Guiding Math Education with a Content Website

My next-door colleague and I are sharing strategies related to research, tech-integration and 21st century skills to develop student learning. Tenacious Team 15 Math Center website is the product of those conversations.

The website supports our weekly math pattern:

• Concept introduction on Monday; weekly online and paper/pencil assignments introduced.
• Concept roll-out Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday through a variety of differentiated activities.
• Assignment review and formative assessment on Friday.

Each math unit has a separate page on the website.  Each page includes a copy of the paper/pencil assignment, concept introduction notes (created with class), and links to videos, games and online tests that build students' concept, knowledge and skill as well as their independent learning habits.

The content website has many advantages:

• Student, parents and teachers are able to access the information 24-7 to develop content mastery.
• Students watch and/or interact with content links repeatedly.
• Students who are absent have the ability to access the information from near and far.
• Teachers can access online grades to check-in on students' efforts related to online tests.
• If a student loses the paper/pencil packet, he/she can simply print another copy.
• This is a nice way to introduce students to blended learning behavior and information.

I am starting to use content websites to support all classroom learning.  Creating these content websites also provides students with modeling for optimal website use and creation.  Students are able to replicate these behaviors in their ePortfolios or other websites they create.

Also, rather than running to the file cabinet, next year I will refer back to this content website and simply modify, refine and enrich each page as I teach the units.  I can also easily share the information I've deemed most useful and responsive with colleagues.

I've never been able to teach using one math book or program as I always try to match the activities, strategies and learning events to the students which means I end up pulling from many, many resources online and off.  The content website gives me a wonderful vehicle for blending those resources to best support student learning.

Take a look at our math website.  How would you revise it to best meet your students' needs?  What would you add?  Do you notice any need for language change?  Are you building content websites?  If so, what's important related to the creation and use of these sites?  I look forward to your response.

Mid-Semester Reflections

We had a short week last week, and many educators remarked, "That was the longest short week ever!"  I think that remark emanated, in part, from the fact that it's mid-semester (we have two semesters at our school).

Every educator is well aware of the list of standards, goals, curriculum outlines and progress monitoring that exists in each subject and at every grade level. We know where we want to take students, and how we want to get there.  We don't want to overwhelm, yet we do want to see progress.  We know it's a different journey for each child, yet, in most cases, there's one of us and many children to guide, coach, mentor and teach.

There's an upbeat to the tempo in most classrooms come November. Introductions are complete, and routines are in place.  Now there's a need to move forward boosting the pace and expectations--stretching our learners' stamina and effort.

So that leads one to reflection:

• What are the current goals?
• What are the expectations?
• How will we continue to facilitate student learning?

With that in mind, I wrote a letter to the team: students, family members and teachers.  I outlined where we are now, and where we are heading. I welcomed questions and comments. I'll review this reflection with students on Monday morning as we embark on chapter two of the first semester of school.

It's a complex puzzle integrating current standards/goals with students' needs/interests and new teaching venues, technology and ideas, but when embraced as a step-by-step process it becomes more transparent and manageable.

What does your mid-term or semester reflection look like?  How do you communicate your reflections with your team: students, family members and colleagues?  What have I missed in this process? Thanks for listening.  As always, I welcome ideas, comments and debate.

Friday Formative Assessments

Each year I set up a different pattern of formative testing dependent on the school schedule and collective student profile.  This year, I typically give students a formative assessment on Friday.  I design the assessment to assess the weekly learning goals that lend themselves to a test assessment. These are the reasons why I like this formative testing pattern:

1. It's a quick way to assess what goals students achieved and those that require reteaching.
2. It's a way to assess my teaching weekly. Were my plans and efforts effective?  What can I tweak for better instruction?
3. It helps me to form optimal groups for small-group instruction and individualized help.
4. It gives me solid information to work with when planning the following week's schedule.
5. It's an efficient vehicle for home-school communication related to students' academic development.

I grade the tests using a fraction: correct answers/total questions.  

There's a lot of discussion about tests related to education.  I still believe that formative assessments (tests) are a worthy element of an overall academic program.  Some students are highly motivated by tests and scores--they like testing their knowledge and working towards the testing goal.

Tests should not be the only assessment tool. I generally assess reading and writing goals through weekly reading response letters, conferences and book groups.  Students' written words and dialogue provide me with evidence of the skills they've gained and those left for greater instruction and focus.  That Quiz offers optimal tools for math fact skills and geography assessment. Project work is yet one more way to assess and develop learning.

