NSF Mathematics Teaching
Leadership Center
Dr. Robert Mayes
University of Wyoming
rmayes2@uwyo.edu
This project is supported in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation:
Mathematics Teacher Leadership Center(DUE-0832026).
What is Math TLC?
• NSF Mathematics and Science Partnership
funded project - $5,000,000 over 5 years
• Joint project between
– University of Wyoming
– University of Northern Colorado
– 5 partner School Districts in Wyoming and Colorado
• Development of 2 programs serving the Rocky
Mountain West
– Math TLC Master’s Program
– Math TLC Teacher Leadership Program
Math TLC Goals
Goals for the Math TLC
Goal 1: Develop a shared vision of mathematics as a culturally rich subject in which K-12
mathematics proficiency is defined by shared community standards (e.g., state, NCTM
policies).
Goal 2: Expand mathematical content knowledge in ways that broaden exposure to
mathematical ideas and deepen understanding of topics that extend K-12 mathematics
content.
Goal 3: Increase pedagogical content knowledge by examination of how students think and
learn about mathematics and, for teacher-leaders, about how teachers learn about teaching.
Goal 4: Empower participants as lifelong professional learners who regularly reflect on
themselves, students, and community context to improve teacher practice and student
learning.
Goal 5: Produce a research-based and tested model for master teacher and teacher-leader
development based on the above goals that improves mathematical achievement for all
students.
Math TLC Goals
• In the Math TLC, teachers become
content specialists in their own practice
in a master’s program.
• Then, in the teacher-leader program they
become specialists in helping their peers
and in working at the district and state
levels to improve mathematics instruction
for all.
• By separating the two strands of
professional development, we create two
access points for different types of
commitment to leadership development.
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%20development.gif
Math TLC
Underlying Themes
Culturally Relevant Teaching involves using the cultural
experiences, characteristics, and perspectives of the
students in the room as generative sites for shaping
teaching and creating opportunities to learn that are
perceived by students to be opportunities (Gay, 2002).
– developing a knowledge base about cultural diversity
– learning mathematical content from ethnically and culturally diverse
origins
– participating in and building a caring community of learners – this
includes developing ways to calibrate teacher intentions with student
perceptions
– seeing personal communication patterns and using that awareness to
learn to communicate effectively with diverse students
– responding supportively to socio-economic, cultural, and ethnic diversity
in the delivery of instruction.
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Math TLC
Underlying Themes
Advance Mathematical Content Knowledge by providing
an advanced perspective on what is taught in high
school
–
–
–
–
–
understanding of the culture of mathematics as a discipline
extending and exploring mathematics with learners
connecting mathematics with and across domains
building on concepts to anticipate future topics
organizing mathematics for teaching not only logically but also
psychologically (Ball, 2003)
http://w3.xs.edu.ph/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/math.gif
Math TLC
Underlying Themes
Pedagogical Content Knowledge is the collection of
knowledge teachers have about the challenges learners encounter,
strategies for helping students, ways to listen to hear not only
learners’ thoughts but also their thinking processes, and skills for
regulating one’s own practice. Teachers acquire PCK in many ways:
grading, examining their own learning, observing and interacting
with students, reflecting on practice, and discussing it with others.
(Ball & Bass, 2000).
http://etwinninguk.typepad.com/photos/uk_etwinning_workshop_200/p
dwteacherschat2.jpg
http://schoolbox.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/teacher-helping-students-write1.jpg
Acquiring Pedagogical
Content Knowledge
Observing and Interacting
with students
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Participating in Teacher
Discussion
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wteacherschat2.jpg
Math TLC
Underlying Themes
Teaching for Understanding – changing
teaching practice in the classroom
– Understanding by Design as a framework for
assessment
– Action research projects connect coursework with
practice through systematic examination of practice
– Lesson Experiments: development of content and
anticipatory knowledge through individual planning,
instructing, and reflecting activity along with the
community-building dimension of co-observations.
Lesson Experiment team members observe each of the
other members teach a related topic allowing flexibility
for responding to the myriad classroom demands of
physically isolated teachers in rural areas.
– Professional Learning Communities engaged in action
research and lesson experiments.
