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Strengthening Instruction in Tennessee Elementary Schools - Focus on Mathematics

OUR MISSION

We believe that it is essential to strengthen the mathematics expertise of elementary and middle school teachers in order to:

  • address the achievement gap in elementary student mathematics;
  • build a firm mathematics foundation for these students for later study in middle school and high school;
  • break the cycle of under-preparedness in mathematics.

Tennessee State University and Educational Testing Service (ETS) have partnered to involve a consortium of Tennessee Colleges and Universities in a large-scale professional development program over the course of five years.

OUR VISION

Together, the participating institutions will reach out across Tennessee to strengthen instruction in mathematics at the K-8 level by working with college and university mathematics and mathematics education professors, pre-service teachers, and in-service teachers in partner schools. Through a series of summer professional development institutes and school-year Weekend Mathematics Workshops, training in the use of the ETS standardized observation protocols, TSU monthly mathematics challenges and a project-based website for participants, we will organize and offer the newest thinking in professional development for mathematics education and standards-based instruction aimed at increasing teachers' mathematics content knowledge and mathematical knowledge for teaching.

We have a unique opportunity at present to reach teachers in the state through the institutions that train a significant portion of them— Colleges and Universities in Tennessee. By providing professional development and standards-based instruction, Tennessee College and University math and math education faculty will acquire new, research-based approaches to teaching mathematics to pre-service teachers; pre-service teachers will gain early access to professional development in mathematics; elementary and middle school teachers in partner schools will gain increased understanding of mathematics knowledge for teaching; and the schoolchildren completing their elementary and middle school education in participating schools will improve their math proficiency and increase their enjoyment of mathematics.

Sr. Vice-President
  • Dr. Peter E. Millet
Project Co-Director
Project Co-Director






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