Master Math Teacher

Puerto Rico Master Math Teacher Program

Project Summary: The University of Puerto Rico (UPRRP) proposes to develop a Robert Noyce Master Teacher Fellowship initiative, as lead institution, in collaboration with the University of Puerto Rico in Cayey, the Puerto Rico Department of Education (PRDE) as the single island wide school and the Puerto Rico Community Foundation a non-profit organization. The UPRRP faculty of Natural Science and the Faculty of Education will collaborate to establish the first Puerto Rico Master Math Teacher Program (PRMMTP). This project will certify (8) 7-12th grade mathematics teachers, teaching in high-need school districts, as Master Math Teachers (MMT) through the UPRRP Division of Continuing Education, and the will teach in high need school districts for a total of five years. They will be trained to offer professional development to math teachers at the Professional Math and Science Resource Center (PMSRC) that have been established throughout the island by the Puerto Rico Math and Science Partnership (PRMSC). The MMTs will serve as role models of exemplary mathematics teaching practices, experts in content knowledge, and leaders among their peers to promote improvements in student academics achievement. Participant teachers, to be selected from high-need school districts in Puerto Rico, will have completed or be in the process of completing a Master Degree, and have a professional track record of excellence in teaching. The PRMMTP will consist of two phases: an intensive certification program followed by a period where the MMT serve as professional developer to complete a total of service required by this program. The MMT Certification will focus on the enhancement of mastery of math content and pedagogical skills through an approach that integrates depth of conceptual understanding with content-specific teaching strategies, mentoring and leadership skills. Disciplinary content will focus on inductive and deductive reasoning, and mathematical models (linear, quadratic and exponential) within a problem solving framework. Learning experiences will be modeled in which participants explore, formulate conjectures, deduce, justify and put arguments to the test. The graphing calculator will be used as a tool for working with different representations, connections among these and exploring conjectures. A math action research course will prepare the teachers to carry out a math action research at the grade level they teach. MMTs must present a portfolio to evidence their performance based on a set of criteria of teaching through student learning outcomes. In the second phase of the PRMMTP the certified MMTs will assume leadership roles within high need school districts. Activities will include serving as mentors, participating in curriculum development projects, participating in pre-service teacher education, assisting in the development and implementation of professional development for other teachers, particularly in the PMSRCs. MMTs will also participate as Cooperating Teacher during the practicum of 7-12th grade pre-service math teachers, and as mentors for beginning teachers. Each participating teacher will be provided a $10,000 annual salary supplement during the five years of participation in the program teaching a high-need school district. To evaluate the impact of the PRMMTP, student achievement in mathematics attained by students of teachers in the Master Teacher project will be assessed through the standardized math tests which are administered in all schools by the PRDE. NSF MMT Fellows will be paired with comparable students taught by teachers from comparable high need schools using a matched-control group pre/post design. Results of these evaluation/research projects would be used to identify elements that enhance students’ academic achievement in math.

Intellectual Merit: The PRMMTP will develop a model program for preparing exemplary mathematics teachers for teaching secondary students in high needs districts. Through the evaluation of the project impact on participating teachers the program elements that contribute to enhance student achievement will be identified. The lessons learned will be used to improve teacher preparation programs, and math teachers’ professional development activities.

Broader Impact: MMTs will serve as professional development resource for peers in high need school districts throughout the island through the established PMSRCs and other local initiative. The PR Community foundation will collaborate in the Island wide dissemination of the Program as part of the Puerto Rico wants an A movement, broadening the impact of the MMTs by enhancing their participation in additional professional activities for teachers and helping promote the presentations of the MMTs experiences in multiple local and national math and science education forums.

 

(Nov 2009)

 MMT I: Master Teacher Leadership Academy

  • Tools and skills for supporting changes in mathematics practice
  • Practices of effective leadership for quality mathematics learning
  • Facilitation skills for building and maintaining collaborative working groups among Fellows, school and university partners, administrators to enhance math teaching and learning
  • Examining students and school data on math students’ performance to inform and guide sustained improvements

 

January –May  2010 (30)

 

Summer 2010 (60)

 

 MMT II: Inductive and deductive reasoning.

  • Inductive reasoning: Patterns
  • Problem solving by inductive reasoning
  • Problem solving strategies
  • Deductive reasoning: reasoning errors
  • Learning experiences will be modeled in which participants explore, formulate conjectures, deduce, justify, and put arguments to the test.  The trainer-mentor will model strategies that promote a conceptual learning of mathematics: how to determine the learner previous knowledge, the use of inquiry for the learner building knowledge, the learning community, and assessment strategies that focus on conceptual understanding.

 

August 2010 – May 2011

 MMT III: Inductive and deductive reasoning: transfer to the classroom.The Fellows, accompanied by the mentors, will develop a plan to adapt and transfer to their classroom the concepts and strategies learned in the MMT II course.  The mentor will be in charge of the transfer plan to ensure its implementation.

Summer 2011

 MMT IV: Mathematical models: linear, quadratic and exponential.

  • What is a mathematical model?
  • The lineal model: its definition and applications
  • The quadratic model: its definition and applications
  • The exponential model: its definition and applications.
  • Learning experiences will be modeled in which participants explore, formulate conjectures, deduce, justify, and put arguments to the test.  The trainer-mentor will model strategies that promote a conceptual learning of mathematics: how to determine the learner previous knowledge, the use of inquiry for the learner building knowledge, the learning community and continuous assessment.

 

August 2011 – May 2012

 MMT V: Mathematical models: linear, quadratic and exponential: transfer to the classroomThe Fellows, accompanied by the mentors, will develop a plan to adapt and transfer to their classroom the concepts and strategies learned in the MMT IV course.  The mentor will be in charge of the transfer plan to assure its implementation.

Summer 2012

 MMT VI: Integration of Math Education and Research The action research: professional development strategy to promote math conceptual understanding.Will engage in joint efforts that infuse education with the excitement of discovery and enrich the diversity of learning experiences by incorporating some math research in their courses and carry out an action research on its effectiveness.

August 2012 – May 2013

 MMT VII: Integration of Math Education and Research: transfer to the classroom The Fellows, mentored by an expert in action research, will develop in their classroom the research project designed during the previous summer.  It will focus on the math content they teach, particularly while carrying out modest math research activities, and their students’ learning, giving special attention to their impact on students with special socio-cultural and educational needs.  Special emphasis will be given to analysis of students’ work.

Summer 2013

 MMT VIII: Master teachers: professional development leaders.The Fellows will share what they have learned with the other participants, their peers, mentors, and math and education faculty.  They will present their portfolios, which will be part of the evaluation for recommendation to receive the Master Math Teacher Certificate.

 

August 2013-May 2014

  Second Phase: MMT on going SupportAfter the completion of the certification, the Master Math Teachers will continue to receive coaching and support during the following academic year 2013-2014 while they are fully engaged in providing professional development experiences to other teachers.Mentors will visit and support the Master Math Teachers in their classrooms and in the APDP activities they offer for their schools, districts, and at the PMSRCs. During this phase, the MMTs will be encouraged to apply what they learn in their action research to improve theirs and other teachers’ practices. The Master Math Teachers will also be encouraged to participate at local and national math meetings to present their experience in the project.

Participación en otros proyectos:

Master Math Teachers have been working since 2012 with Master Science Teachers as participants on the MYTI project (Maximizing Yield through Integration (MYTI): Science and Math Education in the Context of a Disposing Society; NSF DUE-1038166). For additional information see I3/MYTI.