CTM Summary
The NWABSD and University of Alaska Fairbanks are currently involved in the third year of collaborative efforts to improve the quality of teaching and learning mathematics in the region-Collaborative Teaching and Mentoring program
The collaborative teaching and mentoring model (CTM) is a concurrent enrollment delivery model of high school mathematics students aligned with preparatory-level college math courses, successfully transitioning students to college-level math, especially advantageous for rural students in Alaska.
Students enrolled in the courses are not only exposed to pace, rigor and expectations of university but also obtain firsthand experience of college operations, services and have access to the educational and technology resources of the University of Alaska. The lectures are delivered synchronously to the village classrooms via web-conference that allows students and teachers to be engaged in highly interactive and supportive learning environment.
The innovative collaborative teaching approach employed by this model allows a college faculty member to work collaboratively with high school mathematics teachers to design and deliver a typical one-semester, college preparatory mathematics courses such as Elementary Intermediate Algebra, College Algebra and Pre-Calculus to high school students in rural Alaska.
The model provides students with all advantages to complete their four-year mathematics sequence concurrently with obtaining credit for equivalent college level work and provide secondary teachers with support.
For the last two years more than 100 NWABSD students and 7 teachers were engaged in the CTM program activities. While students have improved their math skills and knowledge they were exposed by true university course environment with its rigor, pace and expectations making significant step towards the future success beyond their high school experience. The CTM teachers gained valuable experiences of productive teamwork in highly supportive and professionally stimulating environment.
We look forward to continue working with new cohort of students and new and continuing teachers from NWABSD in the spring of 2014.
Linda Saito, Assistant Superintendent NWABSD
Victor Zinger, CTM Program Coordinator, UAF
