Mathematics for Elementary Teachers: Project MET

面向未来小学教师的数学内容课程通常由数学教师以传统的讲座形式教授，他们对州和国家课程标准或小学有效教学法知之甚少。近年来，与地区小学教师的合作导致了该课程的重大改革。通过儿童文学的合作学习、教具、数学游戏和数学课，将数学置于情境中，使内容课程对未来的教师更有意义。笔友项目是一个特别成功的项目，该项目将未来的教师与小学生配对，每周就每组正在学习的数学进行交流。在这一成功的基础上，MET项目正在创建和测试数学教师、教育教师和公立学校教师之间的合作模式，以开发和教授小学教师准备所需的数学内容课程。该项目的主要目标包括增加数学研究教师的参与，并在内容课程中提供更有效的指导。除了开发一系列额外的课程和选定主题的合作教学外，MET计划还为新教师创建了夏季讲习班，教师资源包，同伴领袖计划，笔友计划的扩展，教育实验室教室和联合研究项目。知识价值：作为一个多方面的、概念验证的计划，MET项目正在对各种计划活动的有效性进行科学的评估。通过内容课程对未来教师的影响将在短期和长期的基础上进行衡量。参与笔友项目的孩子对态度和数学理解的影响也在评估之中。评估结果以可发表的数学教育研究成果的形式呈现。此外，MET项目的智力贡献将以非常具体的方式呈现在教师资源包中。更广泛的影响：新的两门数学课程序列的传播始于南卡罗来纳大学的八个校区，通过数学教师的全系统会议。下一阶段的传播包括在州和国家会议上举办讲习班。此外，正在开发一个网站，使教师资源包和其他信息可以在线获得。教师资源包以印刷形式在会议上分发，并应要求分发。作为一种合作模式，MET项目正在扩展到新中学课程的数学课程，并提供给负责为未来的中学教师开发课程的其他部门。除了传播到大学系统、数学系和其他参与教师培训的高等教育部门之外，MET项目还对南卡罗来纳州的学校更新产生了影响。MET项目更大的影响是提高了数学的热情、理解和能力，这些孩子是由大学教师准备项目的毕业生教的。

Mathematical Sciences (21)Mathematics content courses for prospective elementary teachers are often taught in traditional lecture format by mathematics faculty members with little knowledge of state and national curriculum standards or of effective pedagogy at the elementary level. In recent years, collaboration with area elementary teachers has led to significant reform of that coursework. Collaborative learning, manipulatives, math games and math lessons through children's literature have put the mathematics in context and made the content course more meaningful for the prospective teachers. A particular success is the Pen Pal program, which pairs prospective teachers with elementary students for a weekly exchange on the mathematics each group is studying. Building on this success, Project MET is creating and testing a model for collaboration between mathematics faculty, education faculty and public school teachers in developing and teaching mathematics content courses required for elementary school teacher preparation. Major objectives of the project include increased participation by mathematics research faculty and more effective instruction in the content courses. In addition to the development of an additional course in the sequence, and the cooperative teaching of selected topics, Project MET is creating summer workshops for new instructors, a Faculty Resource Kit, a Peer Leader program, an expansion of the Pen Pal program, an Education Laboratory Classroom and joint research projects. Intellectual Merit: As a multi-faceted, proof-of-concept initiative, Project MET is conducting a scientific assessment of the effectiveness of the various program activities. The impact on the prospective teachers who come through the content courses is being measured on both a short-term and long-term basis. The effect on the attitudes and mathematical understanding of the children who participate in the Pen Pal program are also being evaluated. The assessment results are presented in the form of publishable research in mathematics education. In addition, the intellectual contributions of Project MET will be presented in a very tangible way in the Faculty Resource Kit. Broader Impact: The propagation of the new two mathematics course sequence begins with the eight campuses of the University of South Carolina, through system-wide meetings of mathematics faculty. The next stage of dissemination involves workshops at state and national conferences. In addition, a Website is being developed, making the Faculty Resource Kit and other information available online. The Faculty Resource Kit is being distributed in print form at conferences and upon request. As a model for collaboration, the Project MET is being extended to the mathematics coursework for the new middle school program, and provided to other departments charged with developing courses for prospective middle school teachers. Beyond dissemination to the college system and to departments of mathematics and others in higher education involved in teacher preparation, Project MET has an impact on school renewal in South Carolina. The greater impact of Project MET is increased mathematical enthusiasm, understanding and competence of generations of children taught by graduates of the university's teacher preparation program.