The National Science Foundation awarded $1.42 million to the Mathematics Department at Fresno State to prepare the next generation of math teacher-leaders vitally needed to create schools that are sites of success for all students. The “Mathematics Master Teacher Leadership Project” (M2TL) will provide 18 Master Teaching Fellows with an NSF Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship.
“Our goal was to create a cascade of events to transform mathematics education in this region to realize the principle of equity,” said Dr. Rajee Amarasinghe, professor of mathematics and the principal investigator of the project. “We believe M2TL will result in enthusiastic and capable master teachers who can truly support the diverse body of students in high-need schools, mentor new teachers, and develop the mathematics education teacher pipeline by encouraging talented students from underrepresented groups to become future mathematics teachers.”
M2TL builds on the decades-long synergistic partnership between the San Joaquin Valley Mathematics Project (SJVMP) and faculty in the Department of Mathematics and the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.
“Since 1989, the SJVMP has served as a professional home designed to develop the mathematics knowledge and leadership capacity of our region’s mathematics teachers,” said Dr. Carol Fry Bohlin, Curriculum and Instruction Department chair and director of the San Joaquin Valley Mathematics Project. “M2TL is an exciting enhancement of the mission of the SJVMP, equipping a special cadre of diverse mathematics educators who will inspire and empower their colleagues as well as the thousands of students they teach.”
The project’s leadership team of Amarasinghe, Bohlin, and Dr. Yaomingxin Lu will bring together nine partners throughout the San Joaquin Valley: the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium; Fresno County Superintendent of Schools; San Joaquin Valley Mathematics Project; Fresno State’s Mathematics and Science Teacher Initiative; and five high-need school districts (Central, Fresno, Mendota, Reef-Sunset and Sanger). The result will be a Valley-wide alliance to build up the pipeline of math teacher-leaders for our schools.
“M2TL has the potential to demonstrate the value of mathematics teachers with master’s degrees in K-12 school settings, where research and practice can be readily linked through the teacher’s own professional development and research experiences,” Lu said. “By applying research-informed and equitable practices, M2TL can increase the capacity and expertise of mathematics teachers to serve as leaders in their schools and districts in the San Joaquin Valley.”
(Written by Dr. Gil Harootunian, executive director, University Initiatives.)
