DOCUMENT RESUME SE 066 291 ED 465 593 Bohlin, Carol Fry AUTHOR Teacher Leadership Development as a Critical Component of TITLE Systemic Reform: The San Joaquin Valley Mathematics Project. 2001-00-00 PUB DATE 29p.; In: Developing Teacher Leaders: Professional NOTR Development in Science and Mathematics; see ED 451 031. ERIC Clearinghouse for Science, Mathematics, and AVAILABLE FROM Environmental Education, 1929 Kenny Road, Suite 200, Columbus, OH 43210-1080. Tel: 800-276-0462 (Toll Free); Fax: 614-292-0263; Web site: http://www.ericse.org. Descriptive (141) Reports PUB TYPE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage. EDRS PRICE Elementary Secondary Education; *Faculty Development.; DESCRIPTORS Mathematics Instruction; *Mathematics Teachers;-Program Descriptions; *Teacher Leadership *California Mathematics Project IDENTIFIERS ABSTRACT Since its inception in 1982, the California Mathematics Project (CMP) has sought to develop the mathematics skills and leadership capabilities of K-12 teachers through intensive summer institutes and a variety of academic year programs sponsored by regional CMP sites. This chapter focuses on ways in which one of the fifteen regional CMP sites, the San Joaquin Valley Mathematics Project (SJVMP) facilitates and supports the development of mathematically competent, professionally knowledgeable, and actively involved teacher leaders. To provide a meaningful context for discussing the SJVMP, the chapter first provides a brief historical overview of the educational and political environment within which the CMP was established and in which it developed and flourished during its first 15 years. (Contains 37 references.) (Author/MVL) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Teacher Leadership Development as a Critical Component of Systemic Reform: the San Joaquin U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Valley Mathematics Project Offim of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) o This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization Carol Fry Bohlin originating it. 0 Minor changes have been made to California State University, Fresno improve reproduction quality. ° Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. Since its inception in 1982, the California Mathematics Project (CMP) has sought to develop the mathematics skills and leadership capabilities of K-12 teachers through intensive summer institutes and a variety of academic year programs sponsored by regional CMP sites. This chapter focuses on ways in which one of the fifteen regional CMP sites, the San Joaquin Valley Mathematics Project (SJVMP), facilitates and supports the development of mathematically competent, professionally knowledgeable, and actively involved teacher leaders. To provide a meaningful context for discussing the SJVMP, the chapter first provides a brief historical overview of the educational and political environment within which the CMP was established and in which it developed and flourished during its first 15 years. California's Decade of Systemic, Progressive School Reform In 1983, A Nation at Risk was published, stimulating a national effort to improve K-12 education. By the mid-1980s, California's Department of Educationrallying under the enthusiastic leadership of State Superintendent of Public Instruction Bill Honighad initiated the establishment of a coordinated, systemic reform of curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional development. For the next decade, California was widely viewed as a leader in progressive education. The major elements of California's systemic reforms are described below, with an emphasis on the professional development component and with particular focus on mathematics. Curriculum and Instruction Between 1985 and 1992, curriculum frameworks were developed and published by the California Department of Education for each ME CIf kVESABIA 148 Chapter 8 of the subject matter areas required for high school graduation. Each of these guides was influenced by research, professional judgment, and documents produced by professional organizations such as the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. The frameworks promoted "critical thinking and conceptual understanding; problem solving based on real-life problems; meaning-centered rather than memorization-oriented learning; active learning and activity-based instruction; contextualized learning which makes connections to and groups, learning in collaborative experiences; students' interdisciplinary learning" (Intersegmental Coordinating Council, 1993, p. 3). In 1991, the California Department of Education sponsored the development of Seeing Fractions, the first of a number of mathematics "replacement units" designed to (a) provide an example for textbook publishers of curriculum aligned with the 1992 Mathematics Framework and to (b) provide teachers with the first of chapters in many Framework-aligned units to replace or supplement current mathematics textbooks. The state also sponsored numerous workshops throughout.California to familiarize 5th-grade teachers with Seeing Fractions and with the new instructional expectations contained in the new Mathematics Framework. Curriculum writing flourished during the early 1990s. Numerous replacement units and integrated high school mathematics courses were developedall focusing on promoting students' mathematical reasoning and understanding, and all incorporating hands-on activities, technology, problem solving, writing, performance assessment, and collaborative learning. A number of teacher leaders were involved in the writing, field testing, Materials and implementation of these curricular units/courses. approved during the 1994 California K-8 mathematics textbook adoption featured many innovative curricula that were developed in accordance with the Instructional Materials Criteria included in the 1992 Mathematics Framework. To complement the new subject matter frameworks, four