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  • Trena L. Wilkerson

    Trena L. Wilkerson

    Candidate for President-Elect

    Position:  Professor, department graduate program director, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, (1999–).

    Education:  B.S. (mathematics), Mississippi College; M.Ed. (mathematics education), Southeastern Louisiana University; Ph.D. (mathematics education), University of Southern Mississippi.

    Previous Experience: Assistant professor-research, Louisiana State University (1994–99); high school teacher, Louisiana (1976–94).

    Memberships: NCTM; Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE); National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM); TODOS: Mathematics for ALL; Women and Mathematics Education (WME); American Educational Research Association (AERA); Association of Teacher Educators (ATE); Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators in Texas (AMTE-Tx); Research Council of Mathematics Learning (RCML); School Science and Mathematics Association (SSMA); Texas Council of Teachers of Mathematics (TCTM); Central Texas Council of Teachers of Mathematics (CTCTM); Texas Association of Supervisor of Mathematics (TASM).

    Activities in NCTM:  Member, NCTM Board of Directors (2014–17); Research Committee (2014–17); Membership Committee (2014–17); presenter, NCTM Algebra Readiness Institute (2014–16); editor, Quick Reads department, Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School (MTMS) (2011–14); Annual Meeting Program Committee, Indianapolis (2011); MTMS editorial panel: member (2005–09) and chair (2007–09); reviewer, NCTM journals (2004–18).

    Other Activities:  Journal editor, TCTM (2017–19); AMTE: program committee, (2019, 2009, 2007), professional development committee (2016–19), and newsletter editor (2010–14); AMTE-Tx: treasurer (2009–11), president (2012–14), and conference program chair (2013 and 2014); president, CTCTM affiliate (2014–16).

    Publications: Journal for Research in Mathematics Education (JRME) (2015, 2016, 2017); Teaching Children Mathematics (TCM) (2012); Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School (MTMS) (2008); Mathematics Teacher (MT) (2003); Texas Mathematics Teacher (2017); Journal of Research in Childhood Education (2015); book chapters: Exploring Mathematics through Literature, Pre-K–8 (NCTM, 2016), Young Adult Nonfiction: Gateway to the Common Core (Rowman & Littlefield, 2015), Lesson-Study Research and Practice: Learning Together (Springer, 2011).

    Honors: TCTM E. Glenadine Gibb Achievement Award (2016); SSMA Award for Excellence in Integrating Science and Mathematics (2013); Outstanding Teaching Awards (2000, 1997, 1986).

    Statement:  NCTM member involvement is key to the future of mathematics education. I would be honored to support staff, the Board, committees, and others in developing initiatives for increasing member and affiliate involvement so that NCTM is the place for members to be heard and supported locally, statewide, nationally, and internationally. We should continue to build strategic networks around critical issues, classroom instruction, teacher education, and student learning.

    While we have much research-based knowledge, we need a strategic plan for examining and supporting mathematics teaching and learning that reaches each and every student. NCTM is a conduit for engaging individual members, groups, affiliates, and other professional organizations to examine needs and support collaboration. These varied perspectives support a strategic approach to practice and research to guide the next decade.

    While the focus on accountability, whether for students or teachers, is not new, the current work with standards and their impact on teaching, learning, and assessment are not yet fully understood. NCTM can bring together classroom teachers, educators, researchers, administrators, parent, policy makers, K–16+ students, business leaders, and others in partnerships to ensure that future accountability measures and potential systems are equitable and move mathematics education forward.

    One initiative that NCTM should undertake is in informal education, an untapped area with tremendous potential. In venues such as zoos, museums, and national parks, students and teachers can learn significant and essential mathematics. I advocate bringing together a variety of stakeholders to outline a strategic initiative to support informal education as it addresses STEM education.

    I have a strong foundation of leadership experience in NCTM and a strong understanding of its purpose and mission. I am excited about the future possibilities for involving and supporting members in mathematics teaching and learning. While collaboration and active listening are two strengths I would bring to this position, the greatest strength I would bring is my love for teaching and learning mathematics in support of current and future mathematics teachers and leaders!