For more than 35 years, Irene Eizen has been a leader in mathematics education in elementary, middle school, and higher education. Her gift to the Mathematics Education Trust (MET) provides grants of up to $6,000 to increase the mathematics content knowledge of teachers and provide them with a sustained professional development experience.
Eizen received her B.S. and M.Ed. degrees from Temple University, her M.A. from Arcadia University (formerly known as Beaver College), and her Ed.D. from Temple University. She began her career teaching elementary and middle school mathematics in the school district of Philadelphia, where she served for 20 years. She became supervisor of mathematics for the Philadelphia School District before pursuing full time doctoral studies. From 1985 to the present, she has worked as an adjunct professor at several colleges, including Arcadia University, Cabrini College, St. Joseph's University, Temple University, the University of Pennsylvania, West Chester University, and Widener University. In her career she has also been a mathematics supervisor, mathematics consultant, and director for a college preparatory mathematics program.
In 1993, Eizen was the founding director of Do Math for the Fun of It, Inc., a mathematics education consulting firm specializing in professional development at all levels of mathematics education. From 1991 to1993, she served as the founding co-director of the Interactive Mathematics Project in Philadelphia.
In 1996, Eizen founded the Foundation to Achieve Mathematics Excellence (FAME), a tax qualified educational organization, the purpose of which is to provide training and support for teachers who wish to increase their content knowledge and enhance their professional development. Through the volunteer efforts of numerous nationally recognized math educators, FAME conducted expansive programs in several public, private and religious schools in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Since 1997, Irene Eizen has been K-12 supervisor of mathematics in the Lower Merion School District of Ardmore, Pennsylvania.
Over the years, Eizen has contributed to many publications, including
Integrating Mathematics and Children's Literature: PCTM Yearbook, Math's Alive,
and
Do Math For The Fun Of It Newsletter
(a bimonthly publication distributed to thousands of teachers in the Philadelphia metropolitan area).
Irene Eizen has conducted hundreds of seminars and workshops in all aspects of mathematics education for schools, districts, and professional organizations at the local, state, and national levels. She is a regular presenter at NCTM annual meetings, and an active member of many national and regional mathematics education organizations.