Overview
UT Math SPIRAL uses a math professional learning-coaching model to focus its efforts on Austin Independent School District educators, with the goal of accelerating math gains for all students postpandemic. SPIRAL supports educators of fourth- and fifth-grade students who experience math difficulty.
Purpose
We work collaboratively with these educators to
- increase their use of evidence-based practices and interventions,
- improve their implementation effectiveness of small-group math intervention, and
- accelerate postpandemic math gains for their students with or at risk for disabilities.
Procedures
SPIRAL educators participate in a yearlong professional learning-coaching model including four professional learning sessions. A math coaching cycle, including two individualized coaching sessions, follows each professional learning series.
Participants
Educators of fourth- and fifth-grade students who experience math difficulty. These educators include special education teachers, general education teachers, math specialists, interventionists, and paraprofessionals.
Outcomes
SPIRAL has demonstrated the importance of optimizing professional learning-coaching partnerships to improve educator pedagogical (i.e., teaching) skill in mathematics. SPIRAL educators showed improved confidence, frequency, and understanding of instructional and assessment practices, teaching word-problem solving, using multiple representations, and implementing data-based individualization. Teachers also demonstrated improved understanding of culturally responsive instructional practices. These findings hold implications for students who experience math difficulty.