Leading Mathematics in Urban Districts Opportunities and Challenges Cathy Seeley Charles A. Dana Center The University of Texas at Austin November 3, 2009

Leadership Communicating a Vision Using the Power of People Pacing Yourselves

Communicating a Vision

STANDARDS

All students doing meaningful mathematics using appropriate tools

All students doing meaningful mathematics using appropriate tools Equity and access Engagement Important mathematics Resources Learning

Customizing the Vision State and federal mandates Community issues How big? How many? Where the schools are in the process Resources available

Common Core Standards corestandards.org Council of Chief State School Officers and National Governors Association National, state-led process (48 states + DC + terr.; voluntary implementation/consideration) College and career readiness ‘standards’ first, then K-12 ‘standards’ Ten standards (mathematical practice, number, quantity, expressions, equations, functions, modeling, shape, coordinates, probability, statistics)

Common Core Standards corestandards.org Fewer, clearer, higher Evidence (includes sources of evidence…) Internationally benchmarked (informed by the content/rigor/organization of high-performing countries and states) Special populations Assessment (standards will lead to a system of high quality assessments) Curriculum (will continue to be local and state decision) 21 st century skills

Using the Power of People

It’s not just your job. If/when you’re gone, who will be left? What will make it sustainable?

Using leadership networks Give them opportunities Arm them Support them Trust them

Pacing Yourselves

Things I have learned about life as a leader and change facilitator… Opportunities rarely present themselves in ideal circumstances. They probably aren’t going to retire or die any time soon, so you might as well find a way to work with them. One reason you probably are still an educator is because you care whether, what, and which students learn.

Staying the course Patience Perseverence Public Relations

Thinking about what we ask of teachers…

What we ask of teachers… Don’t tell everything Focus on developing problem solving and thinking Talk with your students and listen to what they say Help students learn to reflect on their own and their fellow students’ work Encourage, nurture, support students

Don’t tell everything Focus on developing problem solving and thinking Talk with your students and listen to what they say Help students learn to reflect on their own and their fellow students’ work Encourage, nurture, support students Can we do what do we ask of teachers?

Don’t tell everything Help teachers act from a professional knowledge base Talk with your students and listen to what they say Help students learn to reflect on their own and their fellow students’ work Encourage, nurture, support students

Can we do what do we ask of teachers? Don’t tell everything Help teachers act from a professional knowledge base Talk with your teachers and listen to what they say Help students learn to reflect on their own and their fellow students’ work Encourage, nurture, support students

Can we do what do we ask of teachers? Don’t tell everything Help teachers act from a professional knowledge base Talk with your teachers and listen to what they say Help teachers learn to reflect on their own and other teachers’ work Encourage, nurture, support students

Can we do what do we ask of teachers? Don’t tell everything Help teachers act from a professional knowledge base Talk with your teachers and listen to what they say Help teachers learn to reflect on their own and other teachers’ work Encourage, nurture, support teachers

What else do we ask of teachers that you can ask of yourself as a leader with teachers? Can we do what do we ask of teachers?

CHALLENGES…

Challenges we (all) face… Not enough community support Not enough administrative support Not enough resources Not enough trained teachers Too much pressure about THE TEST Politics

Issues and Challenges For your school, district or region, identify a challenge (an obstacle) to improving mathematics teaching and learning. Choose one challenge from your table. What is something that you’re pretty sure won’t work to address that challenge?

Leading for Results Effective Leadership Efficient Leadership Getting Results

Effective Leadership Actions/Interventions that –are appropriate—what they need when they need it –are personal –take the long view –are strategic

Efficient Leadership Actions/Interventions that don’t –waste time (yours or teachers’) –waste energy (yours or teachers’) –waste resources (yours or teachers’)

Efficient Leadership Doing a good intervention at the wrong time or with the wrong people is inefficient.

Efficient Leadership Investments vs. Expenses

Investments Building relationships is always an investment. We need to spend the time to let things happen.

Leadership for Results Leadership to get –what you want –what your community demands –what your teachers and students need

What does it take from you? Courage Personal Leadership Action

Courage Changing what you do is hard and scary. Changing what you believe is harder and scarier. Changing what others believe is even harder and scarier. 35

Personal Leadership seek out knowledgeto seek out knowledge about what works imagineto imagine what is possible advocateto advocate high quality mathematics learning for every student actively reach outto actively reach out beyond your classroom, institution, or school system

Action One thing you will do by Monday One thing you will do long-term Remember that it’s about more than things to do… 37

Your Leadership Helping teachers develop their personal leadership Being an effective change agent/facilitator Being …

Your Leadership Helping teachers develop their personal leadership Being an effective change agent/facilitator Being sensitive, perceptive, persistent, politically savvy, inspirational, visionary, hard-working, invisible, smart, trustworthy, selfless, respected, courageous, enthusiastic, committed, provocative, compassionate, patient, accepting, challenging, creative, tactful, versatile, professional, provoking, enabling, encouraging, resourceful, goal-focused, insightful, assertive, organized, pleasant, truthful, strategic, effective, efficient …

You can make it happen…

You’re a leader. You can make it happen…

(for a link to a pdf of the slides): Cathy’s new book (May 2009): Faster Isn’t Smarter-- Messages About Math, Teaching, and Learning in the 21st Century (a resource for teachers, families, leaders, and policy makers) National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Check out my websites:

Personal Mastery Telling the truth Personal Vision Peter Senge, The Fifth Discipline, 1994

Personal Mastery Telling the truth Personal Vision: –What’s important to you? –What do you care about? –What drives you, motivates you? –What are you passionate about? –Why do you put up with all that stuf?

Sometimes it just takes a match…