Curricular Aligned Professional Development: Large Urban District
Description: New Jersey (NJ) joined the state-led Common Core State Standards initiative by adopting the standards on June 23, 2010 (Common Core State Standards Initiative, 2011). As in most states, the adoption of the CCSSM represented a significant shift from the current NJ state standards (State of New Jersey Department of Education, 2011a) at the time. The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) include not only specifications for mathematical competencies for students in particular grades, but also propose a set of eight Standards for Mathematical Practice which resonate well with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) process standards (2000).
The CCSSM require teachers and education leaders to focus on depth and coherence rather than coverage and topic mastery (Wu, 2011). This was a significant shift, but one that was critical for ensuring that all students have opportunities to develop deep and connected mathematical knowledge (Hiebert et al., 1997). To support teachers’ implementation of the CCSSM, it was imperative they receive help in interpreting and understanding the CCSSM and were supported in their development and implementation of comprehensive, coherent instruction through sustainable professional development. Newark Public Schools (NPS) chose to focus RTTT3 resources on those teachers who needed the most support in making the transition towards teaching math aligned to the spirit and substance of the CCSSM. Through their participation in this PD, 40 teachers from 10 NPS schools increased their ability to use standards-aligned curricula and instructional methods with the intention of directly increasing student achievement gains.
Collaborators
Jason McManus
Publications
Webel, C., Krupa, E. E., & McManus, J. (2016). Representations and Misrepresentations of Fraction Multiplication. Teaching Children Mathematics.
Webel, C., Krupa, E. E., & McManus, J. (2015). Teachers’ Evaluations and Use of Web-Based Curriculum Resources to Support Their Teaching of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. Middle Grades Research Journal, 10(2), 49-64.
Conference Presentations
Krupa, E. E., Webel, C., & McManus, J. (2014). Improving Teachers’ Core: Influence of PD on Teacher Knowledge. Paper presented at the NCTM Research Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Webel, C., Krupa, E. E. & McManus, J. (2014). Missing the Core: Classroom Representations of Fraction Multiplication. Paper presented at the NCTM Research Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Webel, C., Krupa, E. E. & McManus, J. (2014). Curricular Reasoning in the CCSSM Era: How Teachers Evaluate Electronically Available Curriculum Resources. Paper presented at the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators Conference, Irvine, California.