Vision for Ms.

Norgrens Math Class 2011-2012 Vision Thesis Statement Instructions: Draft a student-friendly synthesis of your vision that encapsulates what you want your students to be able to leave your classroom doing Student-Friendly: By the time we leave Ms. Norgren s class, we will have internal drive, interpersonal skills, technological expertise, problem solving skills, and self-advocacy that will enable us to solve problems with global significance. We will also be able to identify our future goals and develop a concrete plan to meet these goals. Quantitative: 100% of students will score proficient or advanced on the MSA and HSA. Qualitative: Every student will teach a lesson to the class by the end of the year. Every student will identify a realworld problem and design, research, and create a full application for an iPad or iPhone to solve this problem. In addition, every student will enter a competition, apply for a scholarship, apply for a summer program, participate in a contest, or plan an event (fundraiser, field trip, community service trip, etc.) that relates specifically to his or her future goals. All students will help plan and attend a three-day college field trip in the Spring. Alternatively: Vision: Strand #1: students are held to the highest standards of academic rigor Strand #2: students have a mindset of self-agency and self-advocacy Strand #3: students learn habits of teamwork and unity Strand #4: students become problem solvers through technology Big Goals: Big Goal #1: 100% students score proficient or advanced on MSA and HSA Big Goal #2: students teach the class fully by the last day of school Big Goal #3: students plan and attend a three-day college tour in the Spring Big Goal #4: students design and create an app for the iPad

Academic Big Goals (Quantitative) Content Area/Prep #1: What academic goals will you hold your students to? (e.g., what contentspecific standards/skills will they master and to what level of mastery/growth?) Students will master the Maryland standards and learn problem-solving skills that are necessary to achieve proficient or advanced on the MSA Mathematics exam AND on the HSA Mathematics exam (if it applies). I will measure their progress on an ongoing basis (e.g., at the unit level) by If students reach these academic goals, they will concretely be able to Concrete teacher actions that will help kids achieve these goals .

I will measure progress daily through oral mental math practice. I will measure progress weekly through problem-solving activities and quizzes (both individual and collaborative). I will measure progress at the unit level by giving Unit Assessments, which will include multiple-choice and free-response questions as well as calculator and noncalculator sections. In addition, I will measure progress individually at the end of every unit using the Problem-Solving Rubric.

Students will be able to estimate and solve realworld mental math problems by employing mental math strategies that they know. Students will be able to work through a real-world problem without guidance from the teacher by employing problem-solving strategies, collaborating with others, and using technology when appropriate. Students will be able to explain their thinking and prove that their answer is correct both orally and in writing.

I will help students track their own progress during mental math time. Students who get 100% for the week will get a sticker for the sticker chart. I will help students track their own progress on Unit Assessments using a tracker. Students who achieve 80% or higher will get a sticker for the sticker chart. I will assess students in multiple ways individually, in groups, with technology, without technology, orally, and in writing.

Students will be able to communicate ideas orally and in writing using precise mathematical language.

I will measure progress by giving writing assignments at the end of each unit. In addition, I will measure progress by grading students on their participation in Socratic Seminars at the end of each unit.

Students will be able to use manipulatives and technology, including calculators, iPads, computers, and the InterWrite board to create and solve problems. Students will be able to discuss, debate, and teach material that they have learned to their peers inside the classroom through Socratic Seminars, studentprepared lessons, and videos. In addition, they will discuss, debate, or teach the material to people outside of the classroom, including other students from Buck Lodge, adults, and students from other states and countries via Skype.

Students will be able to decide when to use technology to solve a problem. Students will be able to use technology to learn mathematics, solve

I will measure progress through technology projects each quarter.

