Intensified Algebra I A comprehensive interven/on that ensures success in extended-­‐/me Algebra I Project Partners and Support Project Partners – Charles A. Dana Center, University of Texas at Aus@n – University of Illinois at Chicago, Learning Sciences Research Ins@tute – Agile Mind Project Funding – Na@onal Science Founda@on – Searle Fund of the Chicago Community Trust – Bill and Melinda Gates Founda@on – Carnegie Corpora@on The Challenge: Struggling Students, Ramped-­‐up Requirements • Many more students now taking Algebra I are one or more grade levels behind in mathema@cs. • Many struggling students are hindered by a lack of engagement and a lack of commitment to learning. • Three years of mathema@cs beyond Algebra I are now required for high-­‐school gradua@on. • Algebra I remains the most failed course in most districts. • Curricula and teacher prepara@on have not kept pace with changing needs. New approaches are needed to ensure underprepared students can get back on track to succeed in high school. A Key Issue for Struggling Learners Some students in school today don t see a connec@on between their efforts and school success, don’t know what it is they need to prac@ce, can’t imagine themselves ever being academic, and have never seen academics played. . . . A first step in helping students become full par@cipants in the classroom is to ensure that all students value and understand the importance of learning and learning rituals. Lenz, B.K., Deshler, D. (2004). Teaching Content to All: Evidence-­‐Based Prac@ces in Middle and Secondary Schools. Boston: Pearson Educa@on, Inc. The SoluDon: An Architecture for IntensificaDon Underprepared students need more @me. But more /me alone is not enough… Students need to complete a rigorous, high-­‐school level Algebra I course, while addressing founda@onal conceptual and skill weaknesses. But it is not solely a mathema/cs scope and sequencing issue… . Struggling students need Dme, a challenging curriculum, and c ohesive, targeted supports and intervenDons. Goals for Intensified Algebra I Program • U@lize an asset-­‐based approach that builds on student strengths • Make learning and thinking explicit through structure and rou@nes • Engage students in making meaning from learning experiences • Ensure students experience success with effecDve effort and persistence In one academic year, catch students up to their peers and equip them to be successful in Algebra I and their future math courses Integrated, Cohesive, Program Design Literacy & language supports Shaping a\tudes toward learning Efficient review/repair Supports for teachers Assessment strategies Algebra core Special educa@on strategies Research Base Intensified Algebra I draws upon: • established principles of mathema@cs instruc@on and learning • known challenges in learning algebra • Literacy strategies that facilitate mathema@cs understanding, and • new approaches to knowing what students know. Building on the research of Uri Treisman, Joshua Aronson, Carol Dweck, Catherine Good, Don Deshler, and others, Intensified Algebra I melds best prac@ces in algebra instruc@on with advances in developmental and social psychology to support learners with special needs, to shape students engagement, confidence, and commitment to challenging academics. Response to IntervenDon Supports Intensified Algebra I supports instruc@onal interven@ons for struggling students with: • A^en@on to special educa@on learning needs • Data on assessment to inform instruc@on • Review/repair strategies • Mo@va@onal strategies based on psychological and other learning sciences research • Re-­‐engagement of learners through visual and mul@ple representa@ons of mathema@cal ideas SupporDng Learners with Special Needs • Models of efficient problem solving • Opportuni@es for student and teacher ar@cula@on of thought processes • Instruc@on based on rou@nes and underlying structures to help access and organize cri@cal mathema@cs content Assessment Data to Inform InstrucDon • Rich, comprehensive embedded assessment • Daily homework and Staying Sharps • Online assessment data provided to teachers and students in real-­‐@me reports • Unit assessments twice a month Efficient Review/Repair Strategies • Strategically-­‐placed opportuni@es to review prerequisite skills • Daily in-­‐class ac@vi@es devoted to accessing prior knowledge and repairing misconcep@ons • Systema@c exposure, challenge, and discussion of common mistakes and misconcep@ons The Importance of Developing Academic Skills and IdenDDes Many students have difficulty in school not because they are incapable of performing successfully, but because they are incapable of believing that they can perform successfully. –Pajares and Schunk, 2002 But…
Efforts to enhance students academic iden@@es in the absence of efforts to increase content knowledge are doomed to failure. – Uri Treisman Building Students’ Academic IdenDDes Intensified Algebra I addresses student motivations to pursue
academic goals in tandem with the development of important
academic skills. Intensified Algebra I helps students develop • Academic iden33es as learners who recognize, value, and seek out high-­‐quality educa@on • Skills to help create and contribute to a learning community. Changing Beliefs and AStudes Ideas incorporated from social psychology: • Effec3ve effort Improving and ge\ng be^er at something requires the right kind of effort. • A:ribu3on Success is not due solely to luck. • Malleable intelligence Intelligence is something that can be influenced and shaped through ac@ons and beliefs. Re-­‐engagement Through Visual and MulDple RepresentaDons • Rich, animated, visualiza@ons of key concepts • Mul@ple representa@ons of mathema@cal ideas • Mo@va@ng contexts and interac@ve ac@vi@es re-­‐engage learners in mathema@cs Course Design • Course content is organized into eight instruc@onal units, taught over a full academic year, and covering a comprehensive Algebra I curriculum. • Each daily lesson is designed for a 70-­‐90-­‐minute double-­‐
block period. A typical lesson has the following components: Opener & daily preview (5-­‐10 min) Core learning ac/vity (25-­‐35 min) Process homework (10 min) Consolida/on ac/vity (20-­‐25 min) Wrap-­‐up and introduce homework (5 min) Professional Services Included in the cost of the program: • A 2.5 day regional professional development ins@tute to prepare teachers for successful academic-­‐year enactment • Webinars to preview upcoming units delivered throughout the school year • Support for tes@ng and maintaining technical infrastructure • Ongoing technical support via email and toll-­‐free phone support Resources for teachers • Each par@cipa@ng teacher receives: – Access to Intensified Algebra I online services – Individual private access to the online services for each par@cipa@ng student – Student ac@vity books (two volume set) for each student – An online, printable guide for implementa@on – Mid-­‐unit and unit exams Fee for Intensified Algebra I For new partners -­‐ • $3,410 per teacher and 30 students Fees are adjusted for increases or reduc@ons in the number of students per teacher. For teachers currently par@cipa@ng in 2010-­‐2011 project and related research and who par@cipate in 2011-­‐2012 research • The exis@ng research-­‐subsidized price is retained. Steps to parDcipate • Intensified Algebra I implemented as the extended-­‐@me Algebra I course • Commitment to con@nuing professional development • Comple@on of a brief applica@on Contact InformaDon For more informaDon on how to bring Intensified Algebra I services to your school or district: Call toll free: (866) 284-­‐4655 select 2 Email us at info@agilemind.com Let’s take a look… • • • • Student Centered / Teacher Facilitated instruc@onal supports Student Ac@vity Books support in-­‐class ac@vi@es & homework Visualiza@on of key concepts Comprehensive advice for instruc@on