Moving Into the Second Century with Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PK–12 - National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Moving Into the Second Century with Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PK–12

January 2019

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. NCTM journals have been instrumental in providing teachers of mathematics with content to meet the needs for each and every learner and to help practitioners to adapt to constant pedagogical and technological changes. Our commitment to providing content that supports the highest-quality mathematics teaching and learning for each and every student is at the forefront of launching a new journal that builds on the foundations of Teaching Children Mathematics, Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, and Mathematics Teacher.

The new journal, Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PK–12 (MTLT), will commence NCTM’s centennial celebration January 2020 and will be published 12 times yearly. The beginning of the name, Mathematics Teacher, honors the rich legacy of NCTM’s original journal and the latter part of the name, Learning and Teaching PK–12, embraces the continuity of learning and teaching mathematics across the grade levels.

MTLT continues NCTM’s tradition of being dedicated to supporting practitioners’ changing needs while also being responsive and adaptive to readers’ input and to offering new insights and professional development. The new journal embraces technological advances in scholarly communication to include a broader approach beyond the printed word in print-only journals toward a journal that embraces the digital-first philosophy. In addition to taking advantage of technological advances, MTLT will present how mathematics content, mathematical understanding, mathematical practices, and teaching are supported across the pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade levels.

The digital-first philosophy will foster community discussion and engagement with authors; and it will permit us to publish much more timely content and to communicate on the issues of the day. MTLT is a digital-first journal that will move beyond the constraints of a printed-only journal to allow for the inclusion of multimedia to bring ideas to life. With MTLT, authors can be creative with submissions to engage consumers interactively beyond what is printed on a page.

Imagine a journal where you can click a link to take a virtual step into a classroom and watch as a student solves a math problem or listen in as a teacher adjusts and scaffolds an instructional plan on the basis of student dialogue.

Imagine a journal article that includes a link to a podcast interview with authors in which they share how they use formative assessment techniques to guide where the next lesson should begin.

Imagine related interactive whiteboard files, mobile apps, and other digital resources in an article, making it easy for you to implement the mathematical learning opportunity you just read about in your own classroom.

MTLT affords authors opportunities to write across grade levels to describe the progressions of learners’ thinking and the strategies of mathematical content and practices. Additionally, authors might focus on instructional practices and/or instructional routines within different grade levels. Such opportunities allow authors to consider learners’ developmental progressions, learning goals, curricular connections, assessment ideas, and teaching practices.

Launching a new journal is a significant undertaking, and the initial planning work was spurred by a Board-appointed task force. That select group of volunteers, working with staff, defined the mission, audience, and scope of the new publication, which the NCTM Board of Directors approved in February 2018.

Mission

MTLT is devoted to supporting the enhancement and improvement of mathematics teaching and learning for each and every learner both inside and outside the classroom.

Audience

MTLT is designed for prospective and practicing teachers of mathematics and those who work with them.

Scope

MTLT reflects the current practices of mathematics education as well as maintaining a knowledge base of practice and policy in looking at the future of the field. Content is aimed at the grades from preschool to twelfth grade with peer-reviewed and invited articles. The journal is enhanced through use of multimedia and web-based content. MTLT publishes articles that include but are not limited to—

the craft of teaching mathematics;

mathematics concepts, problems, and tasks;

research-informed teaching and learning practices;

access, equity, and empowerment;

policies and current events that impact mathematics education;

mathematics curriculum and assessment;

articulation across the grades; and

other areas related to the teaching and learning of mathematics.

Articles are welcome from all those who are interested in the teaching and learning of mathematics. We encourage you to go to MTLT’s website to review tools for authors and author guidelines. Additionally, we encourage you to submit a manuscript; go to https://mc04.manuscriptcentral.com/mtltpk12.

Robert Q. Berry III

NCTM President

Angela Barlow

Editor-in-Chief, Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PK–12

January 2019