development
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• Meeting Student Needs
• (listed in order over a period of 9 years)

• 6th Grade Block Math for all except Pre AP,
  which was possible due to increasing the
  enrollment in PreAP math
• Math Lab Classes for 7th and 8th graders
  (mixednot advisable) who failed TAAS in addition
  to a single period math class
• Sheltered ESL math class (mixed) to accommodate
  increasing number of Beginners needing
  remediation (not as advantageous as originally
  thought)
• Math Lab Classes for larger number of 7th and 8th
  graders who failed TAKS (not mixed grade level
  classes)---dropped sheltered ESL math
• Block Math _at_ 7th and 8th grade for all who failed
  TAKS to give regular class instruction while
  simultaneously offering remediation in weak
  concepts/skills

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• Advantages

• 6th Grade Block math increased state test scores
  every year at that grade level, which in turn
  helped the next grade level
• Math Lab classes (mixed grade level) documented
  great strides in basic skill acquisition and less
  errors in computation in math class
• Sheltered ESL block math class helped the
  beginner ESL students by having double the time.
  Conversely, it helped other students by not
  slowing down class instruction in a regular class
• Math Lab classes (not mixed grade level)
  incorporated TAKS failures and some At Risk
  students (especially ESL getting ready to test or
  newly dismissed from Sp. Ed.)------attempted to
  help student comprehension of material and to
  also help keep student caught up on math class
  work
• Block math classes offer double time to instruct
  students on grade level (using the same
  curriculum as the single period classes) and
  still have time to remediate-----usually
  remediation of prerequisite skill first and then
  instruction of current concept. Student/Teacher
  ratio should REMAIN LOW to offer more one on one
  instructional help and to be able to manage
  behavioral issues. 70 of the students in BLOCK
  8th grade math PASSED TAKS last year to help
  boost our overall pass rate for 8th grade math
  TAKS to 88!

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• Disadvantages

1.Some 6th grade students who are use to block
instructional time have a difficult time
adjusting to the much faster pace single period
of 7th grade where much of the work must be done
at home
2. Math Lab classes were always in conflict with
whether to remediate basic skills or try to help
student comprehension of that days or the
previous days lesson-----mixed grade level in
one class was almost impossible----very taxing
for teacher and not as beneficial to student
3. Sheltered ESL math class hampered English
acquisition and intensified the isolated feeling
that prevents many ESL students from having a
sense of belonging and from mingling with other
students. Instructionally, all these students
needed was extra time---not isolation.
4. Block Math, as with even the Lab classes,
groups all of the lower performing students
together. This creates an environment where no
one can really help anyone else academically on a
consistent basis. Also, behavior is an issue as
most of these students have developed an
extensive repertoire of defense mechanisms and
avoidance techniques that would wear any veteran
teach down.
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III. Accelerated Math Instruction Block Math
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• Class Demographics

• At Risk (TAKS Failure from previous year is the
  prerequisite)---usually also has a history of
  repeated or intermittent failure on TAKS and math
  class

2. Special Education Classification---small
percentage no IEPs
3. Title 1--- many of the students in block math
are also free/reduced lunch
4. Retainees some students who are repeating
the grade level can benefit from double math if
they failed TAKS also some students who are
repeating the grade level but have already had
block math might benefit from a single period
math
5. Other commonalities--- single parent or
blended families, parents unable to assist with
middle school math curriculum, parents need
assistance with parenting techniques, parents
work multiple jobs/long hours and student is home
alone or has to care for younger siblings, a
growing percentage of these students have a
history of changing schools frequently
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• Structure

• Double period math class (Block Math90 min)

2. Grade appropriate instruction at the same
pace as single period class
3. 2 teachers per 20 students or 1 teacher per 10
4. Basic skills/TEKS/TAKS remediation on-going
throughout the year

• Test Taking Strategies/Study Habits/Organizational
  Skills emphasized throughout the year

