Annual Report Overviews

Annual Overview

Debra Duvall, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, became Interim Associate Superintendent of Mesa Public Schools for 1998-99. She will continue to serve as MSI co-principal investigator, supported by David Eagleburger, interim Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum.

Jerry Edwards joined MSI as a part time assistant to the project, focusing on building industry partnerships and further extending principals’ support systems. Jerry has just retired as principal of Mesa’s Red Mountain Ranch Elementary School, a national model of elementary science and technology instruction.

The Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) will require that students pass a series of tests in order to graduate, beginning with the class of 2001. Grades three, five, eight and twelve will be tested. These tests are being developed to align with performance standards in mathematics and reading set by the Arizona Board of Education in 1996. Science assessment is expected to be added one year later. While the state mathematics and science standards are reasonably well aligned with NCTM and NSES recommendations, it is still early in the development process to determine what affect AIMS will have on changes in instruction. We expect to follow this progress closely in the next two years.

We have learned what collaboration is and when we meet now, many times we meet more often and just brainstorm ideas rather than having a chairman lead the meeting. (elementary teacher)

As part of the shift towards greater sustainability, teacher-leaders have been given increased responsibility for the conduct of meetings and inservice. This might mean providing the lead instruction in inservice, organizing liaison meetings, or facilitating goal-setting for a team of mentors. Readiness for this hand-off has been closely monitored and adjustments made as needed. One area that needed additional attention, for instance, was classroom instructors teaching the adult learner. Once assessed, additional training and monitoring of instruction was provided.

There are a lot of veteran teachers who have done their own thing. There is an evolution of math/science collaboration, and it takes some persuasion to see that there can be a benefit to both parties. (junior high science synergy teacher)

Cross curricular integration and teacher collaboration is a goal of the project at all levels. Elementary teachers, by nature of the curriculum and instructional strategies, have easily assimilated integration of science and mathematics professional development. That has not been the case at junior high school. Obstacles are in part structural (curriculum) and in part physical (time and space). Changes necessary to bridge these gaps lie largely outside the influence of the project. The realistic goal for the coming year at junior high, therefor, will be adjusted to support enhancement strategies to the specific needs of each curriculum. Collaboration will still be emphasized, but not made a cross-curricular structural requirement of site plans.

We make it hard for teachers to take advantage of opportunities because we have restrictions on the days they can be gone. (junior high principal)

Creating multiple strategies for professional development time continues to be a primary challenge to the project. Vehicles such as special presenters have extended our class day options significantly. Other changes have been to shift greater scheduling toward summer institutes and weekend specials. Despite significant hurdles, the hours accumulated to date show positive results, as evidenced in table 2.

Any fool can know. The point is to understand. (Albert Einstein)

The Mesa Systemic Initiative will continue on track for 1999 with its primary mission of improving math and science instruction through site-based learning communities and continued development of the teacher leadership structure. Additionally, the following goals have been set for school year 1998-99:

• Increase professional development to support standards-based mathematics instruction and mathematics adoption
• Revise standards based goals and objectives for science K - 8
• Strengthen role of science and mathematics leadership team at each site
• Improve articulation of inquiry and constructivist strategies in the teaching of science
• Increase collaboration of science, mathematics and technology professional development resources and efforts
• Strengthen the district framework for sustainability

