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Teaching Math The training I received from the Fellows program prepared me to be successful in facing the challenge of teaching students often years behind where they should be in ninth grade math. The Training Institute gave me hands-on experience teaching math to my summer school classes, and the training curriculum prepared me to plan lessons that meet the needs of a huge range of levels in each period I teach. It is because I am a Fellow that I can be a successful math teacher in my first year at a high-need school. Oakland Teaching Fellows teach math at the secondary level in classes ranging from sixth through twelfth grade. In high school, most Fellows teach algebra I or II or geometry. In middle school, most Fellows teach lessons grounded in number sense, pre-algebra and algebra, basic geometry, and statistics and probability. Fellows are charged with ensuring their students master the content knowledge for their particular grade level according to the California State Standards. Moreover, math Fellows can make an immediate difference in ensuring that their students acquire the skills necessary to succeed in school and in life. Fellows who teach math bring experience that allows them to become successful teachers in their first year and to only increase their impact in the years to come. Fellows deliver exciting, hands-on lessons that tie mathematical theories and concepts to real-world applications and professions.
Fellows who teach math have the ability to impact the lives of the students that they teach and to support their students' opportunities to attend college. In order to attend a public university in California, students need at least three years of high-school math; currently just 10% of Oakland's ninth graders meet the basic requirements for admission to a UC or CSU school*. As the job market becomes increasingly competitive, students need mathematical skills now more than ever to be successful in their careers and lives. Oakland Teaching Fellows receive specialized training which focuses on leveraging prior experiences to translate previous successes into future classroom success. Training courses cover teaching pedagogy, and include topics such as lesson planning and delivery, long-term planning, and research-based High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS). In addition, Fellows may attend specific workshops on Oakland curricula they will likely use in their fall teaching assignments and on using math games and other resources to successfully communicate concepts while holding student attention. During the first two years of teaching, Fellows build their knowledge base through credentialing courses grounded in best teaching practices for the math classroom. Fellows also attend professional development events coordinated by the Oakland Teaching Fellows program- and have the chance to reach out to other math teachers in the Fellows program to share challenges and best practices. Focus areas include appropriately assessing student achievement levels, designing lessons to meet their varying needs, preparing students to pass the California High School Exit Exam (CaHSEE), investing families in math instruction and assignments, and designing lessons driven by student discovery. At their school sites, Fellows often report a high level of collaboration between department members. Fellows attend weekly and monthly professional development sessions led or coordinated by the math department chair at their school or the district-wide Instructional Services Department. The need for dedicated math teachers is real; applying to Oakland Teaching Fellows to teach math can start a career that will truly make an impact. ____________________________ |
