Promoting Classroom Discussions: Year Two
At the start of the 2014-2015 school year,
I began to think about how to best meet the needs of the teachers at my
school, provide opportunities for continued staff development centered
on the talk moves, and differentiate each teacher's experiences. This is year two of implementing the talk moves outlined in the book Classroom Discussions: Using Math Talk to Help Students Learn, Grades 1-6 at Wenonah Elementary School. This year is unique as for many staff, this is their second year of working with the talk moves. For a few, newer staff members, everything about the book and using the talk moves is brand new.
New teacher induction plan
New teachers to our school used a modified version of "Promoting Classroom Discussions: Year One" staff development plan. This induction plan includes having the new staff members reading the text in September and October followed up by small group conversations about the text. Next, the new teachers will have an opportunity to have the instructional coach model the use of the talk moves, co-teach a lesson with the instructional coach utilizing the talk moves, or to observe other teachers make use of the talk moves with the instructional coach providing classroom coverage. In November and December the instructional coach will work with the new teachers to begin math talk observation cycles similar to those completed last year. Observing teachers and their students as they make use of the talk moves has been an important aspect of the staff development centered on promoting classroom discussions.
All of the materials used for this induction plan can be found in the "Promoting Classroom Discussions: Year One" page of this website. Click on the button below to access these materials.
All of the materials used for this induction plan can be found in the "Promoting Classroom Discussions: Year One" page of this website. Click on the button below to access these materials.
Differentiated staff development
for returning teachers
Differentiated staff development will be provided for those teachers that are returning to the building for year two of our work promoting classroom discussions in the area of mathematics. In the past, staff development has been very much “one size fits all." Reasons for this "one size fits all" type of staff development vary, but includes a high rate of teacher turn over, a school that has been under Academic Review for the past 2 years, low Standards of Learning (SOL) test scores and related identified areas of need, new Standards of Learning (SOL) tests in core subject areas that include rigorous test questions and types, low Phonological Awareness Language Screening (PALS) scores and related identified areas of need, a school-wide focus on reading instruction (K-5), a school-wide focus on student behavior, responsive classroom techniques, and the use of morning meetings to positively build student and staff interactions, and the use of Everyday Calendar Counts (EDC) to address mathematics needs.
Developing a differentiated staff development module has been a different type of experience for me. Honestly, it is not something I have ever done before. In fact, it’s something requires honest input from staff members in order to be successful.
Selecting a Course of Action:
Staff members were asked to complete a Classroom Discussions Staff Development Module Planning Sheet to indicate their preferences for the available staff development and give input for consideration when planning for staff development. Teachers were asked to complete the planning sheet independently and to think about what would best help them get where they want to be with their use of the talk moves. Each teacher's previous year's observation materials were available to assist them in answering some of the questions.
Each teacher was asked to let me know where they are in their use of the talk moves in regards to where they want to be in terms of use of the moves. I explained that I recognize that where they want to be may be different from where another teacher decides SHE wants to be and that this is OK.
Teachers were told to remember that ...
... classroom dialogue may provide direct access to ideas, relationships among those ideas, strategies,
procedures, facts, mathematical history, and more. Through discourse, ALL of these aspects of mathematical can
be discussed, dissected, and understood.
... classroom dialogue supports student learning indirectly, through the building of a social environment –
a community – that encourages learning.
... in essence, what matters is that the talk, skillfully guided by the teacher, results in deeper mathematical
understanding for the students and clearer insight on the part of the teacher into what students
comprehend and don’t comprehend.
Click on the button below to access the Staff Development Module Planning Sheet.
Developing a differentiated staff development module has been a different type of experience for me. Honestly, it is not something I have ever done before. In fact, it’s something requires honest input from staff members in order to be successful.
Selecting a Course of Action:
Staff members were asked to complete a Classroom Discussions Staff Development Module Planning Sheet to indicate their preferences for the available staff development and give input for consideration when planning for staff development. Teachers were asked to complete the planning sheet independently and to think about what would best help them get where they want to be with their use of the talk moves. Each teacher's previous year's observation materials were available to assist them in answering some of the questions.
Each teacher was asked to let me know where they are in their use of the talk moves in regards to where they want to be in terms of use of the moves. I explained that I recognize that where they want to be may be different from where another teacher decides SHE wants to be and that this is OK.
Teachers were told to remember that ...
... classroom dialogue may provide direct access to ideas, relationships among those ideas, strategies,
procedures, facts, mathematical history, and more. Through discourse, ALL of these aspects of mathematical can
be discussed, dissected, and understood.
... classroom dialogue supports student learning indirectly, through the building of a social environment –
a community – that encourages learning.
... in essence, what matters is that the talk, skillfully guided by the teacher, results in deeper mathematical
understanding for the students and clearer insight on the part of the teacher into what students
comprehend and don’t comprehend.
Click on the button below to access the Staff Development Module Planning Sheet.
Staff Development Module:
Each teacher was required to select ONE activity from each of three rows on the planning sheet (linked above).
Section 1: REVIEW
- Read more about the talk moves.
- Participate in a discussion group about particular talk moves.
- Watch a few video clips and practice identifying talk moves.
Section 2: DO
- Co-teach a lesson with Jennie to embed the talk moves into the lesson and have a follow-up conversation with the Instructional Coach.
- Create your own idea to help yourself grow!
- Observe someone else use the talk moves and have a follow-up conversation with the Instructional Coach.
Section 3: SUSTAIN
- Complete an observation cycle on your use of the talk moves with the Instructional Coach. (Pre-observation conversation, Observation, Post-observation reflective conversation)
- Videotape your lesson for your review of the talk moves used and participate in a follow-up conversation with the Instructional Coach.
Upon teacher self-reflection and completion of the Staff Development Module Planning Sheets (linked above), the Instructional Coach reviewed the sheets and created a specific plan for each staff member.
Click on the section button to go to the materials for each area of the Differentiated Staff Development Plan:
Classroom Discussions (Math Talk) Resources
The Classroom Discussions: Using Math Talk to Help Students Learn, Grades 1-6 text is available for checkout from William Perry Elementary School or from the professional library at Waynesboro's Central Office. The Number Talks, Grades K-5: Helping Children Build Mental Math and Computation Strategies is available for checkout from the Instructional Coach or from the professional library at Waynesboro's Central Office. The Classroom Discussions In Math: A Teacher's Guide for Using Talk Moves to Support the Common Core and More, Grades K-6: A Multimedia Professional Learning Resource, 3rd Edition is available for checkout from the Instructional Coach. Click on the pictures below to purchase these text from Amazon.com.