seminal reports covering.the K-12 grade span were produced by task forces convened by the California Department of Education (CDE): Here They Come, Ready or Not! (1988); It's Elementary! (1992); Caught in the Middle: Educational Reform for Young Adolescents in California Public Schools (1987); and Second to None: A Vision of the These documents (available New California High School (1992). from http://www.cde.ca.gov/cdepress/presource.html) promoted a "rich, meaning-centered, thinking curriculum," emphasizing reform Teacher Leadership Development 149 initiatives such as developing "students' higher order thinking skills... [as opposed to utilizing] the conventional linear lockstep approaches" (Intersegmental Coordinating Council, 1993, p. 21). Teacher networks (e.g., the California Alliance for Elementary Education and the California High School Network) supported the dissemination, application, and implementation of the reform ideals presented in these documents. Assessment Another component of the state's systemic reform efforts was the development of a new assessment system aligned with the progressive tenets of the curriculum frameworks. In 1991, Senate Bill 662 (Hart) established the California Learning Assessment System (CLAS), replacing the California Assessment Program (CAP). State Superintendent of Public Instruction Bill Honig believed that the new performance-based test would create opportunities for students to demonstrate their understanding of the subjects tested rather than assessing how well they could guess on a traditional multiple choice From 1991 to 1993, CLAS developed and field-tested the test. mathematics, science, historysocial science, and Englishlanguage arts tests for grades 4, 5, 8, and 10. The mathematics portion incorporated open-response items and a relatively small number of multiple choice items designed primarily to assess a student's conceptual understanding, number sense, and ability to solve application problems, as opposed to his or her computational proficiency. In 1993 and 1994, thousands of teachers received instruction on how to use and design rubrics to assess the open- response items on the CLAS tests (and similar assessments). In 1994, over 3000 teachers scored more than three million pieces of student work. Many teachers considered the CLAS instruction to be an extremely important and enlightening professional development experience. The focus on analyzing students' solutions to nonroutine problems provided teachers with insight into their students' reasoning and their understandingor lack of understandingof mathematics concepts. (The assessment system was not without controversy, of a more from proponents especially however, traditional accountability system. In September, 1994 Governor Pete Wilson vetoed a bill that would have authorized the continuation of CLAS, thus eliminating the program.) 150 Chapter 8 Matter Subject DevelopmentThe California Professional Projects The final element of California's systemic reform plan in the 1980s and early 1990s was the establishment of a statewide professional development system to provide a coordinated approach to staff development and to build teacher capacity to implement the pedagogy and content of the curriculum frameworks (Carlos & Kirst, 1997). This professional development system became known as the California Subject Matter Projects (CSMPs). CSMP history (1981-1998). The original model for the CSMPs was the Bay Area Writing Project (BAWP), which held its first summer institute in 1974 at the University of California, Berkeley. This institute drew together expert teachers from all grade levels to examine critically the research on writing, to practice and hone their own writing skills, and to share their most effective techniques for teaching writing (University of California Office of the President, 1994). In 1981, funding was provided by the California legislature to establish a statewide network of sites based upon the BAWP model, creating the California Writing Project (CWP). The following year, the University of California supported legislation (SB 424) that instituted the California Mathematics Project (CMP). By the end of 1983, eight regional CMP sites had been established (California Postsecondary Education Commission, 1986). of professional evaluation state-commissioned 1987, In a development concluded that in general there was little coherence or systematic planning in the inservice education that teachers received in California, and that staff development was fragmentary and tended to support traditional .school structures and teaching strategies (Little, Gerritz, Stern, Guthrie, Kirst, & Marsh, 1987). The report named two notable exceptionsthe CWP and the CMP, which were recognized as containing program elements that led to significant changes in teachers' thinking and practice. In response to this study, legislation was proposed and passed in 1988 (SB 1882the Professional Development Act) that established five more California Subject Matter Projects for subjects required for high school graduation. A fiscal augmentation in 1992 led to the expansion of existing sites, the development of new sites, and the creation of two new CSMPs for a total of nine projects (Arts, Foreign Language, HistorySocial Science, International Studies, Literature, Teacher Leadershi Develo sment 151 Mathematics, Physical EducationHealth, Science, and Writing). The goal (though rarely met) was to establish sites throughout the state so that no California teacher would have to drive more than 100 miles to attend CSMP-sponsored activities. A recent report (Inverness Research Associates, 1998) noted that the CSMPs "provide direct support to over 67,000 teachers every year" and that "one-fifth of all California teachers are involved in at least one Subject Matter Project each year." CSMP goals. The CSMPs have been administered by the University of California under the direction of a Concurrence