Math Matters in Mat-Su Summer School (K-12)

Program

Math Matters in Mat-Su Summer School (K-12)
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District
125 W. Evergreen
Palmer, Alaska 99645

Contact

Mardene Collins, Summer School Administrator
Phone: 907/746-9236
E-mail: mcollins@msb.mat-su.k12.ak.us

This program was recommended to NWREL by a 21st CCLC grant program officer at Alaska Department of Early Childhood Education because it motivates students in mathematics, focuses on students who have been identified as needing help, and provides time for teachers to learn ways to respond to the individual needs of these children.

Math Matters at a glance:

• K-12
• Rural
• Multiage, mixed-ability grouping
• Intensive mathematics instruction featuring hands-on learning
• Professional development component for teachers
• Family participation

Background

Math Matters in Mat-Su is an intensive mathematics instruction program for K-12 students. Although the program is designed for students who need improvement on the math portion of the high school graduation qualifying or benchmark exams, the program is open to any student.

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District is the third largest district in Alaska, with a total enrollment of 12,600 students. The district headquarters in Palmer is 50 miles north of Anchorage; the district spans 24,502 square miles.

The program began in 1999, as a response to students' low scores in mathematics on a spring assessment. The goal is to help students achieve better math results on the benchmark exams or the high school graduation qualifying exam. The program focuses on areas of the test where student performance was weakest. For the 2002 program, the focus was geometry. Sixteen hundred students were eligible to attend summer school based on the test results.

The program is currently financed through a combination of a Quality Schools Learning Opportunity grant and Title I funds. Except for a $10 administration fee, the program is free to participants.

Programming

The program operates in two middle schools. Each site has a program coordinator, secretary, nurse, and custodian. Last year 125 high school students, 330 K-2 students, 360 3-5 students, and 330 6-8 students participated in the program.

Two teachers team-teach a class of 30 students. The students are grouped in multiage, mixed-ability groups. School is in session from 8:30 to noon. From 1:00 to 3:30, teachers meet as primary, intermediate, middle, and high school groups with their team leaders to share lessons, receive instruction, and schedule. The teachers then spend the remainder of the afternoon with their team-teacher planning for the next day. Professional development workshops are also offered on topics such as implementing specific math curricula, cooperative learning, using manipulatives to effectively teach concepts, orienteering, and cognitive guided instruction.

Twelve teachers from the district are part of the summer school planning team. These teachers represent all K-12 schools and have experience working with special education, gifted, and alternative programs. Last year, the planning team met once a week for 10 weeks prior to the beginning of summer school. The staff also met for two days prior to the start of classes.

Program Director Mardene Collins uses a model of professional development in which she builds leadership capacity within the summer school staff, and utilizes the staff's expertise. This, she says, creates a learning community for both teachers and students, with new learning opportunities for all.

Collins notes that because many of the teachers were experiencing new things last year—team teaching, multiage classrooms, mixed-ability groupings, alternative assessments, journaling, and portfolios—they would need support and much time for planning and designing the curriculum. Two nationally known experts in mathematics spent two weeks with the teachers modeling activities that "helped build a conceptual understanding of functions and relationships." The teachers also had the opportunity to pilot three elementary mathematics programs during the summer.

The curricular focus for the summer of 2002 was geometry. The expectations for student learning are based on the performance standards for each age group. For example, there is an expectation for grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12 that involves transformation/symmetry, and spatial reasoning.

The planning team designed hand-on projects and lessons that would teach and reinforce the theme of functions and relationships. Later in the summer, the teachers planned their own lessons. The students learn how to use geometry software appropriate for their grade level. They build a two- or three-dimensional structure that teaches a geometrical concept appropriate to their grade.

Students learn orienteering skills and participate in outdoor geometry activities. Teachers also integrate art and geometry with coaching from an art teacher. Literature that incorporates mathematical concepts is integrated into the lessons as well.

Parents were involved with the program from the start. Before the program began, families were invited to information meetings to learn more about the program, given expectations and outcomes, and shown a video that explained the program's approach. On Fridays, the program held "Family Math Mornings" in which families could join the class. Students share with their families and each other what they have learned at a Math Fair/Open House. A final project can be a student-led portfolio conference, a geometrical structure, a software geometry project, or other demonstrations of learning.

Evaluation and Outcomes

Students are given a pre- and posttest of certain learning objectives. Initial evaluation is being done through student and teacher journals and surveys, parent surveys, planning team input, and on-site administrator feedback.

Surveys from the middle school students indicated that their attitude toward mathematics has changed considerably. Collins says the program has "really impacted how students view mathematics. Middle school seems to be a time where students decide if they like mathematics and this affects their learning and motivation to learn it." The parent survey was also very positive. Two hundred fifty-one surveys were returned, with only eight indicating expectations for their child's learning were not met.

Collins indicated that a powerful outcome of the program was the teacher teaming. For the first few days, many teachers were uncomfortable with teaming, and felt a lack of structure. However, by the fourth day, teachers were indicating in their journals that they appreciated the power of working with a partner, planning together, and having in-depth conversations about the teaching and learning of mathematics.

The program has had a significant impact on the community, says Collins. Teachers, parents, and community members all want to know if the program will be offered again.

Collins hopes to use the planning team as teacher leaders to facilitate professional development during the school year and to capture and maintain the energy of the summer school teachers.

Planned Adjustments

Collins indicates that certain changes will be made for the second year of the program, such as making attendance requirements clearer for students and parents; clarifying for students reasons why they would want to enroll; providing clearer expectations for teachers; providing more planning time for teachers; and offering more professional development workshops for teachers in the afternoon.