Khan Academy Ed Talks with Fenesha Hubbard - Thursday, September 2

TL;DR

Fenesha Hubbard, professional learning design coordinator at NWEA, discusses professional learning for teachers and shares insights on supporting students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Transcript

• Hello, and welcome to "Ed Talks" with Khan Academy. I am excited today to be talking to Fenesha Hubbard who is with NWEA, one of our partner organizations that we'll talk more about in a minute, and she is the professional learning design coordinator. So I'm excited to talk to her about professional learning for teachers. Before we get started, I... Read More

Key Insights

• 🧑‍🎓 NWEA is a nonprofit organization that supports students and educators globally through various services like research, assessments, and professional learning.
• 🧑‍🎓 Students showed declines in math performance during the pandemic, particularly among students of color and in high poverty schools.
• 😷 Parents can support students in learning math by engaging in conversations, asking probing questions, and utilizing resources like Khan Academy.
• 😒 Teachers should assess unfinished learning, use formative assessments, and scaffold their instruction to meet the needs of students at different readiness levels.
• 🧑‍🎓 Technology, like the MAP Accelerator, can assist teachers by providing personalized learning paths for students based on their readiness levels and supporting individualized instruction.
• 🧑‍🎓 Creating a sense of community and promoting student discourse are important in engaging and motivating students in their math studies.
• 👣 Goal setting, short-term goals, and regular check-ins can keep students motivated and on track with their learning.

Questions & Answers

Q: What were the main findings of NWEA's research on learning during the COVID-19 pandemic?

NWEA's research highlighted declines in math performance among students, particularly students of color and in high poverty schools. Overall, gains were made during the pandemic, but students showed lower performance compared to previous trends.

Q: How can parents support students in learning math?

Parents can engage in conversations about math with their children, encouraging them to explain their thinking and asking probing questions. They can also utilize resources like Khan Academy for additional support.

Q: What challenges do teachers face in teaching math?

One of the main challenges teachers face is meeting the needs of students with different levels of readiness. Teachers must scaffold their instruction to support students at various levels, while still ensuring exposure to grade-level content.

Q: How can teachers address the learning gaps caused by interrupted learning during the pandemic?

Teachers can assess students' unfinished learning through assessments and formative assessment strategies. This helps identify areas where students may need additional support and informs instruction.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Fenesha Hubbard discusses NWEA's mission to support students and educators worldwide through research, assessments, policy, and advocacy services, professional learning, and school improvement services.

• NWEA conducted research during the pandemic and found that while gains were made, there were declines in math performance, primarily among students of color and in high poverty schools.

• Parents can support students in learning math by engaging in conversations about math, asking students to explain their thinking, and using resources like Khan Academy. Teachers should assess students' unfinished learning and use formative assessments to inform instruction.