Principal Investigator and Project Director: Bob Box

Specialists: Vicki Graber, Mathematics

Perry Montoya, Technology

Jenny Nededgaard, Science

Secretary: Cathy Hingley

Data Entry Clerk: Elaine Manning

Special Presenter Coordinator: Peggy Underwood

• New Math Mentors examined the NCTM curriculum standards and explored applications into the MPS mathematics classroom.
• All new and returning Math Mentors reviewed accomplishments from the previous year and established goals for the current year. "Turtle Math," NCTM math software, was demonstrated.
• Dr. Shirley Frye, past president of NCTM, was a guest speaker for the mentors and the Basic Skills resource teachers. She presented standards based instructional strategies focusing on areas identified as needing improvement from the previous spring’s testing data: communication, fractions, decimals and percents.
• Mentors met to explore standards based instructional strategies for early childhood education. Other mentors took the lead in instruction.
• Mentors took the lead in presenting mathematical content knowledge training for grades 3 - 4 and 5 - 6. Alternative instructional strategies were emphasized.
• Inservice provided instruction on cognitive science and what it means to math teachers. Members shared alternative strategies for meeting NCTM standards on algebra.
• A Math Learning Center Leadership Team was selected and trained from K - 8 classroom teachers. These teachers must have demonstrated site leadership, taken the MLC classes, successfully implemented the course work in their classrooms and have excellent leadership skills. The leadership team was then provided advanced training in adult learning so they will be prepared to train teachers by the summer of 1999 in an MPS / NCTM adoption of Math Learning Center strategies.
• JHS Math Synergy teachers set goals for the year and structured professional growth around these goals. Conflict resolution, a discrete mathematics strategy, was demonstrated.
• TIMSS results were examined by mathematics synergy teachers. Pedagogical implications were discussed and strategies explored on the NCTM standards for patterns and functions.

• Elementary Synergy members participated in change process simulations. Members also developed workshops to present at sites; these workshops include inquiry topics and assessments. Elementary Synergy members were pivotal in providing leadership to the Elementary Summer Science Institute by facilitating individual grade level groups.
• During monthly training meetings, the role of Elementary Liaisons as site leaders was discussed and emphasized.
• JHS Synergy members developed workshops that can be presented to school sites. Members have also taken over the leadership of the Synergy group itself (from MSI and SSRC staff members). Various technology workshops that were conducted were taken back to school sites to be shared with other department members.

• Junior High Technology Synergy participated in leadership training (Leadout Simulation).
• Junior High Technology Synergy developed workshops to present at sites — Internet, Spreadsheets in Mathematics, Software in Mathematics, Utilizing Vernier Probes.
• Elementary Liaisons and Junior High Synergy trainings include discussion regarding leadership and how change is happening at each site. Leadership shares what is happening at his/her site.
• Elementary Liaisons participated in leadership training on the change process and their role in implementing technology at their site.
• Technology Liaison informational meetings addressed leadership and communication. Liaisons shared how they communicate with their staff and their principal in moving the implementation of technology forward. Also, suggestions are shared with the leadership, and liaisons share what is done at their school.
• Several liaisons have stepped up to take the lead for a portion of the liaison meetings and share with the leadership group.
• Training for Instructional Technology Trainers on change process, setting goals, setting norms, collaboration at the beginning of the school year. This was started in 1997 and two trainers presented with Perry at the beginning of this school year.
• Inclusion of Instructional Technology Trainers in trainings to encourage them to assume responsibilities for the various workshops offered through the MSI. Co-teach with the trainers and then they work together to "take over" the workshops.
• Cadre of fifteen teachers have been trained in a trainer of trainer model. They will be lead instructors for the district in "Image Processing for Teachers." This is a class, 32 hours, which integrates technology and digital images to teach/reinforce math and science concepts/skills.

• Administrative Interns/Assistant Principals attended inservice examining leadership roles and standards based curriculum in our district.
• Math and Science Synergy teachers examined integration of math/science curriculum by using the TI82-CBL Probes as a tool for understanding.

• K - 8 Math Summer Institute — Focused on communicating content, analyzing mathematical thinking and learning instructional strategies.
• Teachers New to Teaching (TNT) were provided an introduction to the NCTM standards, reflection of the first year math teacher, and assessment strategies. (TNT is a 52 hour district based program for all new instructors.)

