MIDDLE MATH: A Project to Improve the Undergraduate Preparation of Teachers of Middle Grade Mathematics

为了集中注意力提高中年级数学教师的本科准备，中学数学项目将举办两个夏季会议和一个学年研讨会。 来自美国各地的40名数学家和数学教育工作者将合作开发中年级认证或认可计划。 在第一次会议期间，与会者将：探索目前正在开发的NSF中年级数学课程;听取并回应开发人员关于课程变化如何影响教师准备的观点;回顾过去的教师准备项目;分析NCTM和MAA的改革建议;并反思相关研究。 使用电子邮件，一个研究数学家和数学教育工作者的团队将引导研讨会的参与者集中在大学数学的性质，中年级教师应该体验。他们将审查来自NSF资助的NCTM研究解释项目的中年级文本，并将与他们的开发人员讨论过去的NSF中学数学教师准备项目。 第二次夏季会议将成为变革的催化剂。 参与者将探讨如何利用对本科数学学习的研究来支持和告知课程开发。将成立工作组，以帮助参与者审查和完善他们提出的计划模型，课程大纲和相关出版物的草案。一位NSF项目官员将讨论为持续的改革努力提供资金的潜在来源。 中学数学项目专题论文将包括选定的教师准备计划，课程大纲和相关文件的编辑说明。希望该项目将成为变革的催化剂。参与者将使用从相关NSF倡议学习获得的知识，以创建更合适的中年级课程。

To focus attention on improving the undergraduate preparation of teachers of middle grades mathematics, the MIDDLE MATH Project will host two Summer conferences and an academic year seminar. Forty mathematicians and mathematics educators from across the United States will work collaboratively to develop middle grades certification or endorsement programs. During the first conference, participants will: explore the NSF Middle Grades Mathematics Curricula currently being developed; hear and react to the developers' perspectives on how curriculum change should affect teacher preparation; review past teacher preparation projects; analyze the NCTM and MAA recommendations for change; and reflect on relevant research. Using electronic mail, a team of research mathematicians and mathematics educators will guide seminar participants in a focused look at the nature of the college mathematics that middle grades teachers should experience. They will review the middle grades text from the NSF-funded NCTM Research Interpretation Project and will discuss the past NSF Middle-School Mathematics Teachers Preparation Projects with their developers. The second summer conference will serve as a catalyst for change. Participants will explore ways in which to use research on the learning of undergraduate mathematics to support and inform curriculum development. Working groups will be established to help the participants review and refine drafts of their proposed program models, course syllabi, and related publications. An NSF program officer will discuss potential sources for funding continued reform efforts. The MIDDLE MATH Project monograph will include edited descriptions of selected teacher preparation programs, course syllabi and related papers. It is hoped that the project will serve as a catalyst for change. Participants will use knowledge gained from learning of relevant NSF initiatives to create more appropriate middle grades programs.