Math Curriculum Adjustments; fr O'Keefe

I just wanted to give you an update on our 6 - 8th grade CMP alignment efforts:

CMP 6 Field-test:
We have 30 6th grade teachers field-testing CMP 6 this year (a few are job sharing, a teacher or two are teaching all the 6th grade math for their school...)
Our JH lead teachers are Chris Harrison (SJH), Erin Bowser and Christy Fillman (CPJH), Jen Hernandez (KJH), Barb Hoover (NJH), Deb Martens (TJH), and Jen Mann (LJH)
We have had three meetings/connections with the interested 6th teachers -
May - rationale, quick CMP lesson, Q/A, and sign up for field test opportunity
June meeting (1/2 day) in pathways with contacts; overview of TE materials
August (1/2 day) workshop on teaching/facilitating the learning using CMP (lesson planning, delivery, HW, warm-ups, additional practice, Q/A)
This fall we will be meeting monthly to debrief, look at student work, discuss assessment and plan for the next modules to be taught


6 - 8 grade Math Sequence:
There are new GLEs for 6th - 8th grade (a huge rationale behind our field testing of CMP at grade 6). Our 6th and 7th grade math leadership team developed a math sequence document (enclosed)
They have aligned the CMP modules for this school year as well as for 2006 -06 based on our GLEs and the timing of the WASL
The change for this year is minimal for grades 7 and 8 (mostly a re-arrangement of the teaching of the modules and the addition of a decimal/fraction/percent review to be tied to Bits and Pieces II for 7th grade)
The big change will occur in 2006 - 07 school year. As the GLEs shift downward, we will move modules that we've normally taught in 8th grade to 7th.
We will need to develop/purchase materials based on GLEs not supported by existing CMP modules for grade 8. As you can see by the enclosed document, we have a work plan of what we need to do this year as a team.

Bottom line:
It will be critical that 6th and 7th grade teachers utilize the new Grade Level Expectations this year and for the years to come. No matter what occurs at the 6th grade, our 7th teachers will no longer be able to teach the 6th grade CMP modules (Bits & Pieces II, Covering and Surrounding). Those skills and concepts are part of the new 6th grade GLEs. As I've shared with our JH math leads and dept heads, we no longer have the luxury to teach skills and concepts not in our grade level expectations.

I'll be sending updates throughout the year and once I have the meeting dates nailed down, I'll send that to you too. Your presence is always welcomed.