School Improvement in Maryland
The Maryland Model for School Readiness
Staff Development Syllabus

Mathematics Module
Refined Spring 2001

The Maryland Model for School Readiness (MMSR) is a school readiness framework designed to support teachers to improve assessment and instruction that support young children's readiness for school. In order to implement the MMSR effectively, teachers of young children receive intensive staff development.

This two-day workshop was created as an MMSR Mathematics Summer Institute that has been funded for several years through a grant from the Mid-Atlantic Eisenhower Consortium for professional development. The workshop has been specifically designed for kindergarten teachers because the focus is on the Primary Outcomes and Indicators for mathematical thinking that are included in the dimension of Cognition and General Knowledge.

The Outcomes of the Mathematics Modules are:

Module I

  • Understanding the MMSR Outcomes and Indicators for Mathematical Thinking and Their Relationship to Local Curriculum Expectations and The Work Sampling System (WSS) Performance Indicators

    Information about the alignment of the MMSR Outcomes and Indicators for mathematical thinking, Work Sampling System and local curriculum expectations is presented. Prior to the mathematics workshops, the participating local school systems are asked to complete the "Local School System Curriculum Expectations" column of the MMSR Planning Guide for mathematical thinking

  • Obtaining Ideas for Excellent Mathematics Activities Related to the Primary Outcomes and Indicators

    The focus is on creating a mathematical thinking community in the early childhood classroom. This is a community that promotes growth of a child's disposition to be a learner, to engage with mathematical thinking, and to recognize that there is a problem to solve. Through the use of videotaped vignettes and small and large group discussions, participants identify techniques and strategies for designing model learning experiences for children.

  • Developing Strategies for Designing Effective Mathematics Experiences for Kindergarten Children

    Participants are introduced to the Principles and Standards of School Mathematics, published by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics to inform what they know and believe about how young children construct their mathematical thinking and actively construct a variety of fundamentally important mathematical concepts and strategies from their everyday experiences in their classrooms that incorporate different strategies for engaging children and for promoting mathematical thinking.

  • Identifying Strategies for Linking Mathematics Instruction and Assessment

    Using the principles of documenting student learning through systematic observation from their first year of MMSR workshops, participants explore options that are available for linking their classroom instruction to authentic assessment. An emphasis is placed upon developing activities that have meaning in the students' lives and engage their interest.

    Module II

  • Developing Strategies for Incorporating Mathematical Thinking into Integrated Topics of Study

    A planning process is modeled for participants that focuses on how to plan a study, topic, or theme that promotes mathematical thinking within the context of other curricular areas as they relate to the MMSR Outcomes and Indicators for mathematical thinking. Participants work in teams to identify resources to plan and present mathematics investigations that have real-life applications for students.