Oregon Math Library

Sustainability and Capacity through the Mathematics Studio Program

Abstract

This paper addresses the following claim(s):

"Findings from original OMLI data

• School-wide improvement in student achievement can be attained through a coherent professional development program that simultaneously emphasizes (1) the improvement of teachers' knowledge of mathematics content and pedagogy, (2) increasing the quality and quantity of students' mathematical discourse, and (3) changing the culture of mathematics professional learning across the school.



• The degree to which the teachers in a school implement specific practices (as outlined in the OMLI research) learned during the research-based OMLI professional development program is a positive predictor of student performance.



• Implementation of those practices must be sustained and supported over time in order for student performance to be similarly sustained.

• Fidelity to the school as the first-order "unit of change," implementation of those evidence-based practices identified in the OMLI project research, and other critical features of the Mathematics Studio Program correlate positively with the school-based institutionalization and sustenance of generative professional learning, increased student achievement, and decreased achievement gaps. Affirming/Determining all critical features of the Mathematics Studio Program is a focus of our work for this project. During this session, we will examine those features currently surfacing as most critical and the subject of our continuing research.



• The Mathematics Studio Program provides a powerful platform for developing master teachers and a highly productive context in which a master teacher can, while remaining an active classroom teacher, facilitate the professional growth of her colleagues."