Math Studio Day (GBMP)

On September 21, 2015 our math teachers participated in a Math Studio Day, a lesson study model developed by the Greater Birmingham Math Partnership (GBMP). We partnered with Faye Clark and Ann Dominick, founders of the Greater Birmingham Math Partnership initiative, to analyze cognitive demand through this model. We reviewed the factors associated with the decline and maintenance of cognitive demand.

The goals of the Math Studio Day are to: 1) Bring the math practice standards to life, 2) Increase accountability and quality of implementation, 3) Develop shared understanding of practices, 4) Deepen teacher math knowledge, 5) Foster norms and habits of instructional practice, and 6) De-privatize classrooms for professional learning and increased student achievement.

The Math Studio Protocol includes the following steps:

1. The studio teacher will discuss the lesson plans and math tasks planned.
2. All participants do the math, exploring the strategies students may use.
3. Participants anticipate the questions and misconceptions students may have.
4. Participants discuss how strategies, questions, and misconceptions may be addressed in the classroom, and how cognitive demand can be maintained.
5. Participants observe in the the studio classroom (without talking to each other or students).
6. Participants reflect on lesson objectives and level of cognitive demand.

 

A huge thank you to Jana Walls, our Math Studio Teacher for the day! Thank you for for providing us with this opportunity!