Shelby Aaberg
Scottsbluff HS saaberg@sbps.net

10:50 – 11:40
• Collaboration Matters
• Realities Teachers Face
(Groupwork is Unfair &
Professional Time is Finite)
• Analyzing Student
Assessment Data
• Technology Supporting
Collaboration
Technology is transforming the work of teachers. Teachers are expected to spontaneously work cooperatively, sometimes without formal training on how to work in groups. This session will address effective strategies for cooperative lesson planning and provide guidance on how to analyze student assessment data to make inferences about instructional practices.

How can math teachers learn what they need to know?
“Most mathematics teachers work in relative isolation, with little support for innovation and few incentives to improve their practice. Yet much of teachers’ best learning occurs when they examine their teaching practices with colleagues. Research indicates that teachers are better able to help their students learn mathematics when they have opportunities to work together to improve their practice, time for personal reflection, and strong support from colleagues and other qualified professionals.”
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
(2000). Principles and standards for school
mathematics. Reston, VA

Move from “pockets of excellence” to “systems of excellence”
“Too many teachers of mathematics remain professionally isolated, without the benefits of collaborative structures and coaching, and with inadequate opportunities for professional development related to mathematics teaching and learning.”
Actions
“Work collaboratively with colleagues to plan instruction, solve common challenges, and provide natural support as they take collective responsibility for student learning.”
Principles to Actions: Executive Summary. (2014).
Retrieved from http://www.nctm.org/uploadedFiles/Standards_and
_Focal_Points/Principles_to_Action/PtAExecutiveSu mmary.pdf

National Board for Professional
Teaching Standards
Standard X, Professional Community:
Accomplished mathematics teachers continually collaborate with other teachers and education professionals…
Teachers promote the ideal that working collaboratively increases knowledge, reflection, and quality of practice and benefits the instructional program. Teachers seek to make their teaching an open community activity…. Decision making becomes a collaborative process rather than an isolated process.

• http://www.nasdtec.net/default.asp?page=M
CEE#.U6L5xaXwMXg.twitter

• Collaboration with colleagues carries a time cost
• Teachers must support one another and be mindful that life happens

• Professional risk must be considered when building communities of teachers
• Team mentality should prevail: our kids, not your kids or my kids

We (Teachers) Must Change Our Mindset
Towards Collaborative Work

You expect your students to work in groups…
• Discuss with your neighbor: where/when is this explicitly taught?
• Where/when should we expect students to work in groups?
• Then… where/when should we expect teachers to naturally work together in groups cooperatively? And be productive?
• Group activity: Go to Google, type in “Who Gets the Heart?”

3 Considerations with
Student Assessment Data
• Does the test measure what it claims to measure? (valid)
• Will the test return consistent measures across multiple administrations? (reliable)
• How will I use the data I retrieve in meaningful ways?
(applicable)

Comparing Exam Performance (using same exam):
AP Stats Exam 1, Fall 2014 vs Fall 2013
Fall 2014 Exam 1 Performance
Fall 2013 Exam 1
Performance

• Takes the focus off the teacher and puts it back on the student

• Takes the focus off the teacher and puts it back on the student

Collecting Student Data Immediately
• ScanSnap Scanner

Free PD: Cross Observation &
Instructional Rounds
• Go to another teacher’s classroom and observe their teaching.
• Only positive feedback – NO corrective feedback – is allowed.
• Have a conversation afterwards, face to face whenever possible.

Collaborative Lesson Planning &
Assessment Planning
• Dropbox www.dropbox.com
• Writing assessments and lessons together
• Analyzing the student data together
• Teacher driven , not administrator driven

Resources
• Twitter www.twitter.com
• Twitter chats
Tues 7:30 pm CST
#ruraledchat
Wed 8 pm CST
#nebedchat
• Pinterest www.pinterest.com
• Educational Service Units
** Making connections with other people at conferences like this! **
Actually get up and go talk to someone new!!!!!!

Teaching Channel