ROOT - Researching Order of Teaching

Each year, ROOT teachers will choose 3 lessons that illustrate what they each consider to be effective math instruction in their context. Please see the Lesson Submission Guidelines, then use the Lesson Submission Form to upload artifacts.

ROOT staff will provide you shared equipment for recording classroom video. See Using Swivl for details.

• Payment #1, $450, after 3 lesson submissions, ~ 1 month after submission
• Payment #2, $300, after completing Spring Modules, ~ Apr 3
• Payment #3, $750, after completing Summer Institute, ~ July 31

As a research project, we need informed consent of parents/guardians of students who may be video recorded as part of teachers’ lesson submissions. If you know which class(es) you’ll choose to record, then you can skip the permission slips in your other classes. Email rmc-root@boisestate.edu for more information, including online, printable, and Spanish-language versions of the permission form.

Please submit the brief ROOT Application form. The deadline for priority selection was September 30, 2019.

Teachers will participate in PD activities (see timeline), select and utilize sequences of research based instructional practices in their classroom, and continue with the project for all 3 years.

Partnered schools will encourage teacher participation, administer the mid-year math assessment, and submit student math assessment data (within the data security protocols).

Teachers will receive a stipend each year of participation: $1500 for year 1, $2000 for year 2, and $2500 in year 3.

No, thought we prioritize schools with at least half of eligible teachers participating.

No, teachers will utilize teaching strategies designed for any curriculum

The project is meant to support, not replace, teachers’ existing efforts to innovate.

During selection, we’ll generally need to prioritize teachers who can meet all the commitments. However, we understand conflicts will come up for many, so please go ahead and apply (making a note of your conflicting commitments). If selected, we’ll work with you to make up any missed meetings.

No, the ROOT project will not require you to miss any days throughout the school year.  During the first year, teacher participants will attend three Saturday meetings (Feb. 1st, Feb. 22nd, Mar. 14th, 2020) and a Summer Institute (June 22nd – June 25th, 2020). In subsequent years, Regional Math Specialists may visit you during your regular work day, and we’ll meet annually for 4-day Summer Institutes.

• After Aug/Sept Virtual Module (due Nov 1), $375
• Teaching Study (due January, $625 stipend)
  • 2-3 weeks, implemented with support from your RMS
• PD Meetings (Winter, $375 stipend)
  • (hopefully in person!) interpret results from Fall, plan for Spring
• Group Teaching Study (Spring, $625 stipend)
  • 2-4 weeks, implemented with a small group of ROOT colleagues 
• Summer Institute (June, $750 stipend)
  • Decide on “promising” strategies, plan for 2021-22 activities