Jennifer Armenia

Case Study 2:  Choosing a math program.

ISLLC Standard 2

A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by advocating, nurturing, and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth.  

Questions:  1) How will the principal choose a math program that promotes success of                              all students?

    2)  What information will be used to base the decision when choosing a math program?

2)      Are teachers receiving appropriate support when adopting a new math program?

Description of Situation:

Three years ago the principal of the Elementary School decided to begin using the Everyday Math program.  The program would slowly be implemented starting with kindergarten the first year adding first grade the second year and continue until all of the grade levels were using the program.  The principal decided to use this particular math program because it is supposed to help increase test scores.  Last year the test scores in first grade made a large increase and the principal is expecting the same thing this year with second graders (it is the first year second graders are using this math program).  Another reason the principal chose this math program was because it challenges students  to think on a higher level than most of the other math programs and a majority of the students in this particular elementary school are high achieving students that need more of a challenge than the old math program provided.  The teachers in second grade have expressed great concern to the principal that this math program moves too fast and does not allow time for reteaching students when necessary.  The second grade teachers have also expressed concern that the math book is great for high achieving students and average students but students that are below average are lost because the program moves too fast.

Before school started, two of the teachers in second grade were sent to a one day training on how to use this program.  These teachers were then expected to teach the other teachers in the grade level how to use the math program.  As the year started, all the teachers in second grade were struggling with implementing this program.  When they expressed this concern with the principal, she asked them if they would like to observe in another school that has used the program for a few years.  The teachers expressed interest in this and the principal provided substitutes for the teachers to observe the math program in another school for one day.

The school has already spent thousands of dollars each year buying materials and books for this particular math program.  The county is now researching math programs to adopt a new math program for the next school year.  There is a representative from our school serving on the county wide math program adoption committee.  The representative has allowed all teachers to look through materials for different math programs and give feedback to take to the county committee.  The principal at this school is pushing for this math program to be adopted county wide because of the test scores received last spring. 

Answers to Questions:

1)      How will the principal choose a math program that promotes success of all students?

In this particular case study the math program only promoted the success of average to high achieving students.  The program challenges students to think at a higher level and apply concepts at a more abstract level, but does not provide ample time to remediate for students who do not understand a concept or students who are below average.  Many of the students in the ESOL and EIP program are struggling with this math program and with concepts that are too abstract for them. 

2)      What information will be used to base the decision when choosing a math

program?

The information that was used when adopting this math program for the school three years ago was mostly test scores.  With NCLB, test scores are a major factor when adopting new programs and strategies in schools.  Since the test scores for first graders increased so much, the principal feels that this program is what our school needs in order to keep challenging our students and achieving high test scores.  One of the problems with basing the adoption on the increase of math scores last year is that last year the students were tested on QCCs in math and taught GPS through the math program.  This year students are taught GPS and will be tested on GPS, therefore you are not comparing apples to apples when using last years first graders’ test scores and this years first graders’ test scores since they are being tested on different standards. 

Teachers’ opinions on the math program were not asked when the school first adopted this program, they are now being asked as the county prepares to adopt a new math program for the next school year.

3)      Are teachers receiving appropriate support when adopting a new math program?

After adopting this math program the teachers did receive support to help implement the program appropriately.  Two teachers were sent to a one day training session on the program and then taught the other teachers about the program.  When the second grade teachers expressed concern with implementing the math program, the principal offered support by providing substitutes so the teachers could observe in another school. 

Evaluation of the Case Study:

            The level of performance in this case study is between developing and proficient.  One reason this case study is developing is because the principal didn’t take into account diversity when adopting a new math program.  She assumed that all students would be able to be successful with this more challenging program and didn’t take into account the students that are low to average; she only thought of the average to high achieving students and wanted to challenge them.  Another reason I think this case study is between developing and proficient is because the decision to adopt the new math program was largely based on test scores rather than research and teacher opinions. 

I do think that this case study is partially proficient because the principal did provide staff development for teachers when they expressed a concern with implementing the new math program.  She allowed two teachers to attend a one day training on the program and allowed all the teachers to observe in another school to assist them when they felt like they were struggling.  The principal did make the decision to adopt the new math program based on the idea that all children can learn no matter their IQ or achievement level.  Even though the program is challenging and the lower students get frustrated, it challenges ALL students, even students in the gifted program that would normally be bored with an easier program.