Reading Apprenticeship®: Middle and High School Math Inquiry Network

Who Should Participate?

Individual middle or high school math teachers who are interested in the role of literacy in math classrooms. Participants do not need to be part of a school team or have any previous experience with Reading Apprenticeship^® (RA). The application process is competitive. Participants should have a firm command of math content and be willing to explore new ways of supporting student literacy in math through implementation in their own classrooms.

Goals of the Strategic Literacy Math Inquiry Network

• Investigate how network members make sense of text in the math classroom
• Explore students' strengths as readers and thinkers in math
• Inquire into how the Reading Apprenticeship Framework and instructional practices can support improved student reading in math
• Develop and refine tools and processes for math learning
• Collaborate in a professional learning community to build capacity for Strategic Literacy Initiative to support math teachers in cross-discipline networks

Format of the Math Inquiry Network

The Math Inquiry Network is a yearlong professional learning community focused on supporting math content teachers in middle and high schools. The math network will explore instructional practices to engage, motivate, and empower students to become independent learners of math.

The Network series includes

• two-day summer institute August 16-17, 2007, and
• four release days of professional development during the school year.

What You Learn

Participants engage in an inquiry into students’ reading in math with an emphasis on embedding RA in their math classrooms. Together, as a collaborative community, they will develop a set of routines to support the “metacognitive conversation,” the core of RA, adapted to the specific needs of math content. The six-day series supports and strengthens implementation of RA by providing extensive opportunities to:

• learn about the Reading Apprenticeship Framework and instructional practices to support academic literacy improvement of students in math classrooms;
• investigate their own process of reading in math as experienced readers in their content area;
• examine their own classroom practice to refine and improve their understanding and implementation of RA in math;
• develop powerful instructional strategies that support math reading, writing, and thinking; and
• learn effective processes for working with colleagues successfully to improve instruction.

Who Facilitates Your Learning?

SLI Math Inquiry Network sessions are led by SLI directors and professional development staff. Consultants with particular expertise in math will co-facilitate the sessions.

What Is the Cost?

There is absolutely no cost for the six-days of professional development, which will include all course materials, six continental breakfasts, and six lunches.

In addition, participating math teachers will receive a teacher honorarium of $500 upon completion of a project demonstrating the use of Reading Apprenticeship approaches in the math classroom. SLI will pay the cost of substitutes for the four days of professional development during the school year.

Course Dates, Locations, and Registration

The 2007-08 Math Inquiry Network series is six full days beginning with

• Two-day summer institute: Thursday and Friday, August 16-17, 2007
• Session 3: Thursday, September 20, 2007
• Session 4: Thursday, November 1, 2007
• Session 5: Thursday, January 10, 2008
• Session 6: Tuesday, April 8, 2008

All sessions are held at WestEd’s Oakland office at 300 Lakeside Drive, 25th Floor.

Application

To download the application, please click here.

Contact Information

Irisa Charney-Sirott
510.302.4254
icharne@wested.org