Thank you for your interest in the VisTe PD. Here are more details about the program:  

  • Focus on argumentation and 4 other math practices 
  • 2 years of PD for teachers and their math coaches (starting summer 2022)        
    • 5-day summer workshop for teachers and coaches 
    • Extra days for coaches only  
    • Teachers and coaches are paid for this PD  
  • Coaches and teachers use the VisTe coaching cycle during the year, at least 4 times. 
  • Teachers use specially adapted lessons from Illustrative Math, for those 4 cycles (total of 4 lessons) 
  • Video based coaching and feedback; 
    • Each school gets a SWIVL for teachers to video record each of those 4 lessons (each teacher controls access to their own videos). 
    • Coach and teacher reflect on the video together using a specially designed research-based Discussion Guide. 
    • Coach/teacher sessions are video-recorded and coaches get feedback from VisTe staff. 
    • Special feature: Visualization planning where coach helps teacher envision what may actually happen during class at a detailed level, including when students’ responses may differ.  
  • Equity focus:  
    • Discussion guide includes “3 pillars of equity” in teaching, derived from research 
    • Mathematical Argumentation in Middle School book, based on 10 years of research by VisTe leaders, includes special sections on “Access for All” 
    • Choosing to See: A framework for educational equity. Seda and Brown. Many concrete actions to take in this book.  
  • Research project—NSF funded 
    • Participate in data collection  
      • Videos from classroom 
      • Student performance assessment (twice, 1 period long) 
      • District test data 
      • Teacher and coaches interviews and content assessments (Participants paid for extra time to do these)