Dr. Margaret (Peg) Smith has had a career thoroughly dedicated to mathematics and furthering the knowledge of other educators. Dr. Smith has authored and co-authored nearly one hundred books and articles, impacting students and teachers of all levels.
Having graduated from State University of New York, Fredonia, Smith went on to teach throughout the northeast United States. Working as a math teacher in New York, Ohio, and Michigan, then moving to Pennsylvania to eventually become Professor Emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh.
Throughout her career, Dr. Smith has been awarded numerous grants towards continuing education and research of mathematics. Smith has all been presented with the Susan Loucks-Horsley Award, and both the Dean's Award for Teaching Excellence and the Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award from the University of Pittsburgh.
Smith has served on the board for both the Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of Mathematics and NCTM, in addition to serving on boards and panels for dozens of committees and associations. Dr. Smith “is [an] unquestionable and enthusiastic teacher of mathematics who believes in preparing prospective and practicing teachers for the advances that will enhance their performance in and out of the classroom”, says one nominator.
Dr. Smith is a strong advocate for professional development and was one of the foundational editors of Math Teacher Educator, a journal co-published by NCTM and AMTE. One former colleague shared that “her insights, focused dedication, and impressive catalog of scholarship and professional development tools have re-written and then made accessible what we understand to be effective instructional practice.”
Smith is well known for her writing on professional development and math education, but it is her work with co-author Mary Kay Stein on 5 Practices for Orchestrating Productive Mathematics Discussion that has been a hallmark of her career. Since being published in 2011, 5 Practices has become NCTM's best selling book.
The work that Dr. Smith has accomplished, and continues to undertake, has “broadly shaped the path of mathematics instruction and research”.