What kind of ongoing support do you feel you need?
A supportive group of colleagues, with whom I can have ongoing discussion of these topics – and the time to have these conversations.
Instructor, Community College
Change is always a challenge. This work has given me is a vision and an opportunity for that change. However, while making these changes I have made and continue to make mistakes. As do my students, I view these mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow but only if I have the opportunity to discuss and be “pushed” on my incorrect strategies.
Instructor, Community College
As I continue this work, I will need people to collaborate with who understand what I am striving to attain. I will need these people to observe me in MY classroom so that I can get meaningful feedback and continue to grow. I believe that if we do not have opportunities to continue to develop our understanding of what we are striving for, we will lose what is at the heart of the work – a community of new mathematics teacher leaders working together on their practice and helping other teachers learn. If we do not have colleagues around us who have shared in this common experience, then our continued growth will be stifled.
RMST, Middle School Teacher
I feel that I need continued support in terms of studio days. I would also like an opportunity to think about geometry and how that develops conceptually. I also need continued support in how to adapt new curriculum changes to align with the MEC / MSP philosophy as even most curriculums coming out are still “sit and get” forms of instruction.
RMST, Middle School Teacher
Continued summer courses (at least two more); webinars; collaboration on designing menus and units; support in my emerging role as a leader in my school district.
RMST, Middle School Teacher
Support is always needed to facilitate ongoing change. Without it, teachers tend to fall back to old habits because there is no support to fight the big fight. It’s important for teachers to be able to share what is happening in their classroom and listen to their peers share their excitement and struggle. Webinars every month have been that little extra push to keep me on the right track…to inspire me to keep going with what feels right. Also, being able to see my colleague’s classroom through Studio Days and watch kids come alive with their thinking has been an inspiring experience which always leads me to try to get my kids moving in that direction.
RMST, Middle School Teacher
In order to sustain the momentum from these two years, I think we need to be able to continue to communicate with each other, like we have in the webinars, and we need continued opportunities for learning math more deeply, like we have during the summer institutes. The level of collaboration during summer workshops and webinars helps me stay focused on making changes when change is difficult.
RMST, Elementary Teacher
Change takes time and time together, supporting each other, is invaluable. Ongoing webinars would be helpful. I’d love to attend the summer sessions a second time, this time as an observer looking at the instruction, not just fumbling with my own math. It took two summer sessions to really feel like I could ever begin to put on such a workshop for my own school district. Twice around makes perfect sense to me and would build my confidence for offering this type of instruction. My district needs this level of instruction and really needs to learn about Number Talks from an expert. I’d love to bring a Number Talks class to our area.
RMST, Middle School Teacher/Coach
Continued opportunities to participate, as a learner, in workshops that are facilitated by highly skilled math educators like Ruth and Patty. I have found no other way that is as effective for creating shifts in instruction. I want all of my staff to have that opportunity. We can read about effective practices, and discuss effective practices, but we really need to EXPERIENCE effective practices.
RMST, Elementary Teacher