Using the Michigan Focal Points to Guide Instruction and Assessment

1. Using the Michigan Focal Points to GuideInstruction and Assessment MCTM Annual Conference August, 2009

2. Introduction • In this session we will look at the GLCE through a mathematical “focus”. You will receive direction on how you can step back from treating the GLCE as a checklist and instead begin to develop a coherent curriculum that focuses on key mathematical ideas.

3. What does a good mathematics curriculum look like? • A curriculum must be focused on important mathematics. • “When instruction focuses on a small number of key areas of emphasis, students gain extended experience with core concepts and skills. Such experience can facilitate deep understanding, mathematical fluency, and an ability to generalize”.

4. What is a Focal Point? • Curriculum Focal Points • Developed by NCTM • Recommended content emphases for each grade level • Michigan Focal Points • Aligned our GLCE to NCTM Focal Points maintaining as much of the NCTM wording as possible

5. Focal Points vs. GLCE • Our GLCEs are the endpoints for learning whereas curriculum focal points are areas of instructional focus that “help students learn content that gives them a foundation for increasing their understanding as they encounter richer and more challenging mathematics”.

6. Focal Points vs. GLCE Focal Points Curriculum Expectations

7. Introduction • Organize into grade level groups • Match topics to focal points • In your groups discuss the following: “How might your classroom be affected by a focus on big mathematical ideas?”

8. Connections • What about those topics that don’t align to a focal point? • They are • Laying groundwork for a big idea in a later grade, or • Extending a focus from a previous grade, or • Connected to a topic in another subject area

9. Connections • Can you see connections to Focal Points before or after your grade level? • Can you find connections to other subject areas?

10. The Michigan Focal Points and the MEAP • The MEAP needs to reflect the curricular emphasis implied by the GLCE. • Current factors necessitating changes in MEAP design: • Subject tests given on the same day instead of over a 2-week window for test security reasons means a shortened test • Future core scheduled to be incorporated

11. The Michigan Focal Points and the MEAP • The solution is to change core and extended designations • Each test needs to have no more than 20 core expectations which are tested with 2 items each • NASL stay NASL • All others are considered extended which will be tested with one item and sampled

12. The Michigan Focal Points and the MEAP • To be considered core an expectation must be linked to a focal point so both the assessment and the curriculum will emphasize the same mathematical concepts.

13. The National Mathematics Advisory Panel • Benchmarks of the Critical Foundations of Algebra • Identify those concepts taught in elementary and middle school that lay the foundation for high school algebra • These are all similar to some of the focal points

14. Instructional Implications • Help to design instruction around the question, “What are the most important ideas at my grade level?” • Prioritize uses of activities, assessments and other published materials • Support rich, deep appropriate mathematics for every student

15. Instructional Implications • “It is essential that these focal points be addressed in contexts that promote problem solving, reasoning, communication, making connections, and designing and analyzing representations.”

16. Instructional Implications • “It is essential that these focal points be addressed in contexts that promote problem solving, reasoning, communication, making connections, and designing and analyzing representations.” • What how might you/your school begin to use these big ideas in designing curriculum and instruction?

17. For more information on Michigan Focal points: Ruth Anne Hodges hodgesr3@michigan.gov www.michigan.gov/glce www.glce.wikispaces.com For more information on MEAP: Kyle Ward wardk2@michigan.gov