Competency 1: Accountability

                                    School Improvement Math Committee

 

 

 

School Improvement Math Sub-Committee

            As a member of the Math sub-committee of the school improvement plan, I am directly involved in the school improvement process.   A school improvement plan provides the steps to be taken to increase student achievement in accordance with state and federal adequate yearly progress (AYP) requirements in a subject area. Our state’s AYP mechanism is the MEAP. Our path to success lies in prescribing action strategies, resources, and monitoring indicators of success.  We document these things as well as those responsible for accountability and performance measures.

 

Timeline

The math sub-committee consists of seven teachers from kindergarten through twelve grades.  It is chaired by Dan Chisholm, 4th grade math and science teacher. Beginning in January 2010, we met to review changes in our school improvement plan from the previous year.

Various manipulatives and supplemental materials were received for kindergarten through third grades, and orders went out for the remaining grades. The sub-committee identified a number of problems regarding the use and storage of the material.  The discussion of possible solutions was tabled until investigations could solve the problems with various plans of action. Two possible solutions were to be investigated. First, ask Academic Quality Controllers (AQC’s) if they could store and check out materials.  Second, we would have a math teacher from each grade be in charge of storage for grade specific materials.  Storage for classroom sets, such as “Hands-On Equations” and “Ale-Blocks” was determined to be kept in their respective teachers classrooms as those materials would not be shared.

We also discussed the various technology and math software that was part of our school improvement plan.  I volunteered to gather research on technology in the classroom, and its effectiveness. Our school uses “Accelerated Reader” as part of our reading school improvement plan. I was placed in charge of investigating the use of the “Accelerated Reader Math” application.  Additionally, the sub-committee discussed the installation and implementation of a software program from Lakeshore, a software company.  The program would allow teachers to create their own practice worksheets, and it would assist the teachers in preparing for our state audit in February.

February was spent in preparation for the state audit.  Information was distributed via e-mail about the programs we were implementing with the grant money, such as afterschool tutoring, “Hands-On Equations”, and other grade specific manipulatives.  We stressed that these strategies were research based and provided staff with websites and links about the products and findings.  I submitted other research I had gathered about technology in classroom mathematics and Mr. Chisholm used it to supplement the school improvement plan.

In March, we continued the discussion about storage, as we had no storage containers or cabinets for the materials that could not be stored in individual classrooms.  We voted to allocate funds for storage containers, and approved a sign out procedure with the AQCs for upper school manipulatives. Feedback on the new manipulatives (“Hands-On Equations” and “Algae-Blocks”) was mixed.  Teachers agreed that it helped reinforce the concept for some students, but had also seen a negative effect for students that had previously understood algebra.  There were also mixed thoughts regarding whether those students that had not previously understood the concepts understood them after using the manipulatives.  Ultimately, the sub-committee agreed that these manipulative might work better if they are used first to introduce the topics, instead of as a supplement after learning the concepts.

Technologically, there were some ups and downs.  Lakeshore software still needed to be installed on the teachers’ computers, but vocabulary software was available for checkout. As part of my professional development plan, I attended the Michigan Association of Computer Users in Learning (MACUL) convention.  I spoke with Renaissance Learning about “Accelerated Reader Math”, and received some free training at the conference.  I presented the information to the committee, and it was approved

Reports from our state audit were positive. We provided quality documentation on the steps we were taking for school improvement in math. Research supported our strategies with manipulatives, technology, and after-school tutoring.  Lastly, staff was very knowledgeable about our school improvement plan for mathematics and could indentify how those steps were aiding achievement in their classes.  The one constructive criticism we received was regarding our parental participation. Evaluators from the state felt that there needed to be more parental involvement.

 

Reflections

            Accountability is taking responsibility for your actions while maintaining transparency.  School improvement is necessary.  The school improvement plan details in writing the steps our school is taking to increase achievement in the area of mathematics.  These steps are based on sound research and not just anecdotes and theories.

            If we demand continual improvement for ourselves, then we must demand it of our students.  The process of forming a team for formation and administration of a plan is a “best practice” of effective leaders.  Teamwork ensures that projects are more well-rounded and complete than if a single person produced the project.  All the teachers in this committee were math teachers, so their perspectives were skewed towards math ideas.