Math Professional Development Opportunities

There are several opportunities for mathematics professional development at PSESD over the next several months. The PSESD Math and Science Regional Support Center, in partnership with several organizations, is offering a Math Endorsement Academy, math leadership training and support opportunities, as well as Washington revised math standards training. Below are the details for each opportunity.

Math Endorsement Academy

June 4, 2008  5:00 – 6:30  
Location:  PSESD-Renton

PSESD and Seattle University have partnered together to offer a 20-credit math endorsement program that will allow teachers to complete their required courses in one academic year plus part of a summer. Educators must then pass the test required for endorsement. The first course will be offered this summer, with ongoing evening and Saturday courses during the 2008–2009 school year. Scholarships are available for teachers to cover all fees and tuition. The scholarships are forgiven in full for teachers who, once endorsed in mathematics, teach math full time for two years in grades 6–12. If you are interesting in participating in the Math Endorsement Academy, attend the June 4th Information meeting at PSESD.

RSVP to Claudine Rode: crode@psesd.org, 425-917-7815, 253-778-7815

 Instructor Opportunities Available!
If you are interested in being an instructor for the Math Endorsement Academy, there are still positions open at this time. Please RSVP to attend the Instructor Information Meeting on May 28th at 5:00 pm at PSESD.

Instructor Information Meeting
May 28, 2008  5:00– 6:30
Location:  PSESD-Renton
RSVP to Claudine Rode: crode@psesd.org, 425-917-7815, 253-778-7815

First Steps in Mathematics:  Measurement Facilitator Course

July 21-25, 2008  $2600   8:00–3:30  
Location:  PSESD-Renton
Registration Deadline:  June 27

Facilitators who attend this comprehensive course will be provided with intensive training and support materials to help them provide high quality professional development and ongoing support for other teachers.

Based on cutting-edge research, First Steps in Mathematics develops and expands teachers’ understanding of mathematics and how children learn mathematics. Participants will learn how to successfully diagnose, plan, implement, and evaluate their students’ learning experiences in measurement.

Diagnostic tasks and diagnostic maps help teachers to identify students’ misconceptions about math. Sample lessons and learning activities provide teachers with practical and simple ideas to support students’ development.  This “train the trainer” course is the most cost effective way for schools or districts to deliver their own First Steps in Mathematics:  Measurement course to a large number of teachers. 

Navigating the Revised Mathematics Standards:  K-8

June 23–26, 2008   8:30–3:30.
Location:  PSESD-Renton
Registration deadline:  June 13, 2008

OSPI-trained instructors will facilitate two days dedicated to understanding the format and content of the standards documents and two days dedicated to one core content per grade band (K-2:  Algebraic Thinking, 3-5:  Fractions, 6-8:  Proportional Reasoning).  Participants will come away with an understanding of how the revised standards take fewer core ideas and develop them in depth to give your students a conceptual understanding of mathematics.  Explore those ideas that are to be learned to mastery and those that are important precursors to core content identified in other grade levels and extensions of previously introduced skills. Examine the balance between the core content and core process standards.

Fee:   $100.  
Clock hours/Credit: 24 clock hours,  $48.00.

PSESD Mathematics Coach Cadre

June 9, 2008 12:30-2:30.

The Puget Sound ESD Mathematics Coach Cadre is a support group open to all coaches and/or teacher leaders who would like the opportunity to network, share expertise, receive up-to-date information on state math initiatives, and build capacity and collaboration within the region. The June meeting will focus on how to provide support on the Revised Math Standards and a report from the Mathematics Assessment Leadership Team (M.A.L.T.).

Fee: Free.  Location:  PSESD-Renton
RSVP by June 4: Sandy Christie, Math Coordinator schristie@psesd.org

Arts Impact Workshops

Integrating the Arts into the Core Curriculum

This fall, PSESD will offer three workshop series’ that provide K-6 teachers with strategies to infuse the arts into math and writing. In arts-infusing learning, concepts in math and literacy are reinforced through acting, dancing, painting and drawing. Arts-infusion provides students who struggle to learn in traditional ways an opportunity to learn those same concepts from an artistic point of view. Arts-infused strategies have been shown to be effective with struggling students, students with learning disabilities, and English Language Learners.

The workshops are based on the work of Arts Impact, a two-year professional development program that has been actively involved in the research and development of arts-infused learning curriculum.

The three, 11-hour series are in Theater/Writing; Dance/Math; and Visual Arts/Math. Details will be posted on www.psesd.org soon!

Technology and the Arts

Watch for fall workshops on effective and engaging ways to use technology to document the multifaceted nature of student learning through arts integration.  Based on practices used by the PSESD Arts Impact project and the Kennedy center, you will explore how technology can be used to easily document, disseminate, and display the impact of arts-integrated instruction on student learning, and how to align your evidence to the needs of audiences such as school administrators and families.

For more information on Arts Impact, visit, www.arts-impact.org or contact Sibyl Barnum, 425-917-7943, 253-778-7943. sbarnum@psesd.org.

Attention Teachers! Have You Signed Up for Ready, Set, Goals 1-4?

The Heart of Education

July 29-31, 2008; 8:00-4:15.           
PSESD# SD7RSG

Learn from local and nationally recognized leaders who are implementing strategies matched to the Washington State Learning Goals. The conference is appropriate for anyone involved with the education of students (paraeducators, ESL tutors, special education, staff and parents). This conference fills quickly, so register early! (Register before June 9 and save $50.)

Conference Topics:

Keynote Speakers

Raymond Reyes will set the tone for the conference as he speaks about the importance of educating the whole child, and understanding and embracing the diversity of our students. Reyes will engage and inspire you by sharing his insights into the “heart of education.”

Raymond Reyes is the associate vice president for diversity at Gonzaga University. His areas of scholarship and expertise are diversity, human development and learning, leadership development and cultural pedagogy.

Dr. Ginsburg will demonstrate how teachers can build on children’s informal knowledge to teach more powerful, formal ideas; and show how teachers can help children get past their misconceptions in order to engage effectively with new content.

Dr. Ginsburg is a professor of Psychology & Education at Columbia University. He is a leading interpreter of children’s understanding of mathematics, with research and teaching interests in intellectual development, mathematics education and testing and assessment. He is the co-author of the Big Math for Little Kids Curriculum for Kindergarten.

Featured Author: Megan Sloan
Megan Sloan, a teacher in the Snohomish School District, is an outstanding educator with 23 years of experience. In addition to writing for The Reading Teacher and Instructor magazines, Megan is the author of Trait-Based Mini-Lessons for Teaching Writing and Teaching Young Writers to Elaborate. Megan has a new book coming out this fall entitled Writing Workshop 101.