CCML: Creating the Community of Mathematics Learners

Goal: for teachers from six school districts and UW faculty partner to learn from each other

Project:  From 1996 to 2001, approximately 600 middle and high school mathematics teachers from six school districts around Seattle worked with UW faculty and graduate students to enhance mathematics education in these districts. The project is funded through a $2.7 million National Science Foundation grant.

The goal of the project is to deepen the teachers' understanding of mathematical ideas that underlie the curriculum they teach and to share exemplary curricular materials and teaching methods. Particular attention will be given to exploring ways of connecting mathematical ideas to real life problems and to sharing classroom experiences among participants.

• Focus on mathematical content and pedagogy
• Modeling of instructional practices which actively engage students as thinkers while they learn mathematics
• Emphasis on Washington State's Essential Learning Requirements in Mathematics
• Linking teachers with each other and UW faculty
• Activities that encourage collaborative work, open-ended problem solving and the appropriate use of technology in the mathematics classroom
• Alternative methods for assessing students' mathematical knowledge and skills
• Use of exemplary curriculum materials in the classroom and sharing of experiences with teachers within and across districts
• Participation in ongoing dialogue and collaboration via the electronic network
• Activities to inform parents of the changes in the mathematics curriculum

Participants: The project includes all the middle, junior high and high school teachers of mathematics from six school districts: Bellevue, Lake Washington, Mercer Island, Northshore, Seattle and Shoreline.

University of Washington: College of Education, Department of Mathematics, and Educational Outreach (Academic Programs for Teachers).

Funding provided by the National Science Foundation

.

ECML: Expanding the Community of Mathematics Learners

Goal: to establish and sustain a community of educators to support the ongoing improvement of mathematics learning and instruction for all elementary school students.

Project: The project improved student learning in mathematics by:

• Developing teacher leaders in mathematics in elementary schools
• Enhancing teachers' abilities to use student-centered learning in mathematics instruction
• Deepening teachers' understanding of the mathematics content emphasized in the Washington Essential Academic Learning Requirements in mathematics
• Supporting teachers in the use of district adopted materials
• Establishing local learning communities

Project staff engaged 50 district mathematics leaders (elementary teachers and district resource personnel) in approximately 240 hours of experiences over five years. Using these experiences, district mathematics leaders provided about 240 hours of leadership enhancement activities for 250 elementary school teachers, known as building mathematics leaders, who in turn provided at least 60 hours of professional development for 2500 elementary school teachers from the districts.

Components and tools include:

• Leadership seminars
• Developing Mathematics Ideas seminars
• Mathematics content institutes
• Exemplary curriculum days
• Facilitation institutes
• Principal and parent sessions

Participants:  Elementary teachers of mathematics from six school districts: Bellevue, Lake Washington, Mercer Island, Northshore, Seattle, Shoreline

University of Washington: Department of Mathematics, Department of Statistics, College of Education, Educational Outreach

Funding provided by the National Science Foundation.