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Conceptual Framework
>> 2. Deciding on the Purposes of the Professional
Development
2.4. Using Appropriate Instruction to Promote Learning for All Students
While having a working knowledge of disciplinary content is vital for teaching a
subject, the most content-knowledgeable teacher is not necessarily the most
effective one. Teachers need to also have expertise in instructional
strategies, including knowing when to use a particular strategy and how to use
it well. Most importantly, teachers need to ensure that their instruction
provides opportunities for all students to learn key mathematics and science
content.
Equitable practice that ensures that all students have opportunities to master
powerful mathematics and science concepts is a key value underlying the TE-MAT
database, and reviewers were asked to consider the extent to which materials
address equitable practice. In addition, an essay by Jane Butler
Kahle describes some of the issues involved in helping teachers provide
equitable instruction.
A number of resources in the TE-MAT database address issues of equity in
mathematics and science education as the primary topic of the material.
Thoughts and Deeds: Equity in Mathematics and Science Education (Kreinberg
& Wahl, 1997) provides a series of essays making the case for equity, and
describing what is currently known about equitable practice. Similarly,
Girls Can Succeed in Science! (Samuels, 1999) addresses issues
of "science phobia" among secondary students and
Science Success for Students with Disabilities (Weisgerber,
1993) describes strategies for maximizing the learning of these students.
The Teaching Gap
(Stigler and Hiebert, 1999) promotes awareness and understanding of the type of
instruction that is needed to effectively engage all students and enhance their
understanding of mathematics/science.
Mathematical Power: Lessons from a Classroom (Parker,
1993) is a year-long story of how a fifth-grade teacher addressed equity as a
central issue in making sure that all children were developing an understanding
of important mathematical ideas.
Inquiry and the National
Science Education Standards: A Guide for Teaching and Learning (National
Research Council, 2000) provides an overview of inquiry-based teaching
strategies and examples of what inquiry teaching and learning look like, both
inside and outside the classroom. Underlying all of this work is the notion
that teaching for understanding requires more in-depth treatment of a smaller
number of key ideas, which is sometimes summarized by the slogan "less is
more."
Collaborative Inquiry in
Science, Math and Technology by Adams and Hamm (1998) provides
guidance on the use of cooperative learning, inquiry strategies, exploring
student thinking and the integration of science, mathematics and technology.
Implementing Standards-Based Mathematics Instruction: A Casebook for
Professional Development (Stein et al., 2000) focuses on
helping teachers to design and select instructional tasks that are conceptually
engaging for students, using cases as a vehicle for enhancing teachers'
classroom practice. Mathematics
with Manipulatives (Burns, 1989) includes videotapes and
teacher discussion guides focused on the use of manipulatives in developing
student understanding of mathematics. Other materials describe instructional
strategies that are effective with diverse learners, such as
Cooperative Learning in Mathematics (edited by Davidson, 1996)
and Cooperative Learning in
Science (edited by Stahl, 1996).
The database also includes a classroom video library,
Teaching Math (WGBH, 1995, 1996, 1997) that provides an
excellent springboard for discussions of instructional decision-making, with a
focus on ensuring that all students are learning important mathematics and
science content.
Continue: 2.5.
Assessing Student Performance
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