Format
Individual Presentation
Location
Percival
Strand #1
Academic Achievement & School Leadership
Strand #2
Family & Community
Relevance
This presentation directly aligns with the “HEAD”: ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT & LEADERSHIP strand. In this proposal, an innovative after school program will be shared that allows university teacher candidates to earn course credit while providing low or no cost tutoring to children who are at-risk and underachieving in mathematics. The tutoring program is run entirely by a university personnel and university teacher candidates majoring in early childhood education and special education are provide all of the tutoring services. The dual purpose program develops both early childhood and special education teacher candidates’ ability to work with children who are at-risk and underachieving in mathematics while simultaneously providing kindergarten through sixth grade students with low or no cost mathematics tutoring. Unique to this program, the children enrolled in this program receive one-on-one and often two-on-one tutoring in mathematics from college seniors who are familiar with the developmentally appropriate instructional strategies and Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. Providing children, especially those living in high poverty conditions, this level of individualize support has significant potential in regards to closing achievement gaps. The university-community tutoring program is having a positive effect on the children being served and could easily be replicated.
Brief Program Description
The presentation will share how one university developed an innovative tutoring program that allows university teacher candidates to earn course credit while providing low or no cost tutoring to children who are at-risk and underachieving in mathematics. Program templates and recommendations for replicating will be shared. Any professional engaged in partnerships that support children who underachieve in mathematics should attend.
Summary
In this presentation, attendees will learn how one university developed a tutoring program that provides low to no cost tutoring to at-risk students enrolled in a Title I school system. The tutoring program entitled the “Math Lab” is part of undergraduate coursework taken by university teacher candidates and is component of a comprehensive community clinic housed in the university’s College of Education. University faculty and staff oversee the “Math Lab” and Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Special Education (SPED) teacher candidates in their senior year of their teacher preparation programs provide all of the tutoring services. The tutoring program has a dual purpose in that it develops the teacher candidates’ expertise in diagnosing and remediating students’ misconceptions in mathematics while also providing individualize tutoring to children who are at-risk and underachieving in mathematics. All children enrolled in the program receive two-on-one or one-on-one tutoring services. Whenever possible, a SPED tutor and ECE tutor are partnered to develop their collaborative teaching skills in conjunction with their mathematics remediation skills. Additionally, both SPED and ECE teacher candidates are provide opportunities to support the families of children at-risk and are asked to plan and implement a parent/guardian conference. These conferences are held the end of each semester and parents receive information on the progress made during the tutoring sessions as well as recommend activities for continued work at home. The “Math Lab” is currently offered both on the university campus and at a local Title I elementary school. Session participants will receive a detailed explanation of the program’s structure as well as “Math Lab” templates and course syllabi that can be adapted and used in replicating the program. Individuals who are engaged in school-university or campus-community partnerships that support children who are underachieving in mathematics are encouraged to attend.
Evidence
The “Math Lab” has proven to be an effective campus- community partnership program. The students who participated in this program have consistently demonstrated positive achievement gains on informal mathematics performance assessments. Aggregate student data on the gains made by P-5 students participating in the tutoring program will be shared.
Biographical Sketch
Jill Drake holds a Doctorate of Education degree from the University of Georgia and has 24 years of professional experience in the field of education. Since 2000, she has been on faculty as a mathematics education professor at University of West Georgia. Her professional experience includes undergraduate and graduate program administration, university, private, and public school teaching experience and over 10 years of experience as mathematics education consultant having worked in school systems throughout the southeast.
Laura Smith holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Elementary Education from the University of South Carolina and has 27 years of professional experience in the field of education. Her professional experience includes undergraduate and graduate program administration, university and public school teaching experience, and clinical supervision of pre-service and in-service teachers. Over the last 10 years, she has worked extensively in high-needs elementary schools developing university-school partnerships dedicated to increasing student learning and achievement.
Keyword Descriptors
After School Programs, University Partnerships, Mathematics Education, Student Acheivement
Presentation Year
2015
Start Date
3-3-2015 2:45 PM
End Date
3-3-2015 4:00 PM
Recommended Citation
Drake, Jill M. and Smith, Laura H., "Utilizing University – Community Partnerships to Promote Academic Success in the Mathematics" (2015). National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference. 213.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_savannah/2015/2015/213
Included in
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Disability and Equity in Education Commons, Educational Methods Commons, Science and Mathematics Education Commons
Utilizing University – Community Partnerships to Promote Academic Success in the Mathematics
Percival
The presentation will share how one university developed an innovative tutoring program that allows university teacher candidates to earn course credit while providing low or no cost tutoring to children who are at-risk and underachieving in mathematics. Program templates and recommendations for replicating will be shared. Any professional engaged in partnerships that support children who underachieve in mathematics should attend.
