Minnesota STEM Teacher Center Update

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If you have not visited the Minnesota STEM Teacher Center website recently, there have been updates to the site. A grant from MDE/COMPASS allowed the software of the site to be upgraded, broken links in the Math section repaired or replaced with new material, and the addition of new professional development materials to the Resource Tab in the top menu bar. A team of your colleagues worked over the past school year to curate new links and to craft the professional development team. 

The material on the math portion of the website still reflects the 2007 academic standards. This is because the 2022 standards are still in the rule-making process and are not yet official. The new standards become effective in the 27-28 academic school year. The 2007 standards are still in force until that time. However, the writing team used the 2022 draft standards as a guide, particularly when developing the professional development materials. Many of the updated links embedded in the Frameworks Section of the website will carry through in supporting the new 2022 draft. 

The professional development section begins with a focus on Mathematical Teaching Practices. An overview of the teaching and responsive skill sets is outline. The Standards of Mathematical Practice (What students do) and the Eight Mathematics Teaching Practices (What teachers do) are outlined and organized into two clusters: Planning & Assessment and Instruction. Two additional clusters focus on Language Development in the mathematics classroom and on Differentiation within the Tier One and Tier Two settings.

A System of Practice (See figure below) focus planning and assessment decisions on clear mathematical goals (standards), then as instructional tasks are selected and implemented, instruction becomes responsive and adaptive as the focus is aimed at what students say and do. Links to resources such as Building Thinking Classrooms, ICUCARE frameworks, and videos of classroom interactions are embedded within the materials. 

Look at these new materials as you plan your year and engage in your PLC work. The materials are there for you to explore and absorb. Reading and exploring more than once will be necessary to grasp all that is there. Feedback is always welcome. Feel free to reach and ask questions. 

merged framework - a system of practice