• Grant-writing workshop for EE funds (Sep. 97) — approximately 35 teachers attended this workshop designed to help ease the process for teachers to submit grants for EE funds.
• Casio EA-100 training (Dec. 97) — one teacher from each JHS participated in this two-day workshop which introduced teachers to the Casio hand-held computer system, used in conjunction with Vernier probes.
• Inquiry Training at Arizona Science Center — JHS Synergy members participated in this Saturday workshop.
• Elementary Summer Science Institute — 150 elementary teachers participated in this four day workshop designed around the content areas in science taught at each grade level.
• JHS Summer Science Institute — 36 JHS science teachers participated in this nine-day workshop which included specific units on topics such as electricity, performance-based assessments, astronomy and introduction to new probe-ware. Teachers collaborated and shared lessons, labs and activities for the new JHS curriculum. This collaboration resulted in the production of an extensive resource manual for each grade level.

• Applying Computers in Education (ACE Project) — Two sessions for two weeks each. Teachers learned about Office ’98 and the Internet . They then applied their knowledge to develop lessons in math, science and other curriculum areas. Lessons are currently on the Internet.
• Image Processing for Teachers Workshop (Level II) — Fifteen teachers finished up the Training for Trainers through the Center for Image Processing. This week long training certified our teachers to teach Image Processing in our district.
• Astronomy Village Workshop — Workshops on a problem-based model for learning astronomy. CD was developed by NASA and the Classroom of the Future (COTF). Workshops will continue, as astronomy is part of the junior high curriculum.
• Continuing classes through the Instructional Technology Department
• Module I — Integrating Clarisworks/Office into the Classroom
• Module II — Integration of Technology in the Classroom
• Module III — Multimedia in the Classroom
• Module IV — Utilizing the Internet in the Classroom
• Many trainings on the Internet to junior high science teachers and leadership team (technology liaisons).
• Software Evaluation — How to select software for use in the math and science classroom.
• Workshop on NIH Image Processing and its’ applications in the mathematics classroom.

• Elementary Combined Trainings — inservice to leadership groups on assessment, inquiry, integration, AZ Science Center activities, and Internet.
• A cross-district instructional training was facilitated by the elementary synergy team and the JHS technology synergy team. The workshops targeted technology applications for the enhancement of math, science, and inquiry based learning.
• TI-82/CBL training (Nov. 97) — done in conjunction with math synergy, this workshop introduced teachers to the operation and classroom application of the TI-82/CBL system. This workshop was conducted by two JHS synergy members, and served 24 teachers.

Consultants:

• Tom Snyder Productions — Workshop for elementary technology liaisons on effective use of technology in a cooperative learning environment.
• Tom Snyder Productions — Workshop for district-based specialists on utilizing the Internet (full day training).
• Vernier Probe Training through Vernier — The use of probes in the science classroom — junior high technology synergy team and other science teachers.
• Microworlds — Workshop on software to support the application of discrete mathematics concepts.
• Ron Ritchardt, author and instructor, presented at the MPS Summer Math Institute. Teachers expanded their content knowledge and explored strategies for inquiry based investigations using manipulatives, Power Blocks, 120 pinned geoboards, and TI 83 graphing calculators.
• Inquiry training with Prof. Tony Lawson (Apr. 97) — Elementary science synergy members participated in this half-day workshop which introduced them to the learning cycle and inquiry science, and helped them apply these concepts to the science kits currently in place in the elementary curriculum.

• Workshop on Effective Use of Two Computers in the Classroom — Approximately 1000 teachers have taken advantage of this workshop either after school (2.5 hours) or with special presenters (2.5 hours).
• Spreadsheets in Math and Science classrooms.
• Demonstration lessons for teachers in utilizing technology in mathematics and science classrooms.
• Workshops on Integration offered to schools who included this in their site plan.
• 20 or more site-based in-services were provided by either SSRC resource teachers or elementary synergy members with the support of MSI funds. These in-services centered on science kit training, as well as inquiry training as applied to the science kits.

Special Presenters