Thoughts on Mathematics 2

Continuation of Mathematics

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas

The limit of our school year will soon be reached.  The time has come to do an evaluation of the material we have reviewed with our students throughout the year.  This evaluation will allow students to know how their understanding of what they have learned measures in accuracy and competency.  The same evaluation will also allow educators to know how the material they have presented for their students to learn has been understood with both accuracy and competency.  It is important for teachers and students to do a thorough evaluation of the learning that has taken place before the limit of the school year is reached.

Mathematics

Having established a number system, having studied this number system, and having observed the patterns that emerge as numbers in this system are studied, will help us to establish a solid foundation upon which to build our study of mathematics.  With a solid foundation having been established, we can then continue on to the further development of mathematics.  We can begin to apply numeric concepts to help us study and understand from simple to complex systems.

Continuation of Mathematics

The introduction of students to mathematics is covered in three areas: Arithmetic, Algebra, and Geometry.  These three areas are the first building blocks that students should master when they begin to study mathematics.  Students who have demonstrated understanding and can show competency in these three areas should be encouraged to continue their study of mathematics by learning subjects such as Trigonometry, Analysis, Statistics, and Calculus.

Mathematics has the characteristic of reaching across many areas of instruction, fields of study, professional careers, and it is internationally know.  The study of mathematics provides students the skills and abilities to organize their thoughts so they may solve problems that can challenge our lives.  As students are introduced to mathematics, they should also be encouraged to continue the study of this universal, cultural, cross-curricular, multifaceted area of their educational development.

From early on in their educational lives, we as educators should establish an interest in our students to study mathematics.  Our students should be encouraged to continually develop and expand their understanding of the subject areas which make up the subject matter contained in mathematics.  From learning to count with our fingers, to using our fingers for the design and development of tools and machinery, from adding and subtracting to differentiating and approximating, from basic skills to complex interactions, mathematics will forever remain as one of the fundamental areas in our education.

Copyright 2013.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Implementing and Improving Education Plans (Part 2)

Education Plan Improvement

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas

When an education plan is implemented it becomes active.  An education plan that becomes active should allow an educator to take a thought, idea, standard, or concept, and be able to successfully instruct students.  Education plans are a good and useful tool for educators to create.  When an education plan is implemented, it can be good and successful, bad and unsuccessful, or somewhere in between. Three steps to take when improving an education plan are making observations, collecting data, and analyzing the plan.

Observations

We gather information while making observations.  Many of the observations that we gather can be auditory, visual, or tactile, while others can be expressive of emotions and passions, as well as a feeling of understanding the knowledge that has been learned.  Observations are the beginning points of data collection.  Observations should be collected as data so that they may be analyzed.

Data Collection

What we educate on should be learned by the student.  The student collects the education we are instructing them on and learn from it.  We then must collect from the students what they have learned and what they have been instructed on.  There are may tools that we can use to collect data like: homework, quiz, test, project, presentation, etc.  The data we collect should be on a measurable scale, as needed for recording and storing, as well as analyzing.

Analysis

Analyze all observations and data collected, and make your own conclusions, then present them to others and seek their council.  Analyze with others and collaborate so that education plans improve.  Analysis should be done periodically, and for specified purposes.  All analysis should be measurable on a fair and balanced scale. 

Improving education plans should take place as it is been implemented.  For as long as we plan to implement the education plan, we should do our best to improve it.  Improving education plans allows educators to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the student's learning.  We can improve an education plan by making observations, collecting data, and analyzing the education plan that has been implemented.  By improving the education plan, as we are implementing it, we can have the opportunity to improve the plan and make it more efficient for the instructing of our students.

Copyright 2013.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Ethnic: The Culture SubGroup

"Ethnic: The Culture Sub-Group"

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas

 Is it a place? or beliefs? Is it the place where our beliefs originated from, or the place where our beliefs are taking place?  Defining ethnicity is complex, but it is worth defining, for it is an important part of us.  Of how we define ourselves, how we identify ourselves, and how we accept to be identified, or defined as.  Geographically we have defined areas like Africa, Asia, Europe, and The Americas, and politically we have defined countries like Kenya, China, Germany, and The United States of America, where there are ethnic groups, and cultural groups, who will adhere to a place, or beliefs, or a place where beliefs originated from.

In the State of California, in the United States of America, the major ethnic groups are: African-American, Asian, Latino/Hispanic, and White.  These are the major groups, and do not represent all ethnic groups in the state.  Each of these four major groups has been defined based on geographical, cultural, and ethnic characteristics that individuals in each group believe best identify them ethnically.  Once students have been identified by ethnic group, academic achievement can be measured, and differences in performance can be analyzed.  The overall purpose of using ethnicity as a tool for measuring academic performance should be to obtain equality in education, not to establish academic superiority.

Copyright 2012, MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

2012 CA API Results (Target)

2012 California Academic Performance Index Results by State Target (800pts)

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas

The State of California has set an Academic Performance Index of 800 points as the standard that students must meet.  In California, students should meet or exceed the target score of 800 points to achieve the set State standard.  Illustrated below is the subgroup results in comparison to the state target of 800 points. Students identified as Asian score the highest with 105 points above the state target, while students identified as Disabled score the lowest with 193 points below the state target.  California students score 12 points below the state target for the 2012 year.

