Francis (Skip) Fennell

April 2008 - My two years as NCTM’s president have been wonderful, exhilarating, challenging, frustrating, rewarding, and more. However, comments such as, "Please continue inspiring young future teachers," and, "You are a master teacher and I still try to emulate your passion," call me back. Why? Validation keeps us going.

Francis (Skip) Fennell

March 2008 - Once children begin their mathematics in school, a variety of mathematical experiences help develop a more formal sense of number. These experiences include, but are certainly not limited to, working with place value, composing and decomposing numbers, understanding how addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division work, acquiring basic facts, and developing fluency with whole-number operations.

Francis (Skip) Fennell

January/February 2008 - At a time when maintaining our nation’s competitive edge means encouraging more students to consider math- or science-related majors and careers, should we address the challenge by moving more students into higher levels of mathematics earlier?

Francis (Skip) Fennell

Far too often decision makers are not “talkin’” directly to teachers or involving them in planning that will have an impact on their work. And frankly, this oversight—this disrespect—contributes to the departure of many mathematics teachers from the profession.

Francis (Skip) Fennell

December 2007 - Proficiency with fractions is an important foundation for learning more advanced mathematics. Fractions are a student's first introduction to abstraction in mathematics and, as such, provide the best introduction to algebra in the elementary and middle school years.

Francis (Skip) Fennell

Public schools across the United States and Canada serve more than 6 million youngsters with a variety of learning disabilities.  

Francis (Skip) Fennell

Each year, NCTM focuses attention on one of the Principles, Content Standards, or Process Standards that are identified in Principles and Standards for School Mathematics. For the 2007–08 school year, the Focus of the Year (FOY) is Data Analysis and Probability.

J. Michael Shaughnessy

Getting ready for the new school year should include planning that will help your students, school, and district meet the expectations set by the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation.  

Francis (Skip) Fennell

The summer provides golden opportunities for educators to engage in articulation—communication about the mathematics that teachers teach and students learn within a school system.

Francis (Skip) Fennell

What are the secrets to success that effective principals know?

Francis (Skip) Fennell

At present, NCTM's Board of Directors is considering the next big step for the Council and the Curriculum Focal Points.

Francis (Skip) Fennell

Students need to see indications from others, including their parents, siblings, and peers, that mathematics is important.

Francis (Skip) Fennell

Assessment should not be done to students; rather, assessments are for students and should be used to guide and enhance their learning. And formative assessments, in particular, should be used every day to guide and monitor teaching and learning mathematics.

Francis (Skip) Fennell

Now more than ever, teachers need support and schools are beginning to recognize the importance of the mathematics specialist.

Francis (Skip) Fennell

Think seriously about the important mathematics that all children should learn deeply and well in prekindergarten through grade 8.

Francis (Skip) Fennell

Representation is NCTM’s Professional Development Focus of the Year (FOY) for 2006–2007.

Francis (Skip) Fennell

New teachers are setting up their classrooms as we speak.

Francis (Skip) Fennell

Summer break is on the horizon. Take time to recharge, reflect, and renew.