A Partnership for the Improvement of Secondary Mathematics Teacher Preparation in the Common Core Era

Association Of Public And Land-Grant Universities, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

This RAPID project responds to the new Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSS-M), a state-led effort coordinated by the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers. The CCSS-M brings both unprecedented opportunities and significant challenges for institutions of higher education. They prompt the need for secondary mathematics teacher preparation programs to address changes in the knowledge that teachers need - both in mathematical content and in instructional approaches. Content challenges include topics and approaches in the content standards in the CCSS-M that are not commonly addressed in mathematics content classes taken by prospective teachers; examples include transformational geometry and inferential statistics. The CCSS-M's Standards for Mathematical Practice imply the need for adjustments in how mathematics content courses are taught so that prospective teachers develop a strong grounding in these practices. Similarly, methods courses will need to include attention to instructional practices that ensure K-12 students achieve the CCSS-M content and practice standards. In addition, programs need to work with K-12 institutions to align field experiences around the CCSS-M. Ultimately, significant changes will be necessary in the experiences that preservice secondary mathematics teachers are provided in their teacher preparation programs to ensure that they are prepared to teach the CCSS-M. The RAPID work involves development of a partnership of universities, K-12 education, and other stakeholders to begin collaboration on the curriculum research and development needed to ensure that secondary mathematics teacher education programs effectively prepare secondary mathematics teachers to teach the CCSS-M. Leading the effort is the Science and Mathematics Teacher Imperative (SMTI), a coalition of 125 public research institutions organized by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities to stimulate high quality STEM teacher preparation and enhance learning across specific programs and approaches. Universities will qualify as partners in this CCSS-M initiative based on their commitment to engage in "ground-up" redesign of their program. Criteria for partnership include: (a) administrative support from the provost, deans of relevant colleges/schools (e.g., Education; Arts and Sciences), and department heads (e.g., Mathematics, Curriculum and Instruction), (b) established collaborations with one or more K-12 school districts, and (c) the existence of a team of mathematicians, mathematics educators, and affiliated K-12 school personnel committed to work on the initiative. Partners agree to participate in the development and testing of courses, units, tools, instructional approaches, and assessments useful in the redesign of their secondary mathematics teacher preparation programs. A major activity of the RAPID is a conference that will bring partners together to further define the full scope of work for institutional change, including defining characteristics of effective teacher preparation and identifying priorities for action in redefining secondary mathematics teacher preparation. A key product of the conference is a report that outlines findings of the attendees and forms the basis for a subsequent research and development path for redesign of teacher preparation programs to be developed by 7-9 core institution of higher education along with their K-12 partners. This report will be distributed to the larger community, including individuals within institutions of the SMTI as well as non-SMTI members, both for reaction and for consideration as a framework for their teacher preparation programs.