This project consists of five components:
- The spring orientation begins the formation of a community and gives the participants a framework for learning and planning.
- The summer institute focuses on effective professional development and understanding the curricula in more depth.
- The 2000-01 school year project sessions, meeting about twice a month, allow participants to learn, plan, support each other, express concerns, and seek solutions.
- During the entire project, all participants and instructors interact regularly through online conferencing and email.
- Pairs of participants collaborate to facilitate district professional development sessions.
As a result of these five components, participants:
- Create a knowledge base for teachers of mathematics with understanding of principles of effective professional development, and its critical issues and strategies.
- Develop facilitation skills in conducting professional development that targets the implementation of the Investigations and Connected Mathematics curricula.
- Better understand the philosophy, development, structure, components, approach, and mathematics of the Investigations and Connected Mathematics curricula.
- Enhance pedagogical content knowledge as it relates to the exploration and development of mathematical ideas in the Investigations and Connected Mathematics curricula and enhance competence in using one of these curricula with children.
- Facilitate professional development within their own schools and throughout other district schools to support the implementation of the two curricula.
This project's immediate outcome is a group of willing individuals capable of supporting other teachers through the adoption of the new curricula. Ultimately, these individuals can provide leadership for MPS in elementary and middle school mathematics in a multitude of ways.
|
