Staff Development

September 30- 12:15 to 3:00- 2 hours 45 minutes

The school had staff development focused on math on our early release day. After the students left for the day, we had a quick lunch then sat down together to look at test scores. We looked at 2nd grade's 4th quarter math assessment scores, 3-5 grades math EOG scores. The purpose was to look for similarities from grade to grade of how students perform to see where major weaknesses and strengths are among the grade levels. We looked at the test scores, then we made plus and delta charts to show the weak and strong areas.

After we looked at the data, we met across grade levels to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the students each year in math. We (second grade) met with third grade first for them to share with us of what they felt their new students could and could not do from year to year. Some of the things that they said that we need to work on 10 more and 10 less, subtraction with regrouping, and just working at a steady pace. They felt that the students could add with regrouping very well. We actually discussed other things other than math with each other.

Then we met with the first grade so we could share with them what we felt like their rising second graders could do well and needed improvement on. We shared several things with them that we felt were positives like their hundreds board patterns and then those that needed work like their concept of place value.

Lastly, our curriculum coach talked to us about some of the resources that we have available to use in our classrooms to help us with our math instruction. She went over our math essentials and standards book that has games, problems of the day, and assessments to use with our students.

I found the day useful and enlightening about the needs of our students and school when it comes to math.