TRANSITIONS:
TRANSFORMING MATHEMATICS INSTRUCTION THROUGH MATHEMATICAL MODELING, ALGEBRAIC THINKING AND PROPORTIONAL REASONING: TEACHING AND ASSESSING GRADES 5-9 MATHEMATICS INSTRUCTION
TRANSITIONS is a mathematics science partnership between faculty from the
COMPLETE Center at George Mason University (GMU) and nine school divisions that include
seven continuing partners Arlington County, Frederick County, Fauquier County, Loudoun
County, Manassas City, Prince William County, Virginia Council for Private Education and two
new partners that include Manassas Park and Roanoke Public Schools.
Using a blended approach with high quality onsite professional development (PD)
through teacher, coaches and principal institutes, on-site/virtual follow up seminars and contentfocused
coaching (through Lesson Study) and GMU Math e-learning Network (content-focused
webinars, video clips and research lessons as exemplars that align with the 2009 SOL standards),
the center will provide sustained, intensive, and high-quality PD to 405 participants directly
over the three-year project period that includes 270 math teachers, special educators, and
teachers of Limited English Proficient (LEP) students, 90 teacher coaches and 45 principals that
will address needs identified in the school/district PD plan. The focus of this proposal will be on
transition across grade levels (elementary-middle and middle-high) with a goal to
a) Deliver content–focused professional development and coaching, integrating research based practices
aligned to the 2009 Virginia SOL for mathematics content (with focus on computational
fluency, algebraic thinking and proportional reasoning), classroom strategies, and student
assessment standards;
b) Provide targeted opportunities for meaningful mathematics learning to
underrepresented populations to increase the academic achievement of special education, LEP
and economically disadvantaged students;
c) Develop need-based on-site and e-learning
professional and curricular resources to enhance teacher learning through collaborative network
to ensure that teachers are able to participate in high-quality PD that result in improved teaching
practice and enhanced student learning.