1. Math Help Services at
Howard S. Billings
Regional High School
Year 2
"The school-wide implementation of Math Help
Services has contributed to another significant increase
in Mathematics success rates inYear 2"
A report on school observations and overall results in
Mathematics courses required for certification of
secondary studies after two years of implementation
Gary S. Tennant, B.Ed, M.A.
Principal
December 15, 2014
MATH HELP SERVICES AT HSB 1

2. Rationale
As a school, we have been striving to develop strategies to improve our teaching
practice, increase student learning and promote greater student success in general. The
development and implementation of our school's Management and Educational Success
Agreement has given us this opportunity; the primary goal being to increase the school's
graduation rate (Grade 10 Mathematics is a prerequisite
course required for the certification of studies in Quebec in
order to graduate from secondary school).
Our Mathematics team has prioritized the integration of
technology in classroom practice, and formative
assessment/feedback, as major strategies to improve
students' success in Mathematics. Generally, we have also
been investigating methods and tools to increase student
engagement, specifically in Mathematics. The team chose
student success rates in Grade 10 Mathematics as indicators, so as to reflect on our strategies
and accurately measure success in the course, as well as obtaining a graduation prerequisite.
Key Implementation Strategies - Year 2
There were some key strategies and factors, associated with the use of Math Help
Services (MHS) that influenced our success for a second year. The strategies employed by the
school's administration were as follows:
• An active role was assumed to sustain the initiative and maintain the motivation to
succeed using this tool among others;
• Teachers were engaged regularly in conversation
regarding the effectiveness of the service;
• The School Principal acted as a liaison between the
service provider and the teachers whenever there was
technical or pedagogical issues;
• Opportunities for communication between
teachers and the service provider to address and solve
any issues;
MATH HELP SERVICES AT HSB 2

3. • The Mathematics Department Head and School Principal organized periodic visits
from the MHS team to personally exchange feedback and expand teachers' use, if
necessary;
• The Mathematics Department Head helped colleagues with use of the service and
troubleshot with the MHS team to improve the user experience;
• The MHS team worked with the Mathematics department's feedback to improve the
content and organization of the software, on an ongoing basis throughout the school year;
• Teachers understood that MHS was an effective tool (among others) in increasing the
likelihood of their students' success;
• A shared decision-making model was employed with teachers to decide the
appropriateness and frequency of use with students - teachers' professional knowledge,
experience and autonomy was always respected;
• Depending on the students, teacher, and topic, teacher use ranged from exclusive to
complementary.
Observations & Feedback - Year 2
Generally, teachers increased their use of Math
Help Services in Year 2. Differentiation of instruction and
evaluation for students became increasingly popular as
the software permitted students to request additional or
different assignments. Teachers were able to focus on
students' weaknesses in content. The communication
with parents has increased with the use of MHS. Parents and students enjoy the immediate,
regular feedback and notification of completion and mark for assignments. Teachers were
major proponents of the communication aspect of MHS, as there was an ongoing record of
their efforts to be clear and transparent with students and parents. The MHS team was
present at this year's Curriculum Evening, in early September, to introduce the service to new
parents/students and answer any questions from our school community.
MATH HELP SERVICES AT HSB 3

4. Results - Year 2
As mentioned in the rationale for implementation, we chose to measure and assess the
results of our Grade 10 CST Mathematics (regular) and Grade 10 SN Mathematics (advanced)
courses, given that these courses have a uniform ministry/state examination and the results
are issued by the ministry/state, based on their school mark and their uniform examination
mark. These courses, being required for graduation from secondary school, are generally the
most meaningful to students when obtaining certification of studies for secondary school.
Math Help Services software was introduced at HSB in August of the 2012-13 school year*.
The results are as follows:
Success Rate /
Courses
Grade 10 CST Mathematics
(regular)
Grade 10 SN Mathematics
(advanced)
Combined
Success Rate 2011-12
(> or = 60%)
57% 91% 62%
Success Rate 2012-13*
(> or = 60%)
67% 96% 75%
Success Rate 2013-14
(> or = 60%)
72% 96% 78%
MATH HELP SERVICES AT HSB 4
2011-12 2012-13 2013-14

5. We were once again very encouraged and thrilled by our efforts to positively impact student
results. We feel we are close to reaching an optimal level of student performance in
Mathematics, given our student population. In particular, we have been closing the
achievement gap where students with special needs are concerned. MHS was an integral part
of this success providing students and teachers with the opportunity to succeed through
differentiation, repetition and access. School resources (material, human and financial), were
made available to sustain the program. It is important to mention that the School Principal, in
collaboration with the Mathematics Department Head, played a key, active role in the
implementation of the program, as well as school organization and a participative leadership
style. The positive results, for a second year, have increased the reliability and validity of data
to confirm the success of MHS in this case study. Once optimal levels of teacher and student
performance have been reached, it will be our mission to ensure that effective teaching and
learning tools continue to be available.
Math Help Services & Trends in Teaching / Learning*
Student-Driven Learning
Math Help Services will be an integral part of our efforts to engage students in their
learning, in the present and future. Students identifying and tracking their own strengths and
weaknesses is gaining ground in schools. Students are now establishing their own goals for
the day and updating their progress—instead of leaving the task to the teacher. “Having
some control over their own learning gives them a great deal of self confidence,” states Helen
Soule, Executive Director, Partnership for 21st Century Skills. “It also helps students grow in
terms of being self-aware about what their strengths and weaknesses are.” Improvements in
technology and a growing recognition that not all children can learn in the same way, will
drive big growth in differentiated instruction in 2015.
Greater Individual Attention
Online and blended learning opportunities, flipped classrooms and instructional videos
will allow teachers to work with students on a more individual basis, Soule says. This will be
especially true in schools with Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs. In a class of 30
students with 30 devices, every student can be working on a different task or assignment.
Such technologies will also make the classroom more of a 24/7 experience in 2015 and
MATH HELP SERVICES AT HSB 5

6. beyond, Soule predicts. MHS offers students the opportunity to spent time on digital learning
outside of regular class hours, with immediate formative feedback.
Differentiated Instruction
Forget about data-driven instruction and instead look for an increase in “data-
informed” instruction in 2015, says Vanderbilt University professor, Barbara Stengel. With
data-informed instruction, teachers use data not to just look at what is wrong, but how and
why it’s wrong. They then use that information and feedback, not as a basis for what subjects
to teach more of, but for what to teach differently and adjust their instruction. MHS provides
teachers with a tool to more effectively differentiate instruction in Mathematics using student
results and data.
“You go beyond the data,” Stengel says. “The data is a flag that says, ‘Look here.’ And
then you have to go beyond that and look at student work or student thinking.” Math Help
Services provides the data and opportunity for teachers and students to take ownership for
their teaching and learning, with this comes greater innovation and risk-taking, on the part of
the teacher and student, improving individual results/success, as well as those of the school
at large.
* (http://www.districtadministration.com/article/outlook-instruction-class-around-clock, 2014).
Gary S. Tennant
MATH HELP SERVICES AT HSB 6