Key Components
Professional Development for Teachers, Leaders, and Higher
Education Faculty
SIAP provides intensive professional development to ensure that teacher practice and content knowledge enable every child to succeed in mathematics and related content areas. The program includes yearly for 3-5 years 1) a hands-on, two-week summer institute grounded in the Algebra Project pedagogy, mathematics content, and common core standards; 2) a series of academic-year institutes, content workshops, and classroom visits to strengthen implementation; 3) a week-long capacity-building institute and an internship with SIAP trainers for higher education faculty and teacher leaders to sustain the work beyond SIAP's on-site involvement; and 4) on-line coaching in a professional learning community with teachers from multiple sites.
Community and Site Development
SIAP connects schools and communities to surround children with strong supports and extended learning opportunities in out-of-school time. We partner with community- and faith-based groups; child and family agencies and advocates; and school-, district-, and state-level personnel in a Design Team process to
1) create a success-oriented expectation and climate for all children and especially for the most vulnerable
2) build and sustain out-of-school supports and extended learning opportunities to augment the work of schools
3) bridge gaps, structure or restructure relationships, rearrange assets and transcend cultural divides to ensure every child's access to quality education
4) train and support new leadership for necessary elements of the work
Higher Education Partnerships
SIAP partners with higher education institutions to provide up to 14 hours of college mathematics credits for high school students in partnering schools. In many instances, this involves enhancing the school's curricular offerings with higher level mathematics courses that a) fill the gap between the time students complete mathematics courses required for graduation and the time they enter college; and b) gives students a head start on STEM-related majors. Students entering careers rather than college also benefit from the higher level courses that enhance the school's offerings.Youth Initiatives
Youth activism and tiered mentoring are important to ensuring that every child has a real chance at a quality education. SIAP 1) partners with schools, community- and faith-based organizations, and higher education institutions to identify youth leaders in middle and high school grades and college; 2) trains youth leaders in summer institutes and workshops that explore the historical, cultural, political and sociological aspects of community, mathematics content, effective mentoring strategies, tutoring rooted in Algebra Project pedagogy and games, organizing and advocacy; and 3) establishes or partners with existing community-based programs to provide high-quality learning opportunities for students with the goal of stemming summer learning loss and building enthusiasm around mathematics and college going.
Southern Initiative Algebra Project Logic Models
