Grant amount
NIS 335,000
Online Professional Learning Communities For Mathematics Teachers
Twelve Online Professional Learning Communities for 150 Tenth Grade Mathematics Teachers Who Teach the Five-Unit Classes Online
Twelve Online Professional Learning Communities for 150 Tenth Grade Mathematics Teachers Who Teach the Five-Unit Classes Online
In an internet-based questionnaire we conducted last week among 147 mathematics teachers, the majority raised their need to join professional learning communities of teachers who are now also teaching online. They said they are overwhelmed with marketing proposals to use a variety of online learning material and technological platforms of diverse quality. They indicated that they are struggling with managing their online lessons, engaging their students in learning, and monitoring and evaluating their progress.
In order to address these needs, and in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, we approached the Branco Weiss Institute. The Institute is a veteran partner of the foundation in creating school-based and regional communities of practice for mathematics teachers. At the outset of the current crisis, the Institute immediately created online services for teachers across the country, offering pedagogic and psychological advice.
Branco Weiss are proposing to create 12 online learning communities for tenth grade mathematics teachers who teach the five-unit track. A select cadre of 10 teacher leaders will lead the communities, encouraging the participating teachers to analyze together their practice, and provide them with group coaching. Lesson plans and sequencing proposals will be developed, focusing on two curricular themes: root function analysis and probability.
The plan is to set up two pilot communities in April, to do a test run and then to create additional 10 communities in May and June, reaching a total of 150 teachers in 120 schools. The Ministry of Education will dedicate its professional capacity to this project, including instructors and will provide the technology to allow for creating video-based materials by the teachers. The program will be closely evaluated so its lessons can be used to devise an adequate policy towards the coming school year.
* The text presented above shows the grant as approved by the Foundation Board / Grant 395