The Journey

Sharon Rendon, Director of Professional Learning, sharonrendon@cpm.org

Change is hard; it requires time, effort and support. For many of you, this school year has you embarking on a journey to create a student centered, problem based classroom. For others, you have been on this journey for quite a while. For nearly 30 years CPM Educational Program has been supporting teachers on this journey. Making the shift from a teaching model that you probably experienced as a math student is not easy but it is doable and so rewarding. CPM continues to refine the components of support available to teachers, schools, and districts as they continue making this shift.  This past summer the professional development formally identified three components of support that make implementations successful. The triangle of teacher support involves workshops, planning, and job embedded feedback (CPM calls this Implementation Support Visits and Coaching).

The first component for a successful journey is workshops. These learning opportunities are the explicit training that teachers, instructional coaches, and school leaders need in order to implement the instructional practices within the curriculum that make the curriculum come to life. CPM provides three phases of learning through workshops, to support teachers in their growth. One of CPM’s core beliefs is that learning, change, and mastery takes time. The Comprehensive Professional Development Plan supports educators, administrators, and districts as they adopt and implement CPM curriculum. Participants from this past summer say the following about CPM’s workshops:

“The workshops were definitely worth coming to. I just cannot imagine going into the new school year with this new curriculum and not coming.” – Participant from Detroit

This is one of the best trainings I’ve ever been to. I’m so happy to be piloting CPM this year. It has everything I’ve been looking for and I know it will be so engaging and beneficial to my students! I was up until 2am working on lessons and brainstorming. I came in super overwhelmed and I’m leaving feeling excited and confident in my ability to implement this amazing curriculum! Thank you!”  – Participant from Oregon

“This is one of the best trainings I’ve ever been to. I’m so happy to be piloting CPM this year. It has everything I’ve been looking for and I know it will be so engaging and beneficial to my students! I was up until 2am working on lessons and brainstorming. I came in super overwhelmed and I’m leaving feeling excited and confident in my ability to implement this amazing curriculum! Thank you!”  – Participant from Oregon

These workshops will be happening throughout the year. To participate, visit cpmstg.wpengine.com/workshops.

The second component is the importance of planning. As teachers begin to engage with a new curriculum, it is important to consider that the work shifts from instructional planning to a different type of intellectual preparation – that is, the goal is for teachers to deeply study and understand the mathematics and intentionally plan for how students will engage with and interact with the mathematics.

The final component is job embedded feedback which CPM refers to as Implementation Support Visits and Coaching.  Implementation Support Visits are part of the ongoing support CPM offers in which an experienced teacher provides feedback teachers should receive to improve their content-specific instructional practices and strengthen their use of the curriculum. It is during these visits that the other two components intersect, as they provide several different opportunities to:

  • connect the knowledge obtained during the workshops to the realities of the classroom.
  • provide individual support, non-evaluative feedback, and a time for teacher reflection.
  • identify trends in instruction and in the use of materials, which can inform future trainings, help to identify common planning challenges, and identify model classrooms.
  • provide individualized support to teachers to implement the training they have received, or to execute the action plan created during the workshops.

Research indicates that when the teacher’s learning is rooted in day-to-day operations, the quality of instruction improves over time. For this reason, CPM provides up to two visits for each teacher in the first two years of implementation. If you are ready to participate in visits or coaching please reach out to your Regional Coordinator.

Whether this is your first year or you have many years on this journey to create a student-centered, problem-based classroom, be sure to consider the ways in which you might engage in professional learning with CPM Educational Program.

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Algebra Tiles Blue Icon

Algebra Tiles Session

  • Used throughout CPM middle and high school courses
  • Concrete, geometric representation of algebraic concepts.
  • Two-hour virtual session,
  •  Learn how students build their conceptual understanding of simplifying algebraic expressions
  • Solving equations using these tools.  
  • Determining perimeter,
  • Combining like terms,
  • Comparing expressions,
  • Solving equations
  • Use an area model to multiply polynomials,
  • Factor quadratics and other polynomials, and
  • Complete the square.
  • Support the transition from a concrete (manipulative) representation to an abstract model of mathematics..

Foundations for Implementation

This professional learning is designed for teachers as they begin their implementation of CPM. This series contains multiple components and is grounded in multiple active experiences delivered over the first year. This learning experience will encourage teachers to adjust their instructional practices, expand their content knowledge, and challenge their beliefs about teaching and learning. Teachers and leaders will gain first-hand experience with CPM with emphasis on what they will be teaching. Throughout this series educators will experience the mathematics, consider instructional practices, and learn about the classroom environment necessary for a successful implementation of CPM curriculum resources.

Page 2 of the Professional Learning Progression (PDF) describes all of the components of this learning event and the additional support available. Teachers new to a course, but have previously attended Foundations for Implementation, can choose to engage in the course Content Modules in the Professional Learning Portal rather than attending the entire series of learning events again.

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Building on Instructional Practice Series

The Building on Instructional Practice Series consists of three different events – Building on Discourse, Building on Assessment, Building on Equity – that are designed for teachers with a minimum of one year of experience teaching with CPM instructional materials and who have completed the Foundations for Implementation Series.

Building on Equity

In Building on Equity, participants will learn how to include equitable practices in their classroom and support traditionally underserved students in becoming leaders of their own learning. Essential questions include: How do I shift dependent learners into independent learners? How does my own math identity and cultural background impact my classroom? The focus of day one is equitable classroom culture. Participants will reflect on how their math identity and mindsets impact student learning. They will begin working on a plan for Chapter 1 that creates an equitable classroom culture. The focus of day two and three is implementing equitable tasks. Participants will develop their use of the 5 Practices for Orchestrating Meaningful Mathematical Discussions and curate strategies for supporting all students in becoming leaders of their own learning. Participants will use an equity lens to reflect on and revise their Chapter 1 lesson plans.

Building on Assessment

In Building on Assessment, participants will apply assessment research and develop methods to provide feedback to students and inform equitable assessment decisions. On day one, participants will align assessment practices with learning progressions and the principle of mastery over time as well as write assessment items. During day two, participants will develop rubrics, explore alternate types of assessment, and plan for implementation that supports student ownership. On the third day, participants will develop strategies to monitor progress and provide evidence of proficiency with identified mathematics content and practices. Participants will develop assessment action plans that will encourage continued collaboration within their learning community.

Building on Discourse

In Building on Discourse, participants will improve their ability to facilitate meaningful mathematical discourse. This learning experience will encourage participants to adjust their instructional practices in the areas of sharing math authority, developing independent learners, and the creation of equitable classroom environments. Participants will plan for student learning by using teaching practices such as posing purposeful questioning, supporting productive struggle, and facilitating meaningful mathematical discourse. In doing so, participants learn to support students collaboratively engaged with rich tasks with all elements of the Effective Mathematics Teaching Practices incorporated through intentional and reflective planning.