6. Build Parent Involvement by hosting a Block
Math Parent Involvement Meeting early in the year
(see separate handout of Block Math Parent
Meeting Agenda for details)
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• Class Procedures

1. Bell Ringer (set timer) short basic skills
drill that can be finished in 5 minutes and
handed in for the teacher to quickly grade and
hand back while students are working on TAKS
Warm-up (teacher does attendance)
2. Warm-up(set timer) short,TAKS based, spirals
back to concepts previously taught that were weak
according to testing data (teacher can go around
and check for completed homework)
3. Notes/Examples in typed format or
interactive software or video clips from math web
site
4. Instruction hands on activity if possible
to connect concept to real world application
5. Practice independent practice is difficult
for Block Math students but necessary 1st
semester is spent helping them get use to
actually working and staying on task in class
2nd semester is spent trying to wean them away
from needing constant teacher monitoring and
assistance
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• Class Procedures cont.

6. Homework Monday thru Friday for
consistency, no more than 10 to 20 average type
problems, or 5 to 10 medium difficulty level, or
5 or fewer that are multi-step or lengthy
It is recommended that parents ensure 30 minutes
of math work is done each night, especially if
the student does not bring home work home.
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• Class Management Techniques

1. Positive reinforcement star chart, points
system, intermittent treats, coupons, lots of
verbal praise, release from basic skills drill
when mastered
2. Tracking Student Behavior Checks for
being off-task, distracting others, not having
materials (this is a verbal prompt, self-check
strategy to help the student get back on track)
a certain of self-check marks results in
disciplinary referrals with administrative
consequences
3. Frequent parent phone calls/e-mail/parent
conferences/parent attending class with child for
a day----all contact is recorded on a log sheet
or filed electronically in the case of e-mail
4. Efficient/effective teacher and student use of
time by using kitchen timer, overhead timer, or
power point timer and also writing the agenda for
the day in a corner of the board for all to see
5. Students must be engaged at all timesanswer
keys must be ready to go, teacher can go around
and check for completed homework while students
are doing warm up, etc
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• Classroom Management Techniques cont.

6. Provide trays labeled by class period for
students to turn in work and have a star chart
with student names above it for students to put a
sticker next to their name after turning in an
important assignment like test corrections, the
weeks homework record sheet, signed report card
or progress report, project, etc.. (so teacher
doesnt have to ask for missing work)
7. Students record daily homework and warm up
grades on a recording sheet and average both
categories weekly. This form is turned in with
all work stapled to it and grades averaged by
Monday of the next week. Students are also
provided with a six weeks grade recording sheet
to record all daily, quiz and test grades.
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Classroom Management Techniques cont.
7. (cont.) prevents students from expecting the
teacher to tell them what their average is any
time during a grading period. These recording
sheets always offer good math discussions about
the effect of a particular grade (or lack there
of) has on their average or checking for
reasonableness of an average, which are important
TEKs for 8th grade especially.

• 8. Teacher keeps student homework/warm ups after
  turned in at the end of the week, as well as
  extra worksheets, to give out at the Block Math
  Parent Meeting Night

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• Instructional Focus for Block Math Teacher

1. Track acquisition of basic skills
(paper/pencil)
2. Track progress of TEKS/TAKS objective mastery
(computer generated with AEISIT data or with CPS)
3. Develop hands-on instructional lessons that
provide real world applications
4. Spiral exposure to material to provide
multiple opportunities for student to revisit
previously taught concepts that were not mastered
or need review through warm ups, review questions
incorporated into current assignments
5. Employ test taking strategies on every
assignment! Strategies such as showing work on
every problem, circling or underlining important
information, working out every answer choice,
explain or prove which answer choices are
incorrect and why, drawing pictures, using tables
or charts to organize information can be used on
any-----also using the strategy of having the
students state the given information (what is
known) and what the question is asking (what is
not known) in written form
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• Instructional Strategies

