University of Haifa will establish a national network of professional communities for advanced-level mathematics teachers, operated by highly valued master teachers
Advanced level mathematics teachers face similar challenges, however they rarely collaborate with each other, and typically refrain from participating in professional development workshops. In other countries and in other subject areas in Israel, teacher isolation is curtailed by engaging them in professional learning communities, in which they share their knowhow, consult with peers and improve their practice. Successful teacher communities are those that focus on student learning, thinking and difficulties, that are led by master teachers, and that use documentation of teaching and learning.In trying to address this issue, The Trump Foundation approved a planning grant to the National Center for Mathematics Teachers at the University of Haifa. Focus groups conducted as part of this study revealed that mathematics teachers of the advanced track are preoccupied with how to adjust their practice to the new demands of the curriculum, which now requires students to demonstrate advanced reasoning, retrieval, as well as transfer and application skills. The teachers also reported on isolated working conditions and on their need of professional support.
Following the consultation with teachers and with the Weizmann Institute that operates communities of practice for physics teachers, the University of Haifa is now proposing a multiyear plan. At the core of the program are professional communities of teachers, operated by highly valued master teachers, who will be carefully selected and trained for this job. The common goal of these communities would be to help teachers improve their practice, in a way which would directly lead to an increase in the number of students who choose, persevere with, and succeed in their studies.
At the first phase, 10-12 excellent teachers will be trained to establish six ‘pioneer’ local communities. In a second stage, an additional 20 master teachers will be trained by the first cohort, in order to establish another 10 communities, reaching a total of 300 teachers across Israel. The center will offer additional services for mathematics teachers nation-wide, including, a special website with content, tools and information; as well as seminars, lectures and a hotline for new teachers.
In addition to their direct contribution to student learning, we aim that mathematics teacher communities will serve as a vehicle for teachers to offer ideas and initiatives to the foundation, to the research community and to the Ministry of Education, vice versa.