Teacher Training

Exhibit N

Odyssey Intervention Professional Development Package Description

124 teachers will receive training (62 in year 1 and 62 in year 2) for 2 days in the Summer and 4 additional days during the school year

Compass staff developed the training schedule to provide a mix of group-based professional development and coaching in a job-embedded environment.

Overview

A just-in-time training approach will be used to provide:

• 2 summer days of training (i.e., just prior to implementation) that focus on software management and logistics

• 1 follow-up training after about 6 weeks that again focuses on software management, logistics and start-up problems

• 1 January training on differentiated instruction

• 3 to 4 individualized, job embedded coaching session that last about 2 hours, from January to May ~ 2 days

Details

The two days of summer training will focus on showing teachers how to operate and navigate the Odyssey® Math system. Teachers should get a full review of how the software works. That is, they will learn how to use the assessment system, assign curricula components to students, and get a sense of how it can be used to meet state standards. Hence, this will be state-specific training. The overall goal of the introductory training will be to ensure that teachers will be able to implement the Odyssey package at the beginning of the school year.

In keeping with a just-in-time training approach, teachers will get a third day of system management training after about six weeks of implementation (i.e., in October). In addition to reviewing properties of the software package, teachers will have a chance to troubleshoot problems they have been experiencing, begin to learn about differentiated instruction (more on this below), and utilize high-stakes assessment data to determine skill gaps.

In January, a fourth day of training will focus on principles of differentiated instruction. This will focus more on pedagogical approaches that are congruent with Compass’ philosophy. It assumes teachers have basic competencies with the software and thus is presented after software management and logistical issues have been addressed. Exercises will include:

• Experience an integrated Math lesson that combines technology, off-line resources and literature

• Be provided a contextual experience

• Overview the scope and sequence of Odyssey Math Understand each of the NCTM standards

• Understand how each of these standards can be supported by the Odyssey Math curriculum

Finally, three to four job-embedded modeling training sessions, which are individualized and last about two hours and will be scheduled if needed. These will occur between January and the end of the academic year (to be completed prior to post testing). This coaching will provide real-time implementation support and Compass’ perspective on best practices.