Institutionalization
Changes in Policy and Practice Among Partners
RAJEE AMARASINGHE
CSU FRESNO
Through the Eyes of Institute of Higher
Education
 Background
 Changes within the IHE
 Faculty and Teacher Collaborations
 Other significant impacts
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Background
 Central Valley Math and Science partnership
Fresno Unified School District
(2004-2007) 120 teachers
 Central Valley Math Project
Sanger Unified SD & Kings Canyon Unified SD
(2005-2008) 75 teachers
 Teaching and Learning Collaborative
Central Unified School District
(2005-2008) 50 teachers
Background…
 Central Valley Mathematics Research project
Sanger Unified SD & Kings Canyon Unified
(2008-20011) 40 teachers
 Washington Union mathematics Consortium
Washington Unified school district
(2008-20011) 50 teachers
 Fresno Mathematics Academy
Fresno Unified School District
(2009-20012) 100 teachers
 Central Unified E2 partnership
Central Unified School District
(2009-2012) 35 teachers
Changes in the IHE
 Exposing mathematics faculty to K-12 education.
 9 faculty members from the department of mathematics
participated in MSP funded projects
 They are the faculty responsible for teaching mathematics
content for future elementary and secondary teachers
 All multiple subject teachers learn mathematics content from
these math faculty
 ~60% of the mathematics majors become high school teachers
 Some of the faculty are responsible for instructing methods
courses
Changes in the IHE
 Exposing mathematics faculty to K-12 education…
 Going to schools to participate in lesson planning
 Familiarize with k-12 the math content and standards
 Planning units and lessons with teachers
 Visiting classrooms
 Observe lessons, how students learn and interact with each
other
 Critiques the lessons and redesign them
 Conducting summer workshops and year-round workshops for
the teachers
Changes in the IHE
 Implications of exposing mathematics faculty to K-12
education…
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Better understanding of the content standards the university
students have to teach in the future
Choosing and emphasizing appropriate content in college level
classes
Better understanding of school culture and issues will help
them to prepare future teachers appropriately
Learn effective pedagogical techniques that can be used in the
university level classroom to enhance teaching and learning
Connections with the teachers and school administrators can
open up opportunities for the future students and teachers
Changes in the IHE
 Faculty Collaborations
 Collaborative planning of the MSP project curriculum,
lessons, and workshops.
 Co-instructing workshops by 2 or more faculty.
Changes in the IHE
 Implications of Faculty Collaborations
 development of different culture among faculty.
Two new mathematics courses have been collaboratively
developed by these faculty (Math 139, Math 149)
 Group of 3 faculty redesigned a course changing its content and
how it is delivered.
 Group of 5 faculty co-authored a math text book for a course
designed for multiple subject teachers’ capstone experience.
(“Exploring mathematics: investigations for elementary school teachers”).
 2 faculty members co-authored a text book for prospective middle
school teachers (“Advanced Algebra for Teachers”)
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Faculty and Teacher Collaborations
 Image of the university mathematics faculty has
changed among the teachers.
 Teachers willingness to work with university faculty
has changed significantly.
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Inviting university faculty to classrooms.
Asking content related help.
Sharing lessons and ideas.
Asking advise on professional enhancement.
 Planning and co-instructing with teacher leaders
have helped to learn from each other.
Faculty and Teacher Collaborations
 Collaboratively developing teacher leaders
 Promoting natural leaders to become lesson study facilitators
and then to become teacher leaders.
 Promoting these leaders to co-plan and co-instruct summer
workshops with faculty.
 Promoting these leaders to participate in California math
project leadership institutes.
 Promoting them to participate and give presentations in
statewide conferences (i.e. CMC, NCTM).
Other significant impacts
 Development of dedicated classrooms for teachers in
the university.
 Transfer of use of technology in instruction
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Document cameras
Promethean boards
GeoGebra
Rajee Amarasinghe
Department of Mathematics
California State University, Fresno
ramarasi@csufresno.edu