An additional positive aspect of the weekly test is the hour of quiet concentration and focus it requires.  I watch students sit still and work.  I observe the way they tackle the test and the specific questions they ask me regarding the content  That also informs my instruction.  I try to plan the test when special educators are working in the classroom so they can assist students with IEP goals related to the content.  I ask the special educators and assistants to write notes on the side of the tests regarding areas that they helped with and needs for greater instruction.

Do you have a formative testing pattern in your classroom?  If so, how does it differ from my pattern?  What do you focus on when designing and responding to students' formative assessments?  I look forward to your responses as I continue to develop this process.

Professional Development Protocol?

Protocol:  A code of correct conduct.


When I started my classroom social network several years ago, it was at-first a wild exchange of ideas. I found that I had to redirect often.  The following year, I added a simple protocol:

• Use Polite Language
• Post Polite Images.
• No Violent images or language.
• Report images, videos and/or language that are offensive.

Now I rarely have to redirect or reteach related to our classroom NING.


What are the proper protocols for professional development?  What behaviors and attitudes do we want to model for our students?  


Recently, at tech conferences, the following protocols enhanced and inspired my learning:

• Choose what you want to hear and/or see.
• Contact the presenter prior to the presentation if you'd like.
• Leave the presentation if it's not meeting your learning needs.
• Use tech during the presentation to take notes, tweet out essential facts/questions, and multi-task.
• Ask questions.
• Gather emails and links for follow-up.
• Find a comfortable place to engage.

During the tech conferences, I always multi-task because the conferences are usually inspirational prompting me to let others know about what I'm learning as well as to integrate the new learning immediately into other venues such as classroom social networks, collegial emails and curriculum work.

Recently, many educators from my PLN attended authorspeak11, and although I didn't attend the event I was able to gain inspiration and many follow-up links through their related tweets.  I must say it seemed like an awesome conference.

Educators' professional development is not always like a tech conference.  In fact multi-tasking, tweeting and using tech is sometimes frowned upon and met with the response, "Is that good modeling for our students? Is that the way we want our students to behave?"  Which leaves one with the question: What are the best protocols for professional development endeavors in education?  Should a protocol be set prior to a professional development event?  Should we encourage educators to bring tech along or leave it at home?  What about multi-tasking and tweeting?  And ultimately, what are the behaviors we want to model in the 21st century for optimal learning and exchange?

While the protocol debate continues, I want to encourage all educational facilitators to set a protocol in writing prior to pd events.  I suggest that the protocol is one that's open-ended and responsive to the pd event. You can tell I'm an advocate for protocols that inspire connectivity, communication and integration.  What does that look like at your grade-level, school or system-wide pd endeavors?

I'm looking forward to any and all response to this post as it's an issue many educators are dealing with as we move towards productive protocols that will not only enhance teachers' learning, but student learning too.



Update 4/8/16: As I read this old post, I recognized that we've come a long way since the day when I wrote this. Now the tech that was questioned when I wrote this post is fully accepted which is a welcome change. 

Perspective Matters

Teaching school has a treadmill quality to it--it's fast-paced, steady, time-on-task oriented.  As you teach, your mind fills with so many possibilities.  You know what you can do to effect change and help students, but sometimes, due to the treadmill schedule, you just don't have the time to make it happen.

This week, due to storm related power outages, we had two days off from school.  I had the chance to correct math tests, catch up on book group prep, respond to twenty-two poetry projects and twenty-two reading letters.  I also had the chance to prep upcoming math units, social studies projects and other curriculum events.  Most importantly, I had time to sit back and think about each student and the overall program.  I gained perspective.

It shouldn't have to take an October snow storm to catch up on so much work, and it shouldn't be that the weekends, early morning hours and late night hours are spent on so much important school work. Yes, I expect to spend some afterwork hours on school related tasks.  After all, most professionals today work beyond the eight-hour day, but excessive hours take its toll on health, energy and perspective.

I believe that prioritizing, thoughtful staffing, and creative scheduling can better respond to educators' needs to prep, plan and respond to student efforts and the overall educational program.  Perspective matters and moving away from the treadmill schedules in schools will foster healthy, positive and productive perspective.  Do you agree?