May 17, 2012
Seeking Feedback on NCTM NCATE Program Standards
NCTM is currently revising its NCATE program standards. Final drafts for specialists in secondary mathematics, middle grades mathematics, and elementary mathematics have been posted online. Now you have the opportunity to provide your feedback in an online survey by June 1. Final versions of the standards will be presented to the NCATE Specialty Area Studies Board in October for approval.
NBA Math Hoops—Classroom Kit Giveaway
Members of NCTM have the opportunity to apply for a free classroom kit from NBA Math Hoops, which will launch in fall 2012. NCTM members have the first opportunity to apply for a Classroom Kit ($300 value each). Developed for middle school students, NBA Math Hoops is a supplemental math curriculum that is aligned with the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and centered on an innovative, fast-paced, competitive basketball board game. If selected, your students will be some of the first in the country to have access to this interactive new math program, which uses NBA and WNBA teams and players. Visit NBA Math Hoops to apply.
Give the Gift of Choice
The Mathematics Education Trust (MET) depends solely on the philanthropy and dedication of donors for its grants, scholarships, and awards, which support in-service and prospective teachers as well as NCTM’s Affiliates. MET awards also recognize lifetime achievement of leaders in mathematics education. MET donors give the gift of choice to their fellow colleagues, teachers, and prospective teachers. Their gifts to MET provide great opportunities for professional growth and leadership development. Read more.
NCTM Referral Program
Calling all NCTM members to refer a friend! It’s as easy as 1-2-3. For every qualifying referral, your name will be entered in a drawing for one of two great prizes: a trip to the 2013 Annual Meeting in Denver or an Apple iPad. Other prizes include Visa gift cards, NCTM bucks and much more. Read here for more information about how you can refer someone you know. The deadline is just around the corner—referrals must be submitted by June 30.
Learn Key Strategies for Teaching Algebra
Join us in Atlanta, July 31–August 2, for NCTM’s Interactive Institute on Algebra Readiness for grades 3–8. Get the right tools to build a strong math foundation for your students. You will learn the latest teaching strategies and attend sessions and workshops that will show you how to integrate new strategies into your current curriculum, use improved assessment methods, and get the most from your online keynote sessions, study groups, and communities for sustained learning throughout the entire year. Institute attendees can also earn professional development credit (3 hours) through California State University, Fullerton, or graduate extension credit (3 hours) from the University of San Diego—learn more here. Register by May 25 to take advantage of our lowest registration rates.
PARCC K–12 Educator Engagement Webinars
The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) will be scheduling a series of large-scale webinars on issues related to implementing the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and the PARCC assessment system. Webinars will focus on key issues for educators and building administrators, and will be held June 26, August 30, and October 30, from 5 to 6 p.m. Visit here to register for an upcoming webinar or to view an archived version.
Smarter Balanced Consortium Contracts for Pilot Testing
The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium developing assessments for the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics has awarded a contract to CTB/McGraw-Hill. Through this contract, the Consortium will research the performance of innovative items and tasks through cognitive labs and limited field trials; develop the first 10,000 items and tasks (out of the total 47,000) for pilot testing in spring 2013; and analyze the results. The contractor will hire and train educators from Smarter Balanced states to write and review items and tasks for content, bias, and sensitivity on the basis of the guidelines being developed through RFP-04 Item Specifications. Details about how teachers can apply for item/task writing and item/task review positions will be available soon. Information about how schools can volunteer to participate in the pilot testing in spring 2013 will be available this summer. Smarter Balanced will field-test its full array of 47,000 items and tasks in spring 2014. Teacher recruitment for writing those items/tasks and for participation in the field-testing will occur during the 2013–14 school year.
Lure of the Labyrinth: Online Math Challenge for Middle Grade Students
The Education Arcade at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has a free online math challenge for students in grades 6–8. While playing Lure of the Labyrinth, students use mathematical thinking skills to progress through a compelling graphic-novel story. The challenge invites groups of four to six students to collaborate in a safe, teacher-moderated environment to engage in strategizing and problem solving. Teachers are encouraged to sign up for the challenge now through June 15 at no cost; summer school programs are also eligible to participate.
A new partnership among universities, community colleges, and K–12 districts in 30 states aims to align teacher-preparation programs in secondary mathematics with the Common Core State Standards. The formation of the Mathematics Teacher Education Partnership was announced last week. Read the article, Universities, Districts to Partner on Common-Core Secondary Math (Education Week, May 8, 2012).
The Legislative Update is a twice-monthly summary to keep you abreast of what's happening on Capitol Hill, at the U.S. Department of Education, and in the work of education organizations that will affect teachers, administrators, and school districts.
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