Shared Developmental Trajectories For Fractional Reasoning and Fine Motor Ability In 4 and 5 Year Olds

We investigated preschool-aged children’s understanding of early fractional tasks and how that performance correlates with fine motor skills and use of gestures while counting. Participants were 33 preschoolers aged 4 to 5 in two Southeastern public elementary schools. Children were tested individually in an interview-like setting. Mathematics tasks were presented in a paper and pencil format and the Grooved Pegboard test assessed fine motor skills. Finally, utilization of gestures was evaluated by taking a behavioral rating of the child’s hand morphology, accuracy of gestures, and synchrony of gestures and spoken word while performing a counting task. Results indicate that performance on fractional reasoning tasks significantly predicts both fine motor ability and accuracy of gestures

Differential Mathematics Performance on the TIMSS-R across Delaware Students of Color. TIMSS-R Report, 2002.

This report examines performance differences between Asian, Black, Hispanic, and White students in Delaware on the mathematics portion of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study-Repeat (TIMSS-R). Data analyses show that the mathematics performance gap across ethnic groups is significant. The lowest 100 Black and White performers were scoring well below all international benchmarks. Different student groups had different strengths across the various mathematics strands. There was a significant performance gap between the top 20 Black and White performers. The top performers\u27 teachers all had degrees in the field of mathematics or mathematics education, and the majority also hold master\u27s degrees. Several examples of TIMSS-R problems are included together with statistical data. (KHR

Mathematics, Computational Thinking, and Coding for Middle and High School African American Girls in the Deep South

Two programs aimed at underserved communities reach out to African American girls in Alabama and Mississippi. Mathematics, computational thinking, and coding careers can provide avenues to escape poverty. Young girls in challenging communities can benefit from out-of-school programming during the school year or the summer. Taking students out of their everyday environments allows them a chance to learn, play, and reflect in ways that might not be acceptable from peers in their neighborhood. Our goal is to foster positive attitudes toward STEM and STEM career paths and provide opportunities for young women to interact with role models and mentors

Teacher Preparation: How Is It Linked to Student Achievement? TIMSS-R Report, 2002.

This report examines teachers\u27 educational background and students\u27 overall performance on the Third International Mathematics and Science Study-Repeat (TIMSS-R). Data analyses show that there are 17 Delaware classrooms performing above the average U.S. student score of 502. The majority of teachers in the top 10 higher performing classrooms had undergraduate degrees in mathematics. The overall trend indicates that the higher performing classrooms have teachers with a graduate degree. Teachers\u27 years of experience are not correlated with higher or lower student performance. (KHR

Research, Reflection, and Practice: Show Me the Evidence: Mathematics Professional Development for Elementary Teachers

Once teachers enter the profession, the United States education system has no proven mechanism to systematically improve mathematics teaching in our classrooms (Stigler and Hiebert 1999). Over the past decade, many researchers have described effective features of professional development. This article reviews the features of mathematics professional development for elementary teachers that have been empirically supported over the past several decades, if only by one or a few small-scale studies

The Trials of a Poor Middle School Trying to Catch Up In Mathematics - Teachers\u27 Multiple Communities of Practice and the Boundary Encounters

This article details a 5-year evolution of a middle school mathematics faculty serving predominantly economically at-risk students. Faculty members worked to improve students\u27 mathematics test scores, used a scripted curriculum, and integrated National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards-based activities. Schools nationwide are transforming with the No Child Left Behind legislation, accountability mandates, and the NCTM standards. The demands on these teachers are typical of high-stakes systems. Drawing on Lave and Wenger\u27s community of practice and Cobb, McClain, Lamberg, and Chrystal\u27s extension, this article describes how teachers accommodate to the process of change and the group dynamics encountered within a school structure

The Importance of Setting Learning Goals To Investigate the Effectiveness of Teacher Professional Development

Discusses the development of professional learning goals for mathematics teachers. Nature of learning environments that achieve goals or standards; Trends in research on mathematics teaching and learning; Characteristics of effective teachers; Factors affecting teachers\u27 learning goals

Top TIMSS-R Mathematics Performers: What Are They Doing Differently? TIMSS-R Report, 2002.

This report examines the top Third International Mathematics and Science Study-Repeat (TIMSS-R) performers and compares Delaware classroom environments with those of the top performing students. Data analyses show that Delaware\u27s average class size is larger than any of the top performers, and student\u27 attendance, skipping, and tardiness problems are more severe in Delaware than in any top performer. The majority of Delaware students are taught mathematics by teachers who did not major in mathematics or mathematics education, which is different from the top performers. It is shown that teachers\u27 professional development opportunities are not as plentiful in Delaware as in the top performing schools, and teachers in the top performers participate in significantly more professional classroom observations than Delaware teachers. (KHR