Tomorrow's Teachers with Dual Degrees in Mathematics and Mathematics Education (TDM)2

University Of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia MO

Investigators

Abstract

Tomorrow's Teachers with Dual Degrees in Mathematics and Mathematics Education is aggressively working to double the number of secondary mathematics teachers graduating from the University of Missouri's undergraduate mathematics teacher education program through the recruitment of mathematics majors into mathematics teaching careers, preparation of these individuals to teach high school mathematics aligned with national standards, and support of mathematics teachers in their induction years. Scholarships are being offered to 15 participants in each of three cohorts (Years 3, 4, and 5), for a total of 45 unique participants over the course of the project. Scholars are being provided summer mathematics teaching internships, dual degree programs (B.S. in Mathematics and B.S. Ed. in Mathematics Education), and $10,000 annual scholarships for those committed to teaching mathematics in high-needs school districts. To increase teacher retention, the project is developing a cadre of mentor teachers in 22 partner schools and supporting Noyce Scholars' participation in professional mathematics teacher conferences. The intellectual merit of this project is based on the qualifications and commitment of project personnel to inform our understanding about recruiting, preparing, and retaining more highly qualified secondary mathematics teachers. The project team has a substantial record of scholarship, partner schools have a rich history of collaboration with the University of Missouri. The project's broader impacts include: (1) improvement in the quality and quantity of mathematics teachers for Missouri schools; (2) building of new sustainable models for the recruitment, preparation, and retention of mathematics teachers to meet the teacher shortage; (3) expansion and deepening of relationships between MU mathematicians, mathematics teacher educators, and K-12 teachers and administrators; and (4) the dissemination of findings from the external evaluation via conference presentations and publications.