Liberty University
ADVANCED COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT
Program Specialist: Mathematics (Grades K-8)
Instructions:
Responses for the Advanced Competency Assessment will be submitted online using the link provided by e-mail.
Please refer to the descriptions below and choose the level that BEST describes the intern’s performance.
Advanced or Proficient level performance is expected for all interns who successfully complete the program.
Please provide a comment below for any rating at the Developing level.
MATHEMATICS SPECIALIST CONTENT COMPETENCIES [Knowledge, Skills, Dispositions]
A. A mathematics specialist is a teacher in the elementary or middle grades who has interest and special
preparation in mathematics content, scientifically based research in the teaching and learning of mathematics,
diagnostic and assessment methods, and leadership skills. The school-based mathematics specialist shall serve as a
resource in professional development, instructing children who have learning difficulties in mathematics,
curriculum development and implementation, mentoring new teachers, and parent and community education.
A1. Mathematics specialist is a teacher in the elementary or middle grades who has interest and special
preparation in mathematics content, scientifically based research in the teaching and learning of
mathematics, diagnostic and assessment methods, and leadership skills.
Advanced
Proficient
Developing
The candidate exhibits an excellent
The candidate exhibits an
The candidate exhibits an
understanding of how the
understanding of how the
inadequate understanding of how
mathematics specialist is a teacher
mathematics specialist is a teacher
the mathematics specialist is a
in the elementary or middle grades
in the elementary or middle grades
teacher in the elementary or middle
who has interest and special
who has interest and special
grades who has interest and special
preparation in mathematics content, preparation in mathematics content, preparation in mathematics content,
scientifically based research in the
scientifically based research in the
scientifically based research in the
teaching and learning of
teaching and learning of
teaching and learning of
mathematics, diagnostic and
mathematics, diagnostic and
mathematics, diagnostic and
assessment methods, and leadership assessment methods, and leadership assessment methods, and leadership
skills
skills.
skills.
B. The mathematics specialist program shall ensure that the candidate has completed at least three years of
successful classroom teaching experience in which the teaching of mathematics was an important
responsibility and demonstrated the following competencies:
B1. Knowledge, skills, and processes of the Virginia Mathematics Standards of Learning and how
curriculum may be organized to teach these standards to diverse learners
The candidate demonstrates an
The candidate demonstrates an
The candidate demonstrates an
exemplary understanding of the
understanding of the knowledge,
inadequate understanding of the
knowledge, skills and processes of
skills and processes of the Virginia
knowledge, skills and processes of
the Virginia Mathematics Standards Mathematics Standards of Learning
the Virginia Mathematics Standards
of Learning and how curriculum
and how curriculum may be
of Learning and how curriculum
may be organized to teach these
organized to teach these standards to may be organized to teach these
standards to diverse learners
diverse learners
standards to diverse learners
B2. Core knowledge base of concepts and procedures within the discipline of mathematics
The candidate displays an excellent
The candidate displays an
The candidate displays an
understanding of a core knowledge
understanding of a core knowledge
inadequate understanding of a core
base of concepts and procedures
base of concepts and procedures
knowledge base of concepts and
within the discipline of
within the discipline of
procedures within the discipline of
mathematics, including the
mathematics, including the
mathematics, including the
following strands: number systems
following strands: number systems
following strands: number systems
and number theory; geometry and
and number theory; geometry and
and number theory; geometry and
measurement; statistics and
measurement; statistics and
measurement; statistics and
probability; and functions and
probability; and functions and
probability; and functions and
algebra.
algebra.
algebra.
August. 2008
ACA: Mathematics Specialist
B3. Sequential nature of mathematics and the mathematical structures inherent in the content strands
The candidate expresses a superior
The candidate expresses an
The candidate expresses an
understanding of the sequential
understanding of the sequential
inadequate understanding of the
nature of mathematics and the
nature of mathematics and the
sequential nature of mathematics
mathematical structures inherent in
mathematical structures inherent in
and the mathematical structures
the content strands.
the content strands.
inherent in the content strands.
B4. The connections among mathematical concepts and procedures and their practical applications
The candidate demonstrates an
The candidate demonstrates an
The candidate demonstrates an
exemplary understanding of the
understanding of the connections
inadequate understanding of the
connections among mathematical
among mathematical concepts and
connections among mathematical
concepts and procedures and their
procedures and their practical
concepts and procedures and their
practical applications.
applications.
practical applications.
