Teacher Development | pi.math.cornell.edu

We assist mathematics teachers and students at several local schools at all grades, with primary emphasis on the secondary level (grades 7–12). Major activities include the following. Please contact Mary Ann Huntley for more information.

MATH 5080: Mathematics for Secondary School Teachers

During each academic year we offer a series of four full-day workshops for secondary math teachers. Anyone interested in issues related to the teaching and learning of secondary mathematics (e.g., pre-service teachers, students, and mathematicians) is welcome to attend. We examine principles underlying the content of the secondary school mathematics curriculum, including connections with the history of mathematics, technology, and mathematics education research. Participation at one workshop is not prerequisite to attending another.

Registration, Credit, and Costs
Agendas, Handouts, and Links Related to Recent Workshops
September 23, 2017 (agenda) - Cutting, Pasting, and the Difficulties of Counting (Inna Zakharevich), The Decimal System and Other Ways to Represent Numbers (Julia Gordon), The Mathematics of Queueing Theory (Jamol Pender), Beware of the Bombardier Beetle (Richard Rand)
November 11, 2017 (agenda) - Tablecloth Math (Beverly West), TI Tips for Building Math Confidence and Regents Success (Dana Morse)
March 10, 2018 (poster) - Ensuring Success for All in Secondary Mathematics, (W. Gary Martin & Marilyn Strutchens, Auburn University.
April 7, 2018 (agenda) - Jody Magner & Sue McMillen (SUNY-Buffalo State, Mathematics Department) have recently been recognized for their work with ~100 teachers and 14 administrators from Buffalo schools that resulted in improved student test scores. Come learn from this amazing team of mathematics educators!

Faculty Research and Curriculum Development

Professor Emeritus David Henderson continues to work with teachers across the country through two NSF-supported projects: The Algebra Project (grades 8-12) and Understanding Space Through Engineering Design (USTED), a grades K-5 development project for underserved students. His special experiential-based geometry curricular materials have been used in NY, CA, OH, MI, IL, MD, SC, FL, VA, AR, GA, and MS. For more detail about Henderson’s work with schools, visit www.math.cornell.edu/~henderson/AP/.

Faculty members Mary Ann Huntley and Maria Terrell have been investigating the content of the algebra strand of six commercially-available high-school textbook series. The results of this study are expected to allow curriculum decision makers and other stakeholders to compare curricula and make informed decisions. This research has been supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation (Award #090131). Mary Ann presented results from this work at the 2015 national meeting of the Association of Mathematics Teachers of New York State (AMTNYS).

Daina Taimina (faculty member, retired) is collaborating with David Henderson and researchers at Vanderbilt University on an NSF-sponsored grant entitled “Understanding Space through Engineering Design” (USTED). She is designing curriculum units for grades K-5 and has several times visited Monitor Elementary School in Springdale, AR, where this curriculum is being used.

Electronic Newsletter

Mary Ann Huntley maintains an electronic mailing list for disseminating information about upcoming mathematics education events at Cornell and other professional development offerings. To be added to the list, please email your contact information to Mary Ann.