Learning and Teaching go together!

For the past four years I have been working as a math coach and interventionist with students in the most diverse elementary school in Maine. With over 50% of of our students being English Language Learners and over 85% living in poverty, being successful in mathematics can be a challenge. Many of our students are refugees who have lived traumatic lives and have had interrupted education. Meeting the social and emotional needs of a large portion of our students is a continuous and vital part of the job before I even have the opportunity to get to the math.

I worry that students are not as successful as they could be when it comes to mathematics and problem-solving. Less than 40% of our students meet or exceed the standards on state math assessments. What could I do better? What are countries like Japan, Taiwan and Singapore doing differently? In 2016, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) released global rankings on student performance in mathematics. Japan was in the top five and the U.S. was 35th. I would like to see, first hand, what Japanese schools do differently to not only engage students but support them in becoming more successful in mathematics.

I am committed to not only teaching students mathematics but to inspiring them to become excited about problem-solving and all that mathematics has to offer. I want to provide authentic and rich learning experiences that will motivate my students to improve their math skills and understandings. By incorporating real-world problems that connect to the interests and diverse backgrounds of my students, my hope is that they not only develop mathematical and problem-solving skills, but become successful in math.

While researching why Japanese schools are successful teaching mathematics, I came upon articles and research about Japanese Lesson Study. This is a professional development model where teachers work collaboratively to better meet the needs and interests of students. My proposed project is to attend a 10 day Lesson Study Immersion Program in Japan in June of 2019.  Project IMPULS-Alliance Lesson Study Immersion Program offers leaders of lesson study a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in authentic mathematics Lesson Study in Japan. Participants observe several mathematics lessons, developed through Lesson Study in elementary and secondary schools, and participate in live post-lesson discussions. All research lessons and post-lesson discussions will be simultaneously translated into English by experts of mathematics teaching and learning. In addition, participants will have opportunities to interact with teachers from around the world, students, and education professors from schools in Japan. 

My hope is by participating in this program, it will give me insights and experiences with how math is supported and taught in an area of the world that continually ranks in the top five when it comes to mathematics. Japanese Lesson Study, where teachers plan, observe and learn together, is the model I am most interested in. I'm hoping that through this experience, I will bring a new approach to teaching a subject I am passionate about and will also bring what I learn to the teachers within my school by implementing Lesson Study as a coach and co-teacher.

The tuition cost to participate is $3,500 (which includes lodging etc. for 11 days) and I'd love some help with that part. I plan on taking care of the flight and have an opportunity to visit with a teacher in Kyoto so will head there for a few days before coming back to the States. 

I know there are so many places you can put your money. My hope is that if friends and family each give a little, all totaled it will add up to a lot. Any help in reaching my goal would be so appreciated.