East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, hosted the Middle Math Project conference August 2 - 6, 1995, sponsored by NSF, the North Carolina Statewide Systemic Initiative and East Carolina University. Seventy-one mathematicians and mathematics educators from across the country spent five information-packed days discussing the changing nature of middle school mathematics curricula and its impact on the teacher preparation programs. Invited dinner speakers were from projects funded by NSF (1986 - 1991) to establish programs for the preparation of middle school mathematics teachers. They were Jane Swafford, representing the Middle School Math Program at Illinois State University; James Choike, the Development, Implementation and Research for Educating Competent Teachers (Direct) Middle School Project at Oklahoma State University; and Michael Shaughnessy, the Middle School Math Project at Portland State University. A brief description of these programs are included in this newsletter.Five curriculum projects funded by NSF for middle school mathematics were explored during the day. Representing the projects were Susan Friel (Connected Mathematics), Margaret Meyer (Mathematics in Context), Jennifer Knudson (Middle School Mathematics Through Applications), Susan Janssen (Seeing and Thinking Mathematically) and Rick Billstein (Six Through Eight Mathematics, STEM). A summary of these projects will be included in the next newsletter.
Exploring curriculum change and implications, sharing ideas, problems, concerns, discussing differences, planning changes at our home institutions, ... was an intellectually exciting experience in an environment populated by interesting people. I look forward to seeing them all again next June when we discuss our course(s) prepared for the preparation of middle school teachers.
Base: http://www.ceemast.csupomona.edu/amte/95fallnews/