Mathematics Education in the Middle Grades Teaching to Meet the Needs of Middle Grades Learners and to Maintain High Expectations: Proceedings of a National Convocation and Action Conferences (2000) / Chapter Skim
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Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Pages 5-13
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From page 5... ...
Over 400 participants inclu(ling mathematicians, mathematics teacher educators, state and district mathematics education policy makers, national policy makers, mathematics education researchers, classroom teachers, curriculum developers, and school boar(1 members atten(le(1 the Convocation. Some of the attendees came as individuals.
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From page 6... ...
Glenda Lappan, Michigan State University, discussed the importance of laying a firm foundation for un(lerstan(ling mathematics during the middle years. She note(1 the (1ual goals of respecting the developing capabilities of middle school students while engaging these energetic adolescents in learning mathematics for their own future.
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From page 7... ...
They were asked to renect on the mathematics involve(1 anti EXEC UTIVE SUMMARY to analyze student responses as a backdrop for their discussion about content and learning mathematics in the mi(l(lle gra(les. TEACHING ISSUES The afternoon sessions were focused on teaching in the middle grades.
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From page 8... ...
He spoke of the nee(1 for principals to communicate with anti counsel teachers to ensure that their mathematics instruction is centered around student learning. Mary Kay Stein, a research scientist from the University of Pittsburgh, hypothesized that the developmental approach teaching mathematics with a focus on the whole child an(1 the subject matter approach teaching mathematics with a focus on the content each have news.
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From page 9... ...
He also mentioned that parent involvement that correlates with gains in student achievement is "sending home information about how to work with and talk to your children." In response to questions, panelists pointed out that raising expectations is a critical part of raising student achievement, that structural changes should be accompanied by thoughtful support for teachers, and that even though we continue to improve, the task keeps changing, masking the gains. CLOSING REMARKS In his closing remarks, Edward Silver noted the dual commitment of the Convocation participants: to enhancing the quality and quantity of mathematics EXEC UTIVE SUMMARY learning in the middle grades and to a(l(lressing other nee(ls of young a(lolescents.
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From page 10... ...
The second day of the conference featured approaches to a middle grades algebra curriculum from the Connected Mathematics Project, University of Chicago School Mathematics Project, Mathematics in Context, and Saxon Mathematics in which the presenters described the nature of their algebra stran(1 anti what works in practice. As part of a pane} on general implementation issues, Anne Bartel, from the Minnesota project SciMath, pointed out that many of the issues are tied to people's belief systems about whether algebra is focused on skills or thinking and about what "algebra for all" really means.
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From page 11... ...
In closing, participants discussed algebra in relation to mathematics content, curricular design, and use of research in the context of a search for guidance on how to scale up promising programs to realize improved mathematics learning for more students. ACTION CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN THE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF MATHEMATICS IN THE MIDDLE GRADES The focus of the conference was to help define research required to better understand and articulate the assumptions that underpin activities aimed at improving the mathematics curriculum, teaching, and learning in the middle gra(les.
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From page 12... ...
Margaret Smith, Pennsylvania State University, involved the participants in a case stu(ly of student work anti (liscusse(1 how analyzing student responses led to a discussion of the importance of the mathematical knowIedge of the teacher. Karen Economopoulos, TERC, posed two questions for reflection and discussion: How might curriculum materials offer professional (levelopment opportunities for teachers and how can these materials influence or support teachers' daily decisions?
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From page 13... ...
done to build collaboration among school systems and universities in Louisiana that led to the development of a document used to guide decisions about professional development programs. Participant's comments at EXEC UTIVE SUMMARY the end indicated that the Conference did take seriously professional development as a field and attempted to create a frame for thinking about theoretical, research, and practicebased learning.
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