Committee since 1988. In 1990, this committee developed a set of guiding principles for all of the projects. In summary, projects were expected to (a) use a "teachers teaching teachers" model, where instructional and content expertise was shared among participating teachers; (b) hold 2-4 week summer institutes and a series of academic year follow-ups focusing on subject matter content and the latest ideas in the discipline and their classroom applications; (c) foster and sustain teacher leadership by supporting curriculum development and article writing, encouraging leadership in regional and statewide professional associations, providing guidance in grant development and research, and providing and promoting opportunities for leadership at the project site and on school, district, county, and/or state curriculum and instruction committees; and (d) maintain a regional, discipline-based network consisting of K-12 teachers and college/university faculty (Bartels, 1990; Intersegmental Coordinating Council, 1993). A major aspect of the CSMPs, therefore, is to develop and sustain subject matter area teacher leaders. Bohlin (1999) has characterized teacher leaders as those teachers who have made a commitment to improving their knowledge of [a particular subject matter area] and exemplary instructional practices and actively engage in helping other teachers to do the same. Little (1988) has stated that "it is increasingly implausible that we could improve the performance of schools...without promoting leadership in teaching by teachers" (p. 78). Accordingly, a recent survey of the CSMPs stated that these "teacher leaders are the horsepower for educational reform," serving in seven primary roles: (a) workshop presenters in schools and districts, (b) members of school site leadership teams, (c) leaders for local school restructuring efforts, (d) district or state-designated mentor teachers, (e) team teachers or peer coaches in their schools, (f) subject matter specialists for local schools, and (g) curriculum 152 Chapter 8 developers for schools and districts (Stokes, Hirabayashi, & St. John, 1998). The.California Mathematics Project. The CMP network is comprised of fifteen regional sites based at either a University of California or a California State University campus. Faculty members serve as the sites' Principal Investigators, with a majority also serving as Project Directors. Each regional site is expected to provide 16adership in mathematics ednention to the K-1, schools lnented in the site's service area. This goal is primarily accomplished through the development of a cadre of teacher leaders with the knowledge, confidence, and skills to provide leadership at their school sites and in their districts. Although each site is uniquely administered and defines its own goals and objectives, all sites subscribe to a set of common beliefs e.g., the importance of mathematics competency; the belief that all teachers are capable of becoming more knowledgeable, confident, and competent mathematics educators; the belief that teachers have the capacity for leadership and must play a central role in leading efforts to improve education; and the vision of mathematical power for all students (California Mathematics Project, 1994). Sites "create a professional home for teachers that is based upon a culture of inquiry, experimentation, and reflection" (Medina & St. John, 1997, p. iv) that extends throughout the life of the project. Each CMP site hosts a two- to four-week initial summer institute for an average of 30 new participants, and most sites also sponsor a "Tier II" leadership institute for project "alumni." A variety of academic year follow-up experiences (e.g., study groups, action groups, workshops, conferences, and electronic networks) nurture the development of teacher leadership among site participants. The CMP model is one of long-term, sustained professional development, in contrast to a conference or a "one-shot" workshop. Experienced and interested teacher leaders often assume leadership roles at the Project site, becoming site co-directors, institute coordinators, study group leaders, regional coordinators, or institute instructors. They are also given many opportunities to assume local, regional, and/or statewide leadership roles in mathematics education via involvement in professional organizations (e.g., the California Mathematics Council and its affiliates) and in activities related to the state's curriculum, instruction, and assessment initiatives. Teacher Leadership Development 153 This paper has provided a brief summary of California's progressive reforms of the 1980s and early 1990s with a focus on the California Subject Matter Projects. The next section provides a more in-depth look at one site of the California Mathematics Project the San Joaquin Valley Mathematics Project (SJVMP)to examine how that site develops and sustains teacher leaders. Quotations from Sumrner Institute journals and from post-Institute assessments are woven into the description to help paint a picture of the SJVMP experience from the perspective of participating teachers. The San Joaquin Valley Mathematics Project The San Joaquin Valley Mathematics Project is based at California State University, Fresno (CSUF), and serves teachers from five counties throughout California's Central Valleya vast 22,405 square mile agricultural area consisting of 162 school districts, over 700 schools, and over 350,000 students who collectively speak over 100 different languages. Initial funding for the SJVMP was received in 1988. The staff consists of (a) a Project Director/Principal Investigator and two Co-Principal Investigators who are CSUF faculty members, (b) a Coordinator of Professional Development, (c) three Regional Coordinators, and (d) twelve Grade Level Leaders. All of the non- university staff are classroom teachers or curriculum specialists who have assumed leadership positions in the Project after being involved