• Vary instruction as much as possible
• a. Learning Stations with
  manipulative/other hands-on
• materials
• b. Instructional Video clips
• c. Interactive Computer Software
• d. Split class into 2 groups if 2 teachers
  available according to student need or just to
  manage different parts of the lesson
• e. Utilize technology for a unique approach
  to instruction and assessment like the CPS,
  Chalkboard, Graphing Calculators with LCD, Smart
  Boards, CBRs, etc

2. Utilize effective questioning techniques,
have students work problems on the board, or use
CPS instant data feedback to check for student
understanding
3. All homework problems must be attempted with
work shown on every problem or the assignment is
given no credit. In that case, tutorials are
assigned for that day after school and the
student completes the assignment and gets credit
for only the problems that were graded in class.
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Instructional Strategies cont.
4. Test corrections are mandatory and must have a
written explanation on how to correctly solve
each problem missed. This can be done on a Test
Correction form or on notebook paper. On the
form, students are asked for what is given, what
is unknown, and what is the question asking as
well as a place to show their work and write
their explanations. Quiz corrections and even
homework corrections are optional unless teacher
decides otherwise on a student by student basis.
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• The Block Math Teacher

1. Someone who desires to and works well with
struggling learners
2. Someone who is patient with, yet holds high
expectations for all students
3. Someone who has the Emotional Endurance for
a. slow academic progress (almost invisible
at times) b. reluctant learners with a
myriad of behavioral issues and defense
mechanisms to avoid doing/learning math c.
continuous adjustment of instructional
strategies, lesson plans, assignments, behavior
management techniques
4. Someone who is able to develop positive
relationships with and involve parents and
doesnt mind frequent contact/conferences
5. Someone who is willing and able to commit the
time (paid and not paid) it takes with these
students to get them where they need to be 6.
Someone who knows that not all will meet the
expectations for that year but that significant
growth is just as important
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IV. Administrator/Counselor Support
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• Grade Level Administrator/Principal

1. 100 Disciplinary support when provided with
documentation of parent contacts, teacher issued
detentions, parent conference
2. Consults with teacher concerning the creation
of the class roster and when adding or changing
students schedule during the year
3. Receptive to teacher recommendations on
moving students from one period to another to
change class dynamics or even to move a student
out with supporting evidence that the student is
not being successful despite all interventions or
the student is detrimental to the success of the
rest of the class
4. Allows for alternative disciplinary action as
recommended by teacher for specific instances
(impromptu lunch detentions, Saturday school
assignment, )
5. Attends Parent Night or Weekend meeting(s)
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• Grade Level Counselor Support

1. Consults with teacher concerning the creation
of the class roster and when adding or changing
students schedule during the year
2. Receptive to teacher recommendations on moving
students from one period to another to change
class dynamics or even to move a student out with
supporting evidence that the student is not being
successful despite all interventions or the
student is detrimental to the success of the rest
of the class
3. Lends support/reinforcement/advice on
handling student issues, both academic and
emotional
4. Conferences with a student at teacher
recommendation immediately----even goes to
classroom to talk with a student in the hall when
the class situation warrants it
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Future Program Development

• Block 7th grade if possible so that the students
  who did not meet expectation are able to benefit
  from their peers and all students will benefit
  from having extended time
• Host additional Block Math Parent Involvement
  meetings---maybe one each six weeks to pass out
  report cards and conference with the parents of
  struggling students
• Host a separate Parent Meeting for Spanish
  speaking parents who need English translation
  with all materials printed in Spanish

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Block Math Parent Night

• Agenda
• Power Point Presentation
• Main focusinvolve parents in their childs math
  education, suggestions for parents on how to help
  their child be successful in math class,
  accountability for students/parents/teacher
• Goal---student success in math

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Questions or Comments?
If you have any additional questions or comments,
please contact Beth Brockman Tasia
Thompson Barbara Labhart Principal
Math Department Chair
Math Teacher Huffines Middle School brockmanb_at_lisd
.net thompsontr_at_lisd.net
labhartb_at_lisd.net