SWBAT use the iPad to research topics in mathematics and other content areas (Safari, Google Earth, News Apps). SWBAT use Skype to video-

I will make technology and manipulatives available at all times for students to use to reinforce their conceptual understanding of topics. I will provide students with opportunities to use mathematical language inside and outside of class. I will help students with writing by providing examples and sentence starters for journal entries and assignments. I will provide extra support and tutoring for ESOL students. I will collaborate with other teachers to provide cross-disciplinary writing opportunities. I will provide opportunities for students to interact with technology in a meaningful way (i.e. conversations with

problems, communicate ideas, do research, and become informed global citizans.

chat with people in different states and countries. SWBAT use Google Earth to apply scale. SWBAT capture and edit videos (Camera and iMovie). SWBAT use the iPads as calculators. SWBAT create an app for the iPad to solve a realworld problem. Students will be able to use TI-84+ calculators to solve mathematical problems. Students will be able to use the InterWrite board to display representations of problems.

math students in England via Skype). I will encourage students to create videos to explain a topic to the class. I will use iPads in my instruction every day.

Prioritized Traits, Knowledge, and Mindsets (e.g., the targeted beliefs and ideas that will empower students to achieve their academic goals and embrace life-long learning) Aptitude with technology and willingness to interact with and learn from the rest of the world

Qualitative Vision at the Student Level Concrete Student Actions (e.g., how will students operate if they ve internalized these traits, knowledge, and mindsets?)

Concrete Teacher Actions (what are the daily/weekly/monthly systems, routines, and rituals that I will use as a teacher to reinforce these student actions?)

A clear plan and concrete steps taken to achieve future goals

Willingness to confront challenging problems and work at them until arriving at an answer.

I will use the iPad in instruction daily. I will teach students ways to interact with the world and learn from the world. I will videotape positive and negative examples of classroom culture and learning. Students will identify their future career goals. Students will I will invite professionals of research and develop a path to reach those goals. Students will various careers into my classroom to speak with my students. I will will enter a competition, apply for a scholarship, apply for a organize monthly field trips to summer program, participate in a contest, or plan an event sites where students can learn (fundraiser, field trip, community service trip, etc.) that relates about higher education and specifically to their future goals. Every student will attend a careers. I will coach a math team three-day college visit. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5383634 that takes students to competitions around the county http://cty.jhu.edu/gifted/jkc.html and state. I will take students on a http://cty.jhu.edu/summer/forms.html three-day trip to Penn State. Students will work with others to tackle challenging problems. I will build students up to be able Students will do their own research to find answers to their to solve difficult problems using a variety of strategies. I will questions before asking the teacher. Students will be able to know when they have arrived at the correct answer by providing encourage positive discussion and

Students will use the iPads to interact with the world through the internet, social networking apps, competitions, and games. Students will find ways to use technology in their daily lives.

a rationale. Students will be aware of the fact that there are multiple correct ways to solve any given problem.

learning in the classroom. I will reward teams and individuals that work together and persist despite frustrations. I will pose real-life problems that are important to students. I will pose open-ended questions daily during the Do Now, and I will qualitatively assess students problem-solving skills. I will assess students conceptual understanding by having students summarize the lesson in three sentences during the daily Exit Slip.

Vision for my Class Culture Concrete Students Actions (e.g., how will students learn to treat, work with, and push each other in ways that will set them up for long-term success? What values will they need to uphold in their interactions with others?) y Students have an interest in finding solutions to problems, confidence to try various strategies, willingness to risk being wrong at times, ability to accept frustrations that come from not knowing, willingness to persevere when solutions are not immediate, and understanding of the difference between not knowing the answer and not having found it yet (Burns 51) y Students actively listen to their peers, such that Concrete Teacher Actions (e.g., what are the daily/weekly/monthly systems, routines, and rituals that I will use as a teacher to reinforce these student actions?) y y y y Be consistent with team points system Celebrate the process used to get to the answer Use Socratic Seminars with detailed and explicit expectations for students Recognize student growth relative to starting points, rather than only celebrating absolute achievement Think out loud, in order to show students my own logical processes, in addition to my own love

