In our current situations, we have been told to implement “social distancing” or more specifically physical distancing – being at least 6 feet apart or reducing or limiting the number of social contacts we have each
As I reflect on recent weeks, I am thankful for the numerous people who have worked diligently in helping NCTM pivot toward making the best of an unprecedented situation. For many of our members, these people may not be visible, meaning they are working behind the scenes to ensure that “the little light” of NCTM shines. In this message, I want to acknowledge the work of various people who have worked behind the scenes because, I believe, they all deserve for others to see their light shine.
(Note: Trena Wilkerson’s President’s Message will begin in May) As I write this final President’s Message, many school
districts have closed their physical buildings and have transitioned to remote
or virtual teaching and learning. Consequently, we are all challenged to think
differently about the teaching and learning of mathematics.
NCTM identified a core set of eight
research-informed effective teaching practices in Principles to Actions: Ensuring Mathematical Success for All (NCTM 2014).
As I reflected on my experiences at the 2019 NCTM Annual Meeting, I felt a sense of community. This spirit of community was evidenced in the ways attendees engaged speakers, interacted in the exhibit hall, and supported one another. I appreciated that so many attendees used social media to connect with other attendees as well as with colleagues who were not able to attend the meeting.
In February, many members of the NCTM Board of Directors and I visited
Capitol Hill to meet with the offices of Members of Congress to introduce the
work of NCTM, to share key educational issues and the impact they have, and to
build relationships.
The question of how teachers of mathematics should
structure opportunities to learn (OTL) is sometimes a difficult one to answer.
“Truly wonderful and getting better” is a phrase I often use to start
conversations with students, teachers, or anyone with a stake in education.
Routines are an essential part of mathematics classrooms
because they give structure to time and interactions, letting students know
what to expect in terms of participation, supporting classroom management and organization,
and promoting productive classroom relationships for teaching and learning.
As the National of Council of Teachers of Mathematics prepares to
celebrate its centennial in 2020, it is also poised to implement in-depth
strategic planning that positions the Council for a second century.
Starting off the School Year by Building and Strengthening Professional CollaborationAt its July meeting, the NCTM Board of Directors approved a plan to make legislative visits to Capitol Hill prior to the start of each Board meeting starting next February.
Personalized learning is one of many instructional approaches to support
mathematics teaching and learning.
On October 17, ACT reported that the average mathematics score on its
annual college entrance exam for the graduating class of 2018 was the lowest in
20 years.
For almost 100 years, NCTM has been a public voice of mathematics education and has provided its members with quality content in its published journals. In view of the technological advances in scholarly communication and the significant shift from print to digital publication of content, NCTM has been assessing the form and delivery of the rich, valuable content of its journals.
In 2015 the NCTM Board of Directors decided to acquire The Math Forum after it was approached by Math Forum staff and informed that its relationship with Drexel University would be severed. The Board recognized the
The
most frequent questions I receive concern instructional time: How much time
should we have for math class at the elementary level? Middle level? High
school? What does the research say about time?
One of the many great things about education is that every year brings a
new opportunity. Unlike in most other professions, our professional
year has a clear start and finish that brings with it both an
opportunity to reflect on and learn from the year that just ended, as
well as a chance to "wipe the slate clean" and reinvent ourselves as
necessary.
As President and President-Elect of the National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics (NCTM), we are deeply disturbed and concerned by the acts of
terror displayed by white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Hate and white supremacy have no place in our communities, schools, and
classrooms. For many of you, the
academic school year has started or will start very soon.
April 2020 will be
a significant year in the history of the National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics. In Chicago, from April 1–4, NCTM will celebrate its centennial as
a council of teachers of mathematics at the NCTM Centennial Annual Meeting:
Looking Back and Moving Forward.
Over the past year, I have frequently referred to the importance of teachers of mathematics working collaboratively to improve teaching and learning. Over this same time period, many members have asked me what I think characterizes an effective professional learning community or collaborative team.