Gene Shiau of the McAllen Independent School District in Texas presents his alternative solution to the problem posed at the Park City Educational Developement Center (EDC) math session. Listening intently are high school teachers Kelley Butler (below, right) of Seattle, Wash., and William Schultheis (left) of Montabello, Calif.
Credit: Ben Ditto |
The three-year $5.5 million Teacher Institute project in Park City, Utah, involves middle and high school mathematics teachers from three school districts, including a small system in McAllen, Texas, and larger systems in Cincinnati, Ohio and Seattle, Washington. At Park City, the disparate cultures among teachers, research mathematicians and math educators, all merge with clear goals.
"Research mathematicians work with teachers on research applications of particular subjects. Educators show teachers how the research is relevant in the classroom and work on presentation methods to students at different levels," says Evans.
In summer resident sessions, the institute at Park City will train middle and secondary school teachers to become teacher-leaders. University mathematics departments from each local district provide resources to participating teachers to support their professional development. Districts design a professional development model that directly addresses the needs of their own teachers and students, based upon state standards and local priorities. An evaluation component determines the effectiveness of partnerships, as well as the formation of teacher-leaders and development of district leadership teams.
The new institute partnerships, say NSF officials, are designed to reduce achievement gaps in mathematics and science among diverse student populations, in addition to improving overall K-12 performance in these critical subjects.
Measuring Up
Since 1994, the "Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)," an assessment of fourth and eighth grade student performance among nearly 50 nations, revealed that American students performed at a lower level in mathematics and science, especially at eighth grade, than many of their international counterparts.
A newly released 2003 TIMSS assessment, "Trends in International Math and Science Study," found that U.S. students have made some headway among international counterparts in math and science performance at the eighth grade level, but the United States still remains in the middle of the overall international rankings. The performance of U.S. students is lower in mathematics than in science.
Meanwhile, the United States remains at the top internationally in the amount of professional development courses teachers are receiving (see opening graphic).
NSF officials expect that the new institutes will provide the quality training necessary to translate into higher math and science achievement for American students, both in national and international assessments.
