East Alabama Victories Add Up for TEAM-Math

Article from the Alabama School Boards
January/February 2006

A solid understanding of mathematics is essential for the future success of our children, whether they go on to college or enter the job market. Yet the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which is designed to monitor the nation’s progress in mathematics, shows Alabama’s students are not adequately prepared in mathematics. For example, only one out of every three fourth-grade students was proficient in mathematics.

Though student achievement in Alabama trails the nation as a whole, there are signs of hope. One project under way to address this problem is “Transforming East Alabama Mathematics” (TEAM-Math). This partnership of 15 east Alabama school systems, Auburn University and Tuskegee University was established in 2003 to improve students’ mathematics learning. The National Science Foundation’s initial investment of $9 million allowed TEAM-Math to work with teachers and schools in 12 east Alabama school systems. An additional $400,000 awarded this year added three school systems.

“School districts need to move into the 21st century in order to meet the needs of their students,” said Lee County Schools Superintendent John Painter, who is also a member of the TEAM-Math steering committee. “With its emphasis on collaboration and systematic change, TEAM-Math is showing us the way for math.”

TEAM-Math is based on the premise that, to improve mathematics education, administrators, teachers, parents and students must be committed to change. Painter said all stakeholders in K-12 and higher education must be involved, though he describes classroom teachers as “the hub of the wheel.”

The project provides training for east Alabama’s teachers and helps principals and guidance counselors understand how they can better ensure all students receive a quality mathematics education. In addition, the participating universities work to improve their teacher training programs, so the next generation of teachers is well prepared to meet the needs of all students.

A unique feature of the TEAM-Math project is the close collaboration among mathematics teacher educators, mathematicians and school personnel. This collaboration allows the partners to better understand each others’ needs and thus to function more effectively.

“Our goal from the beginning was to do things with the schools, not to the schools,” explained Dr. Marilyn Strutchens, co-director of the project and associate professor at Auburn University.

TEAM-Math sponsors collaborative events to help parents support their children’s mathematical learning, including a six-session seminar in which parents and their children work together to solve math problems.

“The concept of how math is taught seems more practical than I remember as a child,” one parent said. “I have observed more problem-solving with confidence by my child.”

The comprehensive professional development provided by TEAM-Math centers on schools that accept a two-year challenge of improving mathematics teaching. The first 25 schools began intensive involvement with the project in summer 2003, and an additional 23 schools joined in summer 2004. Schools from the participating systems are currently applying to join the third wave.

Each group begins with a two-week summer institute, introducing teachers to best practices based on research in mathematics education. While 340 teachers attended the first summer institute in 2003, more than 700 attended last summer-including teachers from the first group who returned for one week of follow-up training. Teachers from the both groups also attend half-day follow-up meetings on four Saturdays throughout the year. They are encouraged to complete a total of 160 hours of training during their involvement with the program.

TEAM-Math additionally trains a network of system- and school-level teacher leaders who coordinate on-going team planning and conduct workshops for the teachers in the schools. The development of a curriculum guide based on a common selection of textbooks has also been a hallmark of the program. This guide provides additional help for the teachers to plan instruction, beyond the basic requirements set forth in the Alabama Course of Study.

Early results suggest that TEAM-Math is making substantial progress in addressing the region’s needs. The professional development is organized by grade-level to better meet teachers’ needs, and of the teachers involved, more than 95 percent rated the summer institute and quarterly meetings as being worthwhile.

“TEAM-Math provides teachers with a variety of approaches, including use of groups and engaging real-world problems, to meet the needs of their individual students,” said Lisa Lishak, a teacher at Russell County High School and teacher leader for her system.

Mathematics classroom across the region are starting to take on a different look. Teachers are asking more questions. Students are involved in exploring and making sense of mathematics. They are talking about mathematics and not just in mathematics class. As one parent said, “We always heard about the other subjects at dinner. But now we’re also hearing about what’s happening in math class.”

Benefits for student achievement are also becoming apparent. While projects with similar designs typically do not see an immediate influence on student learning, TEAM-Math has seen significant improvements following the first year of implementation at grades 6, 8, 10 and 11- with promising, but less definitive results at grade 4. Meanwhile, similar projects have seen long-term improvements that were cumulative and long-lasting.

TEAM-Math is in this for the long haul.

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Last updated Monday, July 10, 2006 8:17 AM
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