• California has set 800 as the target score that students must meet.
• As a whole, California Students score 12 points below State Target.
• Students with Disabilities score 193 points below State Target.
• Two subgroups score above the State Target:
• Asian ( 105 points above target)
• White ( 53 points above the target)
• Four subgroups score between 100 and 50 points below the State Target:
• African American ( 90 points below target)
• English Language Learner ( 84 points below target)
• Socio-Economically Disadvantaged ( 63 points below target)
• Latino ( 60 points below target )
• 298 point achievement gap
• Largest between two subgroups
• 105 points above the target (Asian)
• 193 points below the target (Disabled)
• 3 point gap achievement gap
• Closest between two subgroups
• 60 points below the target (Latino)
• 63 points below the target (Socio-Economically Disadvantaged)

Copyright 2012 MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

2012 CA API Results (Ranking)

2012 California Academic Performance Index Results by Subgroup Score Ranking

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas

This analysis of the 2012 California Academic Performance Index ranks scores by subgroups and compares them to the subgroup with the highest overall score.  In 2012 the subgroup with the highest overall score is students identified as Asian with a score of 905 points.  Students identified as Asian rank 1st as a subgroup in overall score.  All other subgroups have a score that falls below the score of 905 points that Asian students achieved in the 2012 CA API.

• The highest API score was achieved by Asian Students with 905 points.
• When compared to Asian Students:
• Students with Disabilities have an achievement gap of -298 points.
• African American Students have an achievement gap of -195 points.
• English Language Learners have an achievement gap of -189 points
• Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Students have an achievement gap of -168 points.
• Latino Students have an achievement gap of -165 points.
• California students, as a whole, have an achievement gap of -117 points.
• White Students have an achievement gap of -52 points.
•  The Asian student population is composed of students who are in the Disabled, English Language Learners, and Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Subgroups.
• Asian students are within 100 points of the maximum API score of 1000 points.

Copyright 2012 MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

2012 CA API Results (Score)

2012 California Academic Performance Index Results

by Subgroup Score

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas

All California student subgroups showed a higher score when compared to 2011 results. The state as a whole is closing in on the State Mark of 800.  It could be possible for California Students, as a whole, to meet the State Mark of 800 within two years (by 2014) if growth trends continue amongst all subgroups. There is more growth that can be achieved by all students, with the largest growth possible in the lowest performing subgroup of Students with Disabilities.  Students, parents, teachers, administrators, and educators have benefited over the years with a further understanding of the API's implementation and assessment through training and experience.

Analysis of 2012 CA API Results

• The subgroup with the highest score is students identified as Asian with a score of 905.
• Two subgroups have a score above the State Mark of 800 (Asian-905, White-853).
• Four subgroups have a score within a 30 point range:
• Latino - 740
• Socio-Economically Disadvantaged - 737
• English Language Learners - 716
• African American - 710
• Five subgroups have a score 50 points below the State Mark of 800:
• Latino - 740
• Socio-Economically Disadvantaged - 737
• English Language Learners - 716
• African American - 710
• Students with Disabilities - 607
• The Performance gap between highest and lowest score by subgroup is 298 points.
• Asian - 905
• Students with Disabilities - 607
• All of CA student scores (788) are 12 points below the State Mark of 800.

Copyright 2012 MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved

2012 CA API RESULTS (Growth)

2012 California Academic Performance Index Results

Growth by Subgroup Analysis

By: Manuel R. CortezRodas

The 2012 California Academic Performance Index growth by subgroup are as follows:

• By Race/Culture
• Asian (+7pts)
• White (+8pts)
• Latino(+10pts)
• African American (+14pts)
• By Classification
• English Language Learner (+10pts)
• Socio-Economically Disadvantaged (+11pts)
• Disabled Students (+14pts)
• Overall
• CA Student growth +10pts.

Analysis of the 2012 CA API Growth by subgroup:

• Highest growth:
• Obtained by African Americans and Students with Disabilities.
• Each Subgroup demonstrated a 14 point growth.
• These two Subgroups are still performing well below the State requirement.

• Lowest Growth
• Obtained by Asian students.
• Subgroup demonstrated a 7 point growth.
• This Subgroup has the highest performance well above State requirements.

• Overall
• All 8 major Subgroups demonstrated positive growth.
• 6 Subgroups demonstrated a growth of 10 points.

Copyright 2012 MRCR Educational Consulting Firm, All Rights Reserved

Educational Monthly Planning (Part 4)

“Educational Monthly Planning: Complete the Journey”

 By: Manuel R. CortezRodas

            Educational Monthly Planning should have us: Take a Step, Look at the Time, Take a Stride, and Complete the Journey.  The final step of “Completing the Journey” should have us analyze the educational path that we have traveled so far.  Where we were with that “One Step”, and how we have come to be where we are.  When and how much time we have selected for planning, and what measuring units we are going use to measure educational time.

Analysis of educational monthly planning should have a measure of one educational month.  Look back at the path that has been taken in the educational journey and analyze it.  Has it been up hill, or down hill? Has it been a long or short journey? How many turns have been taken? Have there been places along the path were it was necessary to stop, pause and rest?  Although the analysis should have a measure of one educational month, by implementing weekly and daily analysis of how students are doing in their educational path, a better journey can be planned, and it would give a chance for all to have a positive educational experience.

 Copyright 2012 MRCR™ Educational Consulting Firm. All Rights Reserved.