Know Thy Impact...

We are busy!  So busy, that every time I sat down to write this blog, in the past 4 weeks, something has taken precedent. We had PLC days, trainings, meetings, observations, evaluations, and other circumstances that I prepare, implement, and provide follow-up. On top of the responsibilities of Math Content Specialist, I have the pleasure of working on the NCSM board as the Western Region 1 Regional Director, an organization very near and dear to my heart (MathLeadership). As the RD, I attended several regional conferences this fall, from Arizona to Alaska and from Idaho to Nevada. With a full work schedule, RD Schedule and family (did I mention my oldest is a senior in HS this year), it has been a busy fall and I did not take the time to reflect on our current progress…

Last weekend, I attended my final conference of the season. I was inspired by the keynote sessions to reflect; below is a quote from one of the sessions on Sunday: 

My role as a teacher is to evaluate the effect I have on my students. It is to “know thy impact,” it is to understand this impact, and it is to act on this knowing and understanding. This requires that teachers gather defensible and dependable evidence from many sources, and hold collaborative discussions with colleagues and students about this evidence, thus making the effect of their teaching visible to themselves and others (p.19)

John Hattie (2012), Visible Learning for Teachers

The PUHSD math teachers have been hard at work looking at evidence of student learning, collaborating on best practices, and providing targeted feedback to students. This evidence of learning is used by students and teachers to take action on what students are or are not learning, and I want them to KNOW THEIR IMPACT. When I present, I am presenting the work of the PUHSD math teachers. Teachers and administrators from all over the country are excited to hear about our work, creating rich learning opportunities and re-engagement opportunities with our concept recovery model.  Below are some emails and responses from the surveys at the end of each session. 

“I want to thank you so much for all you shared at the seminar. I was looking over all the slides and reviewing the assessment tools your PLC created. You've given me the boost to get going and motivate my colleagues to take the challenge. I was truly impressed by the work your team has accomplished.”

“Thank you for sharing your common core implementation strategies. I know what my next steps need to be…” 

“Your presentation was great. I know that we all walked away with specific ideas on what a solid common core implementation plan looks like…” 

Each presentation provided me the opportunity to speak on behalf of the work Phoenix Union High School math teachers have completed over the last three years. As I reflect on the work this fall, I realize the impact of our teachers’ work on a global scale and I wanted to SHARE THY IMPACT. I am so proud to work with an amazing team of teachers. We still have our challenges, but we are problem solvers who articulate the challenges and think outside of the box to overcome those challenges. I am very proud of what we have accomplished over the past three years. Congratulations to the PUHSD Math teachers! Your implementation of the AZ College and Career Readiness standards is truly inspiring.   

Reflection from guest blogger: Fixed versus Growth Mindset

This summer, Stanford Professor, Jo Boaler,  hosted a free online course, titled “How to Learn Maths”.  Close to 20,000 teachers, parents, administrators from across the country learned about mindsets and how a perception of one-self impacts learning every day.  We watched interviews of college students on the impact of K-12 teachers and how one statement from one teacher early on in their education impacted their beliefs on their math ability. Some teachers from our district participated in the course so I asked one of them to write a reflection of what she learned.  Thank you, Juli Schexnayder (Maryvale), for sharing your insights and honest reflection. 

“… I learned about mindsets and how they impact student’s ability to succeed.  Our students come to us with one of two mindsets, fixed or growth.  The fixed mindset is typical of the student and/or parent who tell us they cannot do math because of genetics, gender, race, etc…  These individuals have convinced themselves or been convinced by others that they cannot do math so they don’t.  A growth mindset belongs to those individuals who believe they can do anything and they do!  Mindsets can be changed, and must be changed, especially from fixed to growth. 

Changing a mindset isn’t done with hollow platitudes or pandering.  Giving students genuine feedback on their work and the opportunity to express their math thinking are big keys to helping students change their mindset from fixed to growth.  To do this, I question student answers both verbally and written.  I ask my classes if anyone’s reasoning or problem solving method makes sense.  I allow my students the opportunity to explain how their reasoning/problem solving works.  I even learn from my students and give credit to students who demonstrate reasoning I have not considered before to my other classes as I present the teacher/student’s ideas.  Most importantly, some of my struggling students (based on assessments) have started to express themselves mathematically and are seeing themselves as capable in a math class, possibly for the first time ever.

The most exciting development in my classes is the engagement students have with each other.  I can put a problem on the board and they are processing, generalizing and then applying what they know and intuit to find solutions.  They are becoming curious about math, and I hope, excited about math, many for the first time in their lives.  I know that if I had not taken this course my students would be sitting in their desks, tolerating my class, bored by the same old math they have seen year after year.  

The idea of mindsets is not new, but does need to become part of who we are as teachers of mathematics, if we hope to produce students who are to become the future scientists, doctors, mathematicians, game designers, and educators.”