Urban Middle Grades Mathematics Curriculum Implementation

Karen D. King

Monica Mitchell

Candace Barriteau Phaire

Jessica Tybursky

Overview of the Study

• The purpose of the study is:– to explore the ways teachers use Standards-based

instructional materials when they are mandated as the materials to use,

– The reasons teachers give for their choices in ways to use the materials, and

– the relationship between the ways teachers use the materials and students’ achievement

Significance of the Study

• Framed not as “fidelity of implementation” as a measure in evaluating the curriculum

• Instead framed as “teachers as decision-makers in their classrooms” and trying to better understand– The decisions teachers make– The reasons for these decisions– The impact on student achievement

• In particular, trying to understand these issues in the context of urban classrooms where teachers perceive unique constraints on teaching

Mathematics task as represented in instructional materials•Task features•Hypothesized cognitive demand•Hypothesized mathematical practices to be engaged

Mathematics task as represented in teachers’ intended curriculum

•Task features

•Hypothesized cognitive demand

•Hypothesized mathematical practices to be engaged

Mathematics task as set up by teacher in the classroom

•Task features

•Hypothesized cognitive demand

•Hypothesized mathematical practices to be engaged

Mathematics task as implemented with students in the classroom

•Enactment of task features

•Cognitive processing

•Participation in mathematical practices

Student Learning

Factors influencing task choice

Teacher goals

Teacher subject matter knowledge

Teacher knowledge of curriculum

Teacher knowledge of students

Teacher knowledge of and access to alternate

tasks

Factors influencing task setup

Teacher goals

Teacher subject matter knowledge

Teacher knowledge of students

Teacher knowledge of student learning

Structural instructional realities

Factors influencing task implementation

Classroom norms

Task conditions

Teacher instructional habits and dispositions

Students learning habits and dispositions

Classroom instructional realities

Mathematics task as represented in instructional materials•Task features•Hypothesized cognitive demand•Hypothesized mathematical practices to be engaged

Mathematics task as represented in teachers’ intended curriculum

•Task features

•Hypothesized cognitive demand

•Hypothesized mathematical practices to be engaged

Mathematics task as set up by teacher in the classroom

•Task features

•Hypothesized cognitive demand

•Hypothesized mathematical practices to be engaged

Mathematics task as implemented with students in the classroom

•Enactment of task features

•Cognitive processing

•Participation in mathematical practices

Student Learning

Factors influencing task choice

Teacher goals

Teacher subject matter knowledge

Teacher knowledge of curriculum

Teacher knowledge of students

Teacher knowledge of and access to alternate

tasks

Factors influencing task setup

Teacher goals

Teacher subject matter knowledge

Teacher knowledge of students

Teacher knowledge of student learning

Structural instructional realities

Factors influencing task implementation

Classroom norms

Task conditions

Teacher instructional habits and dispositions

Students learning habits and dispositions

Classroom instructional realities

Research Design

• Mixed methods design• Population study of teachers’ use based on survey

data and student achievement data• Case studies of two schools

– Interviews and observations of teachers about their planning and execution of lessons

– Assessments of student achievement– Interviews with school administrators

• District Policy Analysis – Review of documents and interviews with district personnel

and consultants

Session Schedule

• 1:10 – 1:25 Mediation of District Pacing Guide – Monica Mitchell

•  1:25 – 1:35 Validity Study –Candace Barriteau Phaire

•  1:35 - 1:50 Variations in Teachers’ Use – Jessica Tybursky and Karen King

•  1:50 – 2:30 Discussion