http://www.rehab4life.co.uk/CMSFiles/Images
/understanding-the-brain.jpg
Math TLC
Leadership Program
• Develop a shared vision of mathematics teacher
leadership;
• Enhance mathematics content knowledge;
• Expand understanding of how teachers build knowledge
for teaching mathematics;
• Increase pedagogical content knowledge about adult
teachers learning mathematics and who are learning to
teach mathematics to diverse populations;
• Develop an understanding of the role of equity and
culture in mathematics in schools and districts;
• Build self-efficacy as teacher-leaders of mathematics
Math TLC
Leadership Program
• 24 credit hours over 2 years
• Summer: two 1 week seminars (2 credits each – 8 total)
promote knowledge mathematics teacher-leaders need
to be successful
– understanding of theory and research about mathematics
teaching and learning
– cultural competence for teaching
– adult learning
http://keepingkidsfirst.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/leadership.jpg
Math TLC
Leadership Program
• Academic Year: one online course per semester (3
credits each – 12 total) and one weekend retreat per
semester (1 credit each – 4 total)
– Develop mathematics-centered teacher-leadership skills
– Courses include practicum component that addresses
development of individual, team, and organization
– Retreats support positive dispositions of math teacher-leaders
about themselves as leaders and their fellow teachers
Teacher Leader Plan
Summer Seminars
Fall Online Course
Fall Retreat
Spring Online Course
Spring Retreat


Year 1
Diversity and Equity in Math Ed
Developing and Delivering PD for
Math Teachers
Facilitating Lesson Experiments
Time Management
Clinical Supervision
Coaching Peers


Year 2
Adult Learning Theory in Practice
Changing Complex Systems
Culturally Responsive Teaching
Facilitating Change in Mathematics Education
Data Driven Instruction
Developing Leadership Skills
Math TLC Leadership
Program Opportunities
• Join the first cohort starting summer 2010.
– Applications accepted until cohort of 12 teachers is
filled, apply at this site:
– http://www.mathtlc.org/LeaderProgram/Apply/
• Stipends
– $2,000 summer
– $2,000 academic year
– Travel, meals, and housing to attend are funded
• Contact: Jodie Novak at
– jodie.novak@unco.edu or 970-351-2463.
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Math TLC
Master’s Program
• Extend teachers’ content knowledge beyond the content they
customarily teach to students.
• Engage teachers in actively building their pedagogical content
knowledge (Shulman, 1987), enabling them to enlarge their
repertoire of pedagogical methods, skills and knowledge congruent
with Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM,
2000), the Colorado Model Content Standards (CDE, 2007) and the
Wyoming Mathematics Content and Performance Standards (WDE,
2003).
• Support teachers to evaluate and improve their teaching practice by
regularly engaging in lesson experiments and small-scale action
research projects.
• Develop teachers’ knowledge, skills and disposition to effectively
teach math in a culturally diverse classroom.
Math TLC Master’s Program
• 32 credit hours over 2 or 3 years (third summer)
• Summer: 9 to 10 credit hours over 6 weeks (June-July)
– Two content courses
– One teaching course
– Diversity or Assessment course
• Academic Year: 6 to 7 credit hours, one course per
semester and Action Research Seminar
– One content course
– One teaching course
– Action Research Project seminars
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Math TLC Master’s Program
Summer
Fall
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
Applied Probability and Statistics (3)
Modern Geometry (3)
Algebra and Number Theory (3)
Teaching Probability and Statistics (2)
Teaching of Geometry (2)
Teaching of Algebra (2)
Mathematics Assessment (1)
Mathematics Assessments (1)
Teaching Diverse Populations (1)
Continuous Math (3)
Discrete Math (3)
Continuous Math (3)
Math Ed Research Teaching Diverse
(3)
Populations (2)
Action Research
(1)
Spring
Summer
Fall
Math Ed Research Math Ed Research Teaching Topics
(3)
(3)
of Calculus (2)
Action Research
(1)
Action Research
(1)
Mathematical Modeling (3)
History of Math (3)
Problem Solving (3)
Action Research (1)
Action Research (1)
Action Research (1)
2013-14
Applied Probability and Statistics (3)
Teaching Probability and Statistics (2)
Mathematics Assessments (1)
Discrete Math (3)
2014-15
Modern Geometry (3)
Teaching of Geometry (2)
Teaching Diverse Populations (1)
Continuous Math (3)
2015-16
Algebra and Number Theory (3)
Teaching of Algebra (2)
Mathematics Assessments (1)
Discrete Math (3)
Teaching Discrete
Math (2)
Math Ed Research Math Ed Research Teaching Topics
(3)
(3)
of Calculus (2)
Action Research
(1)
Spring
Teaching Discrete
Math (2)
Math Modeling (3)
Action Research (1)
Action Research
(1)
History of Math (3)
Action Research (1)
Teaching of
Discrete (2)
Math Ed Research
(3)
Action Research
(1)
Problem Solving (3)
Action Research (1)
Math TLC Master’s Program
Opportunities
• Join the third cohort starting summer 2011.
– Applications accepted until cohort of 30 teachers is
filled, apply at this site:
– http://www.mathtlc.org/Masters/Apply/
• Stipends
– $6,000 summer
– $2,400 academic year
– Travel, meals, and housing to attend are funded
• Contact: Robert Mayes at
– rmayes2@uwyo.edu or 307-766-3776
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Dr. Robert Mayes
University of Wyoming
Science and
Mathematics
Teaching Center
rmayes2@uwyo.edu