Instructional Coaching in Mathematics: Researchers and Practitioners Learning from Each Other

A Teacher Professional Continuum Conference

Sponsored by the National Science Foundation

April 22-24, 2007 DoubleTree Guest Suites, Boston MA

Executive Summary of the Conference Report (Download PDF format)

Conference Report (Download PDF format)

The Division of Mathematics Learning and Teaching (MLT) at Education Development Center (EDC) hosted a three-day conference for a national audience of mathematics coaches, those who are researching instructional coaching in mathematics, and staff developers who train and support mathematics coaches.

The conference was a time for all three audiences to listen to and learn from each other:

  • coaches shared what is happening in the field
  • staff developers heard about emerging models of coaching
  • researchers shared the developing theories and knowledge base related to instructional coaching and teacher change

The conference allowed participants to connect to their coaching colleagues, hear information on promising practices, and learn of research that could shape and impact their work in the field.

It continued the work that MLT has done in mathematics staff development and instructional coaching and was a step toward building a community of inquiry, communication, and mutual support around instructional coaching in mathematics.

Featured presenters included:

  • Harold Asturias, director of the Center for Mathematics Excellence and Equity (CeMEE) at the Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California, Berkeley.  A member of the writing group for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Assessment Standards for School Mathematics, he has extensive experience providing professional development in both large urban areas (Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City) and smaller districts, especially for mathematics teachers of English Language Learners.
  • Cathy Carroll whose work at WestEd has focused on the use of videos to help develop effective facilitation in persons who are training staff developers.
  • Ellen Davidson, co-author of Lenses on Learning, a professional development program for those supervising and/or supporting teachers, whose work focuses on effective conferencing skills to increase a teacher’s pedagogical content knowledge
  • Mark Driscoll, Co-Director of the Center for Leadership and Learning Communities (CLLC) at EDC, who is currently working with mathematics coaches in New York City.
  • Kathy Dunne, who has served as Director of Professional Development for Learning Innovations at WestEd since 1996. She directs, manages and coordinates large-scale professional development and technical assistance efforts.
  • Stephanie Feger, whose work at the Education Alliance at Brown University has focused on the use of technology in providing professional development to mathematics coaches, teachers, and math specialists.
  • David Foster, Director of the Noyce Foundation’s Silicon Valley Math Initiative, one of the earliest reform initiatives to incorporate instructional coaching in mathematics
  • Marcia Foster, Director of Product Development at PBS TeacherLine.  She has experience in product development and product marketing, both inside the world of K-12 education and in general consumer-packaged goods.
  • Jane Gorman, a Senior Research Associate in the Mathematics Learning and Teaching Division of EDC, who incorporated coaching into the NSF-funded Lesson Study Communities in Secondary Mathematics project.
  • Loretta Heuer, Senior Research and Development Associate at the Center for Teaching and Learning, Education Development Center
  • John Holton, Unit Director of the South Carolina Mathematics and Science Coaching Initiative, a unique state-sponsored three-year model for training and supporting coaches.
  • Fran Hurley, Director of Research Development at Hezel Associates.  Dr. Hurley’s professional career spans three decades and has focused on supporting teachers, coaches, and school administrators to align curriculum and instruction both throughout North America and in developing nations.
  • Jim Knight, research associate at the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning, who is director of a district-wide school reform project led by instructional coaches in Topeka, Kansas middle and high schools and the author of Instructional Coaching and a co-author of Coaching Classroom Management.
  • Amy Morse, Project Director in EDC’s Center for the Development of Teaching, who works as a consultant to the Elementary Mathematics Department of the Boston Public Schools and is developing case studies based on the many layers of the coaches’ roles and experiences
  • Jonathan Supovitz, co-author of The Heart of the Matter: The Coaching Model in America’s Choice Schools, associate professor at the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania and senior researcher at the Consortium for Policy Research in Education, whose research focuses on leadership and program effectiveness related to teaching, learning, communities of instructional practice, and the link between professional development and student achievement.
  • Susan Villani, a Senior Program/Research Associate for WestEd's Learning Innovations, who specializes in designing and facilitating teacher and principal training. She works with schools, districts, education collaboratives, and departments of education to tailor program design and offerings to their specific needs.
  • Polly Wagner, a teacher with 17 years of experience in mixed age classrooms, has been a Kindergarten-8th grade Math Coach since 2000.  Polly has worked across Massachusetts, in both urban and rural schools.
  • Kristine Woleck, author and facilitator of online case-based seminars related to mathematics coaching, and co-author of "How to Develop a Coaching Eye," published in the journal of the National Staff Development Council.