with the Project for at least a year. (More details may be found in the section on Academic Year Support.) The sections that follow provide details about the Summer Institutes and the academic year support for participants, with a focus on the ways the SJVMP helps to develop teacher leadership. Initial Summer Institute Each year since 1989, approximately thirty-five K-12 teachers and administrators have applied for and been accepted to participate in the two-week SJVMP Summer Institute and in a variety of follow-up experiences. Due in part to the geographic expansiveness of the service area, the first week of the Summer Institute is residential, a model that has proven to be especially powerful in facilitating professional growth and for developing close, supportive collegial relationships. The second week of the Summer Institute is nonresidential. Participants commute to a site near the geographical center of the SJVMP service area for five full-day sessions. 154 Chapter 8 The two-week Institute is the first experience teachers have as formal members of the SJVMP. This Institute, particularly the residential component, provides a crucible within which teachers (a) examine and reflect critically on their teaching practice and their beliefs about teaching and learning (journal writing is an important element in facilitating reflection during the week), (b) gain a deeper understanding of mathematics concepts and hnw those concepts span the K-12 spectrum, (c) learn new approaches and techniques for helping their students develop a deep understanding of mathematics concepts and procedures, and (d) form close, supportive collegial relationships. It is an intense week that a participant referred to as "total math immersion." It is also an opportunity for members of the SJVMP staff to hone their leadership skills. The Institute is traditionally coordinated by the Project Director and planned in detail with the Project staff (3 faculty and 16 teacher leaders). Staff members who have participated in the planning and delivery of previous institutes serve as mentors for any deliver new staff members, teaming with these new leaders to plan and sessions at the Institute. Each staff member is expected to actively participate in at least three days of the Institute. Pooling resources, information, ideas, experiences, and expertise during the planning of the Institute and follow-up activities is an excellent professional development opportunity for both the university faculty and the teachers on the staff. Residential Component The residential week is held at a retreat center near Yosemite National Park from noon on a Sunday in June or July through the following Friday afternoon. Residential institute days typically stretch from 8:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m., with three one-hour breaks for meals, reflection, and walks. The retreat setting allows participants a rare opportunity to "get away from day to day responsibilities and 'chaos' and focus on mathematics." A variety of experiences are provided to instruct, challenge, and support participants. During the mornings, participants Morning K-12 sessions. work in heterogeneous grade-level groups facilitated by SJVMP staff teams. They pore over professional documents such as Everybody Counts (National Research Council, 1989), the NCTM Standards documents (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 1989,1991), the Mathematics Content Standards for California Public Schools Teacher Leadership Development 155 (http:llwww.cde.ca.gov/board/mcs_intro.html), and the two most recent versions of the California Mathematics Framework (CDE, 1992, 1999: http://www.cde.ca.gov/cilbranch/eltdiv/mathfw.htm). Issues are raised, discussed, and debated. Equity and access concerns are infused into these discussions. During the morning sessions, participants also experience mathematics as learners and as problem solvers in a collaborative setting. Professors pose open-ended problems and investigations that serve to illustrate how numerous mathematics concepts can be embedded in the exploration, solution, and extension of a seemingly simple problem such as "How many squares can be formed on your geoboard?" or "How can you determine the height of one of the redwoods in this grove, and approximately how many cabins could you construct from it?" In debriefing, participants are amazed at the variety of solution strategies (and sometimes unique interpretations) presented by their peers, as well as by the number of mathematics skills and concepts that can be embedded in one problem. In addition, working in heterogeneous K-12 groups allows participants to (a) acquire a broader perspective of common issues and challenges that permeate all levels of education, (b) develop a greater understanding of and respect for teachers at all grade levels, and (c) become knowledgeable of how mathematics concepts are developed across the grade levels, as evidenced by one 9th grade teacher's comments: One of the most amazing realizations I had this week was how factors and products could be demonstrated visually/ physically using base ten blocks (for whole number products) and algebra tiles (for products of variables). 1 had tears in my eyes as I finally understoodcould SEEthe relationship between partial products in the multiplication algorithm and `FOIL7 The fourth-grade teacher at my table and I felt a new connection in what we were teaching students...5 years apart! Afternoon grade-level sessions. At least four hours each afternoon are spent in "Grade Level [K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12] Homes" where teachers can focus on the mathematics content and pedagogy for their particular grade level. The pair of lead teachers (SJVMP staff) who coordinate each "home" create an inviting environment in a break-out room equipped with tables, chairs, a video player, and white boards. Each room is filled with a plethora of professional books,