Sunday, August 7, 2016

#OML16 Recap

Oregon Math Leaders, August 5-7, 2016, Salem, Oregon
#OML16 Recap
www.octm.org

Friday, August 5th

Mingle Math 
Foldable puzzles broke the ice between conference attendees: http://momath.org/.

Concave World - keynote
Steve Wyborney's keynote promotes connections through twitter and seeing challenges as opportunities! We can capture and share our moments to interact with each other. Big conference question: what happens after we go back home?
(@stevewyborney)
 (photo credits to @janeoz)

Session 1: Random Acts of Math and Science

Area Meetings
We picked dates for regional events around the state (Pizza, Pop, and Problems!), reviewed OCTM mission and events, etc. Dates for all area events will be at www.octm.org.

We played "Never have I ever..." at the social. Lots of stories of classroom adventures. 

Saturday, August 6th

State of the State: Instruction (Mark Freed)
2020 Vision: What could math education look like?
Desmos Marble Slides: student.desmos.com to play - teacher.desmos.com to create/run
How is Marble Slides different from the way we learned math? (using True Math framework: map.mathshell.org/trumath.php)
Learning can be focused on significant mathematics
Math is more than computation (careful - K-5 is about a lot of computation)
Increased emphasis on Mathematical Modeling (recommended book: Mathematical Modeling and Modeling Mathematics - not the same thing!)
"We need to get in the sense making business for our students!"
"I would love more math teachers engaged in STEM work in our state."
Lots of grants and projects happening in the state and in line with a vision of making math more real for our students!

(photo credits to myself this time)

Session 2: Culturally Relevant Math Teaching
Cynthia Townsend from Hermiston High School
Resources available from Cynthia.Townsend@hermiston.org
Culturally relevant to poverty - her goal!
Routines - warm ups, daily goals
Accessing Funds of Knowledge - like prior knowledge, but includes experience, background, beliefs
Language (reading, speaking, listening, writing)
Relevant Curriculum + Culturally Responsive Instruction = Culturally Relevant Math Teaching
Relevant categories: future, science, art, technology, engineering, current events, pop culture and sports
We brainstormed engaging contexts for students - 

(photo credits to @janeoz again)
Cindy shared lots of examples from her classroom - most high school, but a few could work with middle school.
(left image from @janeoz, right by me)
Brainstormed lesson/project ideas - "How much should @MissVanceMath charge her students for wasting tape (per inch) in the classroom?)
3 things learned: difference between responsive/relevant, clarification of funds of knowledge, ideas for projects/problems
2 things interesting: diverse level of experience in the room, opportunity to network
1 question: How does this fit with "fidelity to curriculum?" I believe there are opportunities to choose problems in curriculum that will be relevant to your students - sometimes a minor modification (their names or a shift in context) that make things relevant.

State of the State: Assessment
Bryan Toller
ESSA updates - Oregon is engaging stakeholders and waiting for federal guidance
Big News - Desmos will be the calculator for Smarter Balanced (practice calculators should be available in November) - grades 6-12. Accessibility features with Braille. 
Some updated Accessibility Features - as usual teachers must READ the Oregon Accessibility Manual: ODE page - it's preliminary now, but should be updated in the fall.

Session 3: Effective Reflective Practices for Teaching Mathematics
Francie Bostwick from Southern Oregon University (bostwickf@sou.edu)
Dispositions of Effective Teachers: Reflective, Persistent, Curious
Francie shared a reflection guide for teachers to use to reflect on math teaching. It is divided into 5 parts and includes a featured instructional strategy (Number Talks!). The five parts are 
  1. The Practice of Teaching Mathematics
  2. How Teacher's Knowledge Affects Teaching and Impacts Student Learning
  3. Math Anxiety (gives teachers a chance to consider their own anxiety and that of kids)
  4. Motivating Students
  5. What Does Effective Teaching Look Like? (consider effective practices and how to improve)
We had some nice discussions around each of the areas. This guide could be used be individuals or be a great tool for PLC conversations.

Share Your Ideas
I attended the 3-5 session. We shared the curriculum used in each district. Resources were shared on the following topics:
Number Talks: http://www.hoodriver.k12.or.us/Page/6384
Math Language Supports: http://www.hoodriver.k12.or.us/Page/6386
Peanut Butter and Jelly Partners for taking turns
Talking chips (give everyone two or more depending on the activity)
TOMT writing opportunity - contact the editors if you have a lesson idea or article to share:
Cheri Clausen, Co-editor TOMT, Ontario School District (cclausenmath@gmail.com)
Marie Cramer, Co-editor TOMT, retired, Salem-Keizer School District (cramer.marie27@gmail.com)
Number sense games: http://gregtangmath.com/
Estimation180: http://www.estimation180.com/ (side note that I shared this on twitter and tagged the creator - @mr_stadel. He responded to give the teacher a high five. I found her later and did. She said "that shouldn't feel so cool! My students are going to be impressed!" So fun!)



Sunday, August 7th

Area Meetings
We shared some take-aways and ideas for improving the conference. 

Fun with Standards K-2
This was supposed to be Theresa Trotter, but she was ill, so Dana Domenigoni and I stepped up to facilitate. We shared Theresa's presentation of games, played some card games, and facilitated conversations about playing games. Lots of suggestions for differentiation and raising the strategic thinking experiences were shared. Some resources that we talked about:
https://padlet.com/jk_bell/MathGames (includes link to Pinterest page) - from my K-3 session in my district last spring
Link to Acing Math card game file: http://www.pepnonprofit.org/mathematics.html
Kim Sutton's resources and workshops: http://www.creativemathematics.com/learn/


STEM Panel
A group shared their experiences and suggestions for STEM programs.

Steve Wyborney - Keynote
Sharing pictures - Willamette campus, "Proudest moment" rock - an evidence producer...
Growth mindset - power of "yet"
Steve encourages us to visit other classrooms - "Supercharge your teaching by watching another teacher!"
Don't forget your why!


This is my favorite conference for the connections we make. I met a teacher that will have 26 K-8 students for math next year in two groups. Wow! I met other math TOSAs that I can collaborate with this year. I hope this is the beginning of these connections. Steve Wyborney talked about making the world more concave. OML makes Oregon more concave. We're connected and working for the same goals - improve math education for our students and their families. 

Thanks to the conference organizers and OCTM and ODE and everyone that helped. Great fun!





Friday, August 5, 2016

Random Acts of Math and Science Resources

Random Acts of Math And Science
Presented at Oregon Math Leaders Conference
August 5, 2016

Instructional Strategies:
Notice and Wonder (#noticewonder)
Explorations
Number Talks
Which One Doesn't Belong?

Resources:
ngssphenomena.com
www.exploratorium.edu/snacks
Number Talks Book
wodb.ca

achievethecore.org
teachingchannel.com

Intentional Talk book and Twitter discussion #intenttalk






What are other resources for quick experiences for K-2 students in math and science?