BOCES a math resource for a small school district

On Board Online • December 15, 2014

By George Basler
Special Correspondent

When New York State adopted the Common Core math standards, leaders of the 500-student Sherman Central School District in Chautauqua County knew teachers would need support and training.

But Superintendent Kaine Kelly knew he did not have staff trained to "unpack the standards" and explain how classroom teachers could make the transition. So the district established a close relationship with Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES to provide some help, he said.

Instructional support specialists from BOCES became familiar faces when Sherman contracted for staff development services from BOCES and created a professional development schedule.

One advantage of being a small district is that information sharing is easier, Kelly said. "In a small school, change can happen fast. You have less people who need to buy-in, and less area to cover."

The district also used its own teacher leaders to help implement the new standards. Chad Goldberg, a sixth grade math specialist, became a main resource, Kelly said.

As part of his work, Goldberg took the new instructional modules and translated them into calendar form so teachers could see how this instruction could fit into the school year.

Goldberg called his document "a road map" to take teachers through the modules so they "can take a breath after each standard is met and feel a sense of accomplishment."

Sherman also sent some teachers to monthly content forums, called Communities of Practice, started by Erie 2 BOCES. These teachers come back to the district to share what they learned with other teachers, both formally and informally.

"We told our teachers to use the modules as a base, but feel free to adapt the instruction to meet the needs of students," Kelly said. The district gave teachers time during superintendent's conference days and workshops to work through the new standards and instructional models.

The new standards were a bit overwhelming at first, said Julie Solinger, a third grade teacher, who has been in the district for nine years. But now, in the second year of implementation, she is becoming more comfortable. She's also seeing students adapt to the new standards.

"Kids are getting concepts rather than rote math," she said. "They're learning and understanding."