1

Teaching Teachers Mathematics

May 30 - June 1, 2007Mathematical Sciences Research Institute

Workshop sponsored by Mathematical Sciences Research Institute, National Science Foundation, Math for America, the Noyce Foundation, Texas

Instruments, and the Center for Proficiency in Teaching Mathematics (University of

Michigan)

2

• Introduction to the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI)

• MSRI’s Mathematics Education Initiative

• Introduction to this working conference: Teaching teachers mathematics

Overview

3

What is the Mathematical Sciences Research

Institute (MSRI)?

4

The Institute

• Founded in 1982 (S. S. Chern was first director)

• Located above Berkeley, near Lawrence Hall of Science

• A place for mathematicians to convene, work, reflect on their work

5

What is MSRI’s Mathematics Education

Initiative?

6

A New Direction for MSRI

• Adding education to the Institute’s focus

• Adding a member to the Board of Trustees (2002)

• Adding an Education subcommittee • Developing an Education Advisory

Committee• New activities

7

Education Activities

• Math circles• Math Olympiad• Education working conferences

8

Conference Series:Critical Issues in Mathematics

EducationTopics:• Assessing students’ learning (2004)• Mathematical knowledge for teaching (2005)• Raising the floor: Progress and setbacks in the

struggle for quality mathematics education for all (2006)

• Teaching teachers mathematics (2007)Possible future topics:• International comparisons• Instructional uses of technology

9

Goals of MSRI’s Education Workshops

• Bring together people from different disciplines and from practice to investigate and work on fundamental problems of education

• Engage mathematicians productively in problems of education

• Contribute resources for tackling challenging problems in mathematics education

• Shape a research and development agenda

10

Main Questions of this Workshop

• How can courses and programs for teachers be designed and structured so as to increase teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching? What are the features, strengths, and drawbacks of different approaches?

• What materials exist for use in teaching teachers mathematics? What are their features? What is known about their usability and effectiveness?

• Who teaches teachers mathematics and how is their work supported? What can we learn about the factors that enhance the teaching of mathematics for teachers?

11

A First Conversation: Challenges of Teaching Teachers

Mathematics

1. What mathematical content, skills, practices and habits to teach

2. How to teach that mathematics effectively

3. How to support instructors/professional developers to teach this mathematics well

12

Challenge #1: What mathematical content, skills, practices and habits

to teach

Given limited time, choosing the mathematics that will provide highest leverage for teachers’ effectiveness

• What mathematics is crucial for students’ success, and hence essential that their teachers know well?

• What mathematics might be treated poorly in many texts, and with which teachers would need to be particularly skillful?

• What mathematical instincts or habits of mind are crucial for teaching?

• What mathematical practices are critical for teaching?

13

Challenge #2: How to teach that mathematics effectively

Helping teachers actually learn the mathematics• Finding or making materials to support the sort of

detailed work on mathematics that teachers need• Developing assignments for practicing the sort of

mathematical knowledge, skill, and habits that teachers need

• Developing appropriate tests and quizzes and ways to evaluate mathematical knowledge for teaching

• Connecting teachers’ mathematical learning to the work they do with mathematics and motivating that sort of learning (without losing the math)

14

Challenge #3: How to support instructors to teach that content well

Helping the people responsible for teaching math to teachers

• How can math departments provide incentives and supports for faculty engagement in teaching teachers?

• How can this work be made a valued responsibility within math departments (and universities)?

• How can the many different kinds of people who teach math to teachers learn about the math, about its use in teaching, about teachers as learners in ways that help them do an effective job?

• How can materials effectively support instructors?• How can productive collaboration and communication be fostered

between mathematicians and math educators on teaching math to teachers?