There are two primary goals with supporting measurable objectives.
- Improve the capacity of teachers in 4 - 12 grade-level mathematics classrooms to impact student performance in mathematics by:
- increasing the number of qualified and certified mathematics teachers for grades 4 - 12;
- preparing teachers to become Texas Master Mathematics Teachers; and
- increasing student performance at higher levels in mathematics through classroom experiences and summer camps within participating districts.
- Improve the awareness and involvement of mathematics higher education faculty regarding preparation and professional development of teachers
by:
- involving mathematics faculty from other higher education institutions across the state in the project operation; and
- noting evidence within other college/university mathematics departments of curricular and programmatic changes designed and implemented to better meet the needs of 4 - 12 mathematics teachers.
Benefits to Districts:
- Teachers qualified as mathematics content specialists for 4 - 8 and 8 - 12 levels
- Teachers with graduate degrees in mathematics education
- Summer camps for students 4 - 8, 8 - 12 levels
- Teachers serving as mentors and leaders on district campuses
Responsibilities of Districts:
- Willingness to hold Summer Camps on campuses within district
- Participate in Professional Development for Administration
Commitments:
- Develop strategies that will target teacher retention and support structures for new teachers
- Sustain project goals when grant support ends
- Disseminate information, materials, techniques, and strategies to other institutions across the state
- Collaborate to publish a series of lessons learned from the project in professional journals and to make appropriate presentations at professional meetings
- (School districts) Seek funding opportunities to continue Summer Camps for students and quality professional development opportunities for teachers
- (University) Seek scholarship opportunities for graduate studies for teachers
- (University) Hold faculty development sessions for college/university mathematics faculty across the state regarding program design, course/programmatic revisions, etc.
Graduate Program Design (Professional Development) for Teachers:
- Curriculum aligned with SBEC Standards and Master Mathematics Teacher Standards with appropriate connections to TEKS (EC - 12)
- Master of Science Degree in School Mathematics: Middle Level Teaching for teachers who seek qualification to teach grades 4 - 8
- 27 hours of mathematics courses (content/pedagogy)
- 9 hours of educational leadership and mentoring
- Master of Science Degree in School Mathematics: Secondary Level Teaching for teachers who seek qualification to teach grades 8 - 12
- 36 hours of mathematics courses (content and pedagogy) to include a 6-hour capstone sequence, addressing leadership and mentoring
Questions to Address/Evaluation of Project:
- Does the project appropriately prepare mathematics teachers in appropriate content for grades 4 - 8 and 8 - 12 mathematics teaching?
- Does the project appropriately prepare teacher participants for the MMT exam?
- Does the project positively impact student achievement at higher levels in mathematics?
- Are the participants' students performing better on state and district measures?
- Are the participants' students demonstrating measurable success through summer institutes?
- Are teacher participants effectively mentoring other teachers within their school districts?
- Are other college/university mathematics faculty engaged in project operation?
- Are other college/university mathematics departments experiencing curricular changes that better prepare mathematics teachers? Are some of those changes directly connected to this project?
Project Dissemination:
- Presentations at state, regional, national, and international conferences
- Web page developed to document the progress and features of the project
- Scholarly papers written by project personnel and notes/course materials presented for publication.
- Staff development in content, pedagogy, and vertical alignment of district local curriculum conducted by project participants.
- Teacher participants serving as mentor teachers to others within each collaborating school district.
- Teacher participants encouraged to present at the Conference for the Advancement of Mathematics Teaching (CAMT) and other mathematics education meetings and conferences.