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OCR for page 95
Closing Remarks
BEVERLY WILLIAMS: "Many firsts occurred over the last two days. I can relate what those firsts were for me
personally. As a K to 12 math curriculum coordinator for Pulaski County School District in Arkansas, I experienced
a first when I was asked to chair the task force that worked to put on this symposium, and I met Joan Ferrini-Mundy
and other people at the Mathematical Sciences Education Board. And I had to learn about the National Research
Council and the National Academy of Sciences. I think it strengthened me as a professional person to know what
avenues of support are out there for me.
Another personal first and hopefully it was for many of you, also was the opportunity to interact with
mathematicians these last two days. I interacted with many mathematics educators. I have grown as a person, and
I thank you for the opportunity to be here and to share with mathematicians and with mathematics educators.
I hope many of you had firsts, that perhaps some of you who are collegiate people or from universities had an
opportunity to sit beside an elementary-school teacher for the first time and talk about the role of algebra, for
example. I remember yesterday morning when we were talking about curriculum, and someone said, 'We need to
do this in the K to 6 grades.' And one of the K to 6 grade-level teachers said, 'I am that person. Tell me what you
want me to do.' It was nice to have those interactions for the first time.
Another first happened this week that probably only a very few people are aware of. Actually, it happened
yesterday: one of the participants told me last night that for the first time she felt the life of her child growing inside
her. She said, 'I will never forget this symposium because the first kick I felt was sitting in this auditorium.' That
may be a first for the Academy, also.
Martin van Reeuwijk and I were talking moments ago about the level of the people who are here and the
continuum of knowledge present in this room. We talked about the hard questions, such as were our needs met,
what were our goals, and did we have our own agenda for algebra. But I think the hardest part has yet to come. That
will be when we go back to our states and regions and attempt to do a symposium and have a dialogue. We had a
continuum with people here possibly loaded at the front end with mathematics leaders but when we get back to
Arkansas, I think our continuum will be very long. We will have people who are on the leadership rolls of
mathematics education and people we hope to bring into the continuum for the first time.
So, as you think about some of the dialogue that we have had the last two days, you should also think about the
rich and different kinds of dialogue you are going to have back in your own states and how different the continuum
will be.
*The following remarks by Beverly Williams were edited from verbatim transcriptions.
95
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96
THE NATURE AND ROLE OF ALGEBRA IN THE K-14 CURRICULUM
I heard a comment today and I think it was very appropriate about how we all need to be reminded as a
community of mathematics educators that we cannot stand alone. It is imperative, for example, that we avoid the
unintentional teacher bashing that we sometimes engage in with each other, where we start laying blame along the
different levels, as in if only the universities did this or if the high schools did this or if the kindergartens.... We must
remember our roles as leaders in the mathematics education communities and be really sensitive to what we say.
The person who brought that up in one of the sessions today made a point on which we all can agree.
A few announcements. First, the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) resource kit will
be mailed out to all the affiliated groups. If you don't get it in the next 12 months, call the NCTM headquarters
office.
Also, the National Science Foundation is going to send all of the participants an updated listing of the National
Center for Implementation of Standards-Based Mathematics Curricula, including contact information regarding
NSF-funded curriculum projects. You should be receiving the proper information, with summaries and contact
information.
In terms of regional efforts, I want to make sure that there is not a misconception about funding. The money for
you to host a state or regional conference is whatever you can pull together. We at the National Council of Teachers
of Mathematics will be glad to give you some hints of who to ask for funding. We know that many of you already
have organized opportunities for dialogue at conferences and state meetings. Perhaps you can do a preconference
on algebra to complement those efforts.
We greatly appreciate your being with us these last two days. Have a great summer and school year."
Representative terms from entire chapter:
mathematics education
