The second meeting of the K-5 Math Adoption Committee was held on November 6, 2008, at the Lake Washington Technical College, Redmond campus. This is the first year of a two-year process, which will result in the adoption of new K-5 Math materials for the start of the 2010-11 academic year.
The committee is comprised of several elementary principals and one teacher representing each elementary school, including Choice Schools. Teachers also represent various programs, including Special Education, Safety Net, ELL, and Gifted.
The focus of the work for 2008-09 is on these areas:
- Review research in Mathematics teaching and learning
- Conduct a district program review of strengths and areas for improvement
- Determine criteria for materials selection process
- Communicate with parents about the work
The committee continued learning negotiation strategies for joint-problem solving. In particular, the committee used strategies for identifying interests. These strategies will give committee members a common language and tools for maintaining positive relationships while reaching mutually satisfactory agreements.
The committee read the executive summary of the “Final Report of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel.” Committee members summarized their learning in small groups around these report subcategories:
- Curricular Content
- Learning Processes
- Teachers and Teacher Education
- Instructional Practices
- Assessment
The committee received the revised Washington State Mathematics standards strand document. Committee members engaged in several activities to deepen their understanding of the scope and sequence of mathematics content strands across grade levels. The committee examined Numbers, Operations, and Algebra.
Committee Reflections
The mathematics adoption committee is proceeding thoughtfully. Members are becoming informed about mathematics learning and instruction through the Washington State Revised Mathematics Standards, the recommendations of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel, and current research.
- Committee members are using a variety of discussion protocols to analyze the work.
- Committee decision-making is consensus based.
The Washington State Revised Mathematics Standards will guide the curriculum selection process. These standards reflect current research on what students need to know as well as how students learn mathematics.
- Mathematics concepts will always precede work with strategies and/or procedures. The progression from concepts to strategies and finally procedural proficiency is common among all core content.
- A major goal of the adoption committee is to find a balanced program that focuses on conceptual understanding, procedural proficiency, and mathematics process (problem solving, mathematical reasoning).
- Conceptual understanding is not being replaced by work with standard algorithms. Both are there; both are important.
- Curriculum will meet the needs of all students.
Staff and parents will be kept informed of the adoption committee work as it progresses.
- The LWSD website has a link to the committee’s work. This is where meeting agendas, summaries, research articles, and other links will be found.
- Presentations for information and discussion will be developed for staff and parents to use in schools.
Meeting Resources:
K-5 Math Adoption Process
Ury, William. Getting Past No: Negotiating in Difficult Situations. Bantam, 2006.
Washington State Revised Mathematics Standards – Strand Documents