B5. The five processes – becoming mathematical problem solvers, reasoning mathematically,
communicating mathematically, making mathematical connections, and using mathematical
representations – at different levels of complexity
The candidate expresses a superior
The candidate expresses an
The candidate expresses an
understanding of and the ability to
understanding of and the ability to
inadequate understanding of and the
use the five processes – becoming
use the five processes – becoming
ability to use the five processes –
mathematical problem solvers,
mathematical problem solvers,
becoming mathematical problem
reasoning mathematically,
reasoning mathematically,
solvers, reasoning mathematically,
communicating mathematically,
communicating mathematically,
communicating mathematically,
making mathematical connections,
making mathematical connections,
making mathematical connections,
and using mathematical
and using mathematical
and using mathematical
representations – at different levels
representations – at different levels
representations – at different levels
of complexity
of complexity.
of complexity
B6. The history of mathematics, including the contributions of different individuals and cultures toward
the development of mathematics and the role of mathematics in culture and society
The candidate displays a superior
The candidate displays an
The candidate displays an
understanding of the history of
understanding of the history of
inadequate understanding of the
mathematics, including the
mathematics, including the
history of mathematics, including
contributions of different
contributions of different
the contributions of different
individuals and cultures toward the
individuals and cultures toward the
individuals and cultures toward the
development of mathematics and
development of mathematics and the development of mathematics and
the role of mathematics in culture
role of mathematics in culture and
the role of mathematics in culture
and society.
society.
and society.
B7. Major current curriculum studies and trends in mathematics
The candidate demonstrates an
The candidate demonstrates an
The candidate demonstrates an
excellent understanding of the major understanding of the major current
inadequate understanding of the
current curriculum studies and
curriculum studies and trends in
major current curriculum studies
trends in mathematics.
mathematics.
and trends in mathematics.
B8. The role of technology and the ability to use graphing utilities and computers in the teaching and
learning of mathematics
The candidate expresses an
The candidate expresses an
The candidate expresses an
exemplary understanding of the role understanding of the role of
inadequate understanding of the role
of technology and the ability to use
technology and the ability to use
of technology and the ability to use
graphing utilities and computers in
graphing utilities and computers in
graphing utilities and computers in
the teaching and learning of
the teaching and learning of
the teaching and learning of
mathematics.
mathematics.
mathematics.
B9. The ability to select, adapt, evaluate and use instructional materials and resources, including
professional journals and technology.
The candidate exhibits an excellent The candidate exhibits an
The candidate exhibits an
understanding of and the ability to
understanding of and the ability to
inadequate understanding of and the
select, adapt, evaluate and use
select, adapt, evaluate and use
ability to select, adapt, evaluate and
instructional materials and
instructional materials and
use instructional materials and
2
ACA: Mathematics Specialist
resources, including professional
resources, including professional
resources, including professional
journals and technology.
journals and technology.
journals and technology.
B10. The ability to use strategies for managing, assessing, and monitoring student learning, including
diagnosing student errors
The candidate exhibits a superior
The candidate exhibits an
The candidate exhibits an
understanding of and the ability to
understanding of and the ability to
inadequate understanding of and the
use strategies for managing,
use strategies for managing,
ability to use strategies for
assessing, and monitoring student
assessing, and monitoring student
managing, assessing, and
learning, including diagnosing
learning, including diagnosing
monitoring student learning,
student errors.
student errors.
including diagnosing student errors.
B11. The ability to use strategies to teach mathematics to diverse learners
The candidate expresses an
The candidate expresses an
The candidate expresses an
excellent understanding of and the
understanding of and the ability to
inadequate understanding of and the
ability to use strategies to teach
use strategies to teach mathematics
ability to use strategies to teach
mathematics to diverse learners.
to diverse learners.
mathematics to diverse learners.
B12. Leadership skills needed to improve mathematics programs at the school and division levels,
including the needs of high and low-achieving students and of strategies to challenge them at appropriate
levels
The candidate demonstrates an
The candidate demonstrates an
The candidate demonstrates an
exemplary understanding of
understanding of leadership skills
inadequate understanding of
leadership skills needed to improve
needed to improve mathematics
leadership skills needed to improve
mathematics programs at the school programs at the school and division
mathematics programs at the school
and division levels, including the
levels, including the needs of high
and division levels, including the
needs of high and low-achieving
and low-achieving students and of
needs of high and low-achieving
students and of strategies to
strategies to challenge them at
students and of strategies to
challenge them at appropriate
appropriate levels; child
challenge them at appropriate
levels; child psychology, including
psychology, including personality
levels; child psychology, including
personality and learning behaviors;
and learning behaviors; educational
personality and learning behaviors;
educational measurement and
measurement and evaluation; and
educational measurement and
evaluation; and effective
effective professional development
evaluation; and effective
professional development
approaches.
professional development
approaches.
approaches.
B13. Proficiency in grammar, usage, and mechanics and their integration in writing
The candidate displays an
The candidate displays an
The candidate displays an
exemplary understanding of and
understanding of and proficiency in
inadequate understanding of and
proficiency in grammar, usage, and
grammar, usage, and mechanics and proficiency in grammar, usage, and
mechanics and their integration in
their integration in writing.
mechanics and their integration in
writing.
writing.
Final grade recommended for internship:
A = Strongly recommended for math specialist position
B = Recommended for a math specialist position
C = Conditional recommendation for a math specialist position
D = Not recommended for licensure or math specialist position
F = Not recommended for licensure or math specialist position
Comments for any rating(s) at the Developing level and any other comments:
Other Comments:
Based on VDOE and NCTM Standards
www.nctm.org
3