A Model for the Mathematics Preparation of Elementary School Teachers

伊利诺伊大学芝加哥分校正在为一个为期三年的项目——小学教师数学准备模型——寻求资助。PI建议重新调整小学职前教师必修数学课程的顺序，以便通过解决与其他学科相关的各种主题的问题来发展数学思维。这些课程旨在培养学生对数学本质和数学学习与教学过程的积极信念体系。该课程的一个主要组成部分是在多元文化背景下与通过PI在职项目学习数学的硕士教师进行校本体验。该项目的学校中有大量少数民族学生，主要是黑人和西班牙裔。学生将在学校观察，在大学课堂上分析学校数学课的录像。教师将帮助开发该项目，特别是解决问题的章节，他们将担任该项目的顾问委员会成员。该项目还将满足那些数学背景不足、在进入小学数学课程之前必须参加补习课程的职前教师的需要。相反，这些学生将被允许参加新的课程，并将得到额外的帮助，这将提高他们的数学技能和态度。由于至少有50%的职前辅导学生是少数族裔学生，该项目将解决所有人平等入学的问题。项目工作人员还将在新教师的第一年教学期间与他们一起工作，每周举行支持会议，为他们提供额外的准备。为该项目开发的材料将分为三套：针对职前教师的讨论和解释的问题集；为在职教师提供类似的一套，其中包括额外的教学见解和评估内容以及儿童问题；并为高校教师研究数学教育提供了一套完整的参考资料。最初，这些材料将通过国家ctm和联合国大学免费分发。最终，出版商会将这些材料商业化。伊利诺伊大学芝加哥分校提供的费用分摊额相当于国家科学基金费用的25%。阿贡实验室提供计算机设备。

The University of Illinois, Chicago seeks funding for athree year program: A Model for the Mathematics Preparation of Elementary School Teachers. The PI proposes to restructure the sequence of required mathematics courses for elementary school preservice teachers in order to develop mathematical thinking through problem solving situations on a variety of topics which make connections to other disciplines. The courses will be designed to develop positive belief systems about the nature of mathematic and the process of learning and teaching mathematics. A major component of the course are school-based experiences in multicultural settings with master teachers who have studied mathematics through inservice programs with the PI. The schools in the project are heavily populated with minorities, primarily Blacks and Hispanics. Students will observe in the schools and analyze in the college classroom video recordings of school mathematics classes. Teachers will help to develop the program, in particular the problem solving episodes, and they will serve on the project's advisory board. The project will also serve the needs of preservice teachers who have deficient mathematics backgrounds and would have to take remedial courses before entering the elementary mathematics course sequence. Instead, these students will be allowed to take the new courses and will be given additional help which will enhance their mathematical skills and attitudes. Since at least 50% of the preservice students in the remedial track are minority students, the program will address the issue of equal access for all. The project staff will also work with the new teachers throughout their first year of teaching, with weekly support meetings in which they will receive additional preparation. The materials developed for the project will be three distinct sets: a problem set with discussions and explanations for the preservice teachers; a similar set for the inservice teacher with additional pedagogical insights and assessments components as well as problems for children; and a complete set of materials for college instructors with references to mathematics education research. Initially, the materials will be disseminated at cost through NCTM and the University. Eventually, a publisher will make materials available commercially. The University of Illinois, Chicago is providing a cost-share amount which is equal to 25% of the NSF cost. Argonne Laboratories are providing computer equipment.