ESP: Enhancing Secondary Mathematics Teacher Preparation

“加强中学数学教师准备”（ESP）计划透过三管齐下的方法，解决目前数学教师教育面临的挑战：1)通过创建两门额外的数学课程，专门针对目前由数学本科学位组成的正式数学课程和作为中学数学课程核心的数学课程之间的联系，ii)通过修改现有的基于教学实践和基于当前有效的数学教与学研究的方法课程。iii)培养一批导师教师，他们在自己工作的学校环境中制定、支持和促进数学教育改革的努力，并为在职前教师和学校内的初级教师提供实地经验方面的支持。ESP项目为职前教师和实习教师创造了新的学习机会。具体而言，ESP项目通过创建顶点数学课程，确定了数学教师需要的核心数学内容，以掌握深入和综合的数学知识。建立这些课程向数学和教育学术界传达了对这些课程的需求。ESP项目还基于有效的数学教与学以及数学教师有效的专业发展方面备受推崇的研究和理论，创造了一种教师教育模式。教学训练使项目参与者具备实施改革导向的数学教学的能力。ESP通过以下方式对数学教育产生了广泛的影响：1)创建一个可以在更大范围内复制的模范教师培训项目的模型（即课程设计，大学/学区合作，数学系/教育学院合作），ii)培训一批导师教师，他们可以继续担任领导教师并促进学校内的数学改革努力。Iii)为一批职前教师提供培训，使他们成为未来数学教育改革的领导者；iv)改善城市地区为贫困人口服务的教学候选人的数量。通过改善数学教师的准备，ESP项目可以改善数学教学，从而改善美国学生的数学学习。

The "Enhancing Secondary Mathematics Teacher Preparation" (ESP) project addresses the challenges currently facing mathematics teacher education through a three-pronged approach: i) by creating two additional mathematics courses that are specifically targeted at making connections between the formal mathematics courses that currently comprise an undergraduate degree in mathematics and the mathematics that is at the heart of the secondary mathematics curriculum, ii) by revising existing methods courses that are grounded in the practice of teaching and based on current research on effective teaching and learning of mathematics, and iii) by developing a cadre of mentor teachers who enact, support, and promote mathematics education reform efforts in the school environments in which they work and who provide support to pre-service teachers during their field experiences and to beginning teachers within their schools. The ESP project creates new learning opportunities for pre-service and practicing teachers that are grounded in research. Specifically, through the creation of capstone mathematics courses, the ESP project identifies a body of core mathematical content, which mathematics teachers need in order to possess a deep and integrated knowledge of mathematics. Establishing these courses communicates the need for such courses to the mathematics and education academic communities. The ESP project also creates a model of teacher education based on well-respected research and theories of effective mathematics teaching and learning and of effective professional development for mathematics teachers. The pedagogical training equips project participants to enact reform-oriented mathematics instruction.The ESP is broadly impacting mathematics education by: i) creating a model of an exemplary teacher preparation program that can be replicated on a larger scale (i.e., course design, university/school district partnerships, mathematics department/school of education partnerships), ii) training a corps of mentor teachers who can continue to serve as lead teachers and promote mathematics reform efforts within their schools, iii) providing a corps of pre-service teachers with training that will enable them to become future leaders in mathematics education reform, and iv) improving the pool of teaching candidates in an urban area serving an underprivileged population. By improving the preparation of mathematics teachers, the ESP project can serve to improve mathematics teaching and thereby improve mathematics learning of U.S. students.