y y

y y

their own comments are responsive to prior statements Students disagree with one another in a respectful and academic manner: their disagreements are with the content and not the person Students use an academic vocabulary to express their ideas precisely Students use their comments to push the conversation further, rather than speaking for the sake of speaking Students are eager to hear what their peers have to say and the perspective of all of their peers, not just those few who always raise their hands Students feel that they are part of a team, in which they genuinely want to help each other to make sure that everyone in the classroom is achieving Students celebrate each others successes and growths Students take ownership of their own learning, demanding a rigorous, in depth education from their teachers

y y y y

of learning and curiosity Push students to think out loud themselves, in order to see their process Assign regular group work to build comfort with talking with a peer about content Be willing to learn alongside my students I will hold Friday class meetings to announce the student of the week, the winning team of the week, and to hear students reflections on the week

Vision for My Leadership at the School Level The kind of relationship that I need to have with key influencers (e.g., administration, colleagues, etc.) at the school level to set my kids up for short and long-term success will look like I need to continue to build relationships with other teachers on my team, in my hall, and in my department. I need to regularly observe other teachers from various content areas during my planning period to see what I could be doing better. I need to take a more active role within the math department, especially with the new technology, so that I can help other teachers as well as learn from them. Concrete teacher actions that will help to foster and cultivate this relationship with key influencers at the school level I will attend all team and department meetings. I will manage the team website, assuring that we are tracking parent communication. I will attend meetings and events outside of normal school hours to ensure that I am seen and heard in the Buck Lodge Community. I will work with other math teachers to learn more about using new textbooks in our instruction. I will be on the iPad Vanguard team to help find activties and uses for the iPads in mathematics classrooms. I will be willing to listen to the ideas of my colleagues. I will focus my conversations with staff around children and how we can better serve them.

Vision for Parent/Family Engagement Kind of relationship that I need to have with Concrete teacher actions that will help to foster and parents/families that will most contribute to my cultivate this relationship with parents/families students short and long-term success will look like I will create open lines of communication between my students, their families, and my classroom. I will keep a website, which I will update daily with assignments and announcements. I will call 8 parents a week and keep track of all my calls. I will visit homes and/or go out to dinner with parents when I need to have an extended conference. I will invite parents to come to the classroom to talk to the students about

their careers. I will host field trips monthly and invite parents to attend as chaperones or help with planning the field trip.

Vision Rationale/Reflection Heading into Year 2 I am extremely excited about this vision. It encompasses a new way of teaching that focuses on student-centered learning, problem-solving, technology, and real-world applications. It encourages students to do math to learn more about the world around them, rather than just do math for the sake of doing math. It inspires teamwork, understanding, and ownership of learning. It pushes students to think about their future goals and act on them now.

To Distribute to Parents and Students (subject to change): Our Vision and Big Goals Vision: Strand #1: students are held to the highest standards of academic rigor Strand #2: students have a mindset of self-agency and self-advocacy Strand #3: students learn habits of teamwork and unity Strand #4: students become problem solvers through technology Big Goals: Big Goal #1: 100% students score proficient or advanced on MSA and HSA Big Goal #2: students teach the class fully by the last day of school Big Goal #3: students plan and attend a three-day college tour in the Spring Big Goal #4: students design and create an app for the iPad

Components of Our Vision for a Transformational Classroom We are innovative problem solvers. We are critical thinkers. We have collective goals. We have invested families. We show our creativity. We are empowered students we can and we want to learn! We are a team. We are our own conflict managers. We demonstrate a sense of civic duty We learn to make the world around us a better place for everyone else because that is what educated people do. 10. We are happy when we are learning together at school. 11. We do math to learn we do not just learn how to do math. 12. We conceptually understand mathematics and we can apply it to the world around us. 13. We are willing to try various strategies and risk being wrong at times. 14. We persevere when solutions are not immediate. 15. We have rigorous assessments of our own learning. 16. We have ambitious goals that make sure we can go to college. 17. We are meta-cognitive (we think about how we think). 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Core Values of Our Classroom 1. 2. 3. 4. We are prompt. We are prepared. We are polite. We are problem solvers.