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Curriculum Update, May 2009

Math Professional Development Pays Off

Professional development for math teachers seems to have more of an impact on learning than either new textbooks or technology, according to a research review by the Center for Data-Driven Reform in Education at Johns Hopkins University's School of Education. The review examined 87 previously released studies evaluating efforts to improve math programs in elementary schools. The programs focused on either textbook changes, computer-assisted instruction, or professional development in specific teaching methods, such as cooperative learning. Researchers found that the approaches aimed at changing teachers' daily instructional practices were the most effective in boosting students' scores. For more information:
http://www.teachermagazine.org/tsb/articles/2009/03/16/02research.h02.html
http://rer.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/78/3/427

Useful Resources

Sample Science Lesson Plan

Practitioner Hilary Sallick from SCALE (Somerville Center for Adult Learning Experiences) agreed to share a science lesson plan    she developed. This lesson plan is very inclusive, and while many ABE practitioners may feel that they don't have enough time in their weekly prep to prepare a lesson of this magnitude and depth, it is a useful example which others could use in creating science materials.

Now on the SABES Web site:

• Field Notes, Vol. 18, No. 1 (Spring 2009) A 44-page retrospective issue covering the ten years of FN publication, touching on supervision, writing, LD, social justice, and much more. www.sabes.org/resources/publications/fieldnotes/vol18/fn181.pdf

• SABES Math Bulletin, Vol. 3, No. 3 (March 2009) Six pages touching on algebraic thinking, the complexity of equations, and literal symbols. www.sabes.org/resources/publications/mathbulletin/math-bulletin-mar2009.pdf

ReadWriteThink

A partnership between the International Reading Association (IRA), the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), and the Verizon Foundation, ReadWriteThink has a variety of great resources, such as:

• The Web Resources Gallery: offers links to a myriad of useful English language arts resources on the Internet. You may use the drop-down menus above to sort ReadWriteThink's Web Resources by grade band and resource type. See our Resource Definitions for a description of each resource type. http://www.readwritethink.org/resources/index.asp

• Student Materials Index: ReadWriteThink offers a collection of online Student Materials to support literacy learning in the K-12 classroom that can be adapted for use in ABE classrooms. These interactive tools can be used to supplement a variety of lessons and provide an opportunity for students to use technology while developing their literacy skills. Click on the name of each interactive for a brief description of the tool and a list of the ReadWriteThink lessons that use the tool. From there you'll also be able to directly access the tool and use it in your classroom. http://www.readwritethink.org/student_mat/index.asp

• Lesson Plan Index: Sort ReadWriteThink Lessons by Title, Grade, or Date by clicking on the appropriate header. You may also use the Lesson Plan Selector above. There is also a calendar listing noteworthy dates with associated lessons: http://www.readwritethink.org/calendar/; see the lesson, for example on Malcolm X's birthday on May 19th: http://www.readwritethink.org/calendar/calendar_day.asp?id=517

Center on Instruction Catalog of Teaching Resources

The Center on Instruction (COI) offers information on best practices in reading, math, science, Special Education, and English Language Learning instruction; syntheses of recent scientific research on instruction; and opportunities for professional development for the K-12 community, but many of the materials are useful to ABE practitioners as well. In addition to providing professional development opportunities, COI has developed workshop presentations, research summaries, guidebooks for educators, and more. These products and others identified by the Center as having a foundation in scientifically based research and relevance to contemporary instructional issues are available through their quick-reference catalog of materials at http://centeroninstruction.org/pdf/COI_Catalog_4-09-09.pdf. Resource titles in the catalog serve as live links to the materials themselves.

The Center on Instruction and the U. S. Department of Education retain copyright and ownership of the products, but they may be downloaded for free. They may be reproduced and distributed with two stipulations: (1) the "preferred citation" for each product, noted on the page following the title page, must be included in all reproductions and (2) no profit may be made in the reproduction and/or distribution of the material. Nominal charges to cover printing, Xeroxing, or mailing are allowed. NOTES about ordering from the catalog:

1. One cannot "order" multiple copies from this catalog. Teachers may download and print the pdf files or have a professional printer make multiple copies.
2. The resources listed in the catalog are only those created by COI; more than 100 other COI-reviewed resources are also available at http://centeroninstruction.org.

April was national Financial Literacy Month, highlighting the importance of a basic understanding of personal finance concepts. A 2008 survey by the Jump$tart Coalition, a group of organizations dedicated to improving financial literacy, showed that high school seniors across the country scored 48.3 percent on personal finance concepts, down 3 percentage points from 2006 scores. The results are a reminder to include financial literacy in instruction for young and adult students. Jump$tart offers links to other resources, their own best practices and the National Standards in K-12 Personal Finance Education on its Web site. (from the US DOE Office of Vocation and Adult Education (OVAE) Thursday Notes for April 23, 2009, editor Sarah Newcomb.)

Education can protect against joblessness

Get this info to learners about importance of staying in classes and getting a degree.

Education is playing a key role in protecting adults from joblessness in the current economy, Department of Labor (DOL) statistics show. The jobless rate in March climbed to 15.5 percent among those without a high school diploma, compared to 8.5 percent among U.S. adults nationwide. The unemployment rate is much lower for people with some college or a postsecondary degree. DOL has distributed $4 billion to increase opportunities for workers to receive training.

New Corrections Education Postings:

OVAE has launched its new web page serving correctional and institutionalized education programs by posting the history of correctional education, federal grant programs for this population, state contacts, resources and frequently asked questions. Also available online is OVAE's recent publication Partnerships Between Community Colleges and Prisons Providing Workforce Education and Training to Reduce Recidivism (from OVAE Thursday Notes for April 9, 2009, editor Sarah Newcomb.)

Questions? Please contact Jane Schwerdtfeger at janes@doe.mass.edu