The Lincoln Area Teachers' Mathematics Circle

2009 - 2010

Where Teachers and Mathematics Meet

 

A Teacher Led Mathematical Problem Solving

and

Professional Development Experience for

Middle Level School Teachers

Mission Statement: The Teachers' Circle brings together active mathematicians and middle-level teachers. Our goal is to discover and pass along to students the excitement and richness of problem solving in deep yet accessible mathematical topics

What is a Teachers’ Math Circle?

Our goal is to encourage a culture of problem solving in middle grade and algebra classrooms. The Lincoln Area Teachers' Circle brings together mathematics teachers (especially grades 6-9 math teachers) and active mathematicians to engage in mathematical problem-solving and to provide guidance and resources math teachers can use in promoting open-ended problem-solving as a way of learning and thinking about mathematics in their classrooms. Teachers are encouraged to collaborate to adapt the mathematics learned to their classroom.

The Teachers' Circle is a place for math teachers to gather who enjoy discovering great mathematics and who enjoy engaging in conversations with colleagues and professional mathematicians.

Discussions will be held to determine what challenges exist to incorporating this style of teaching into the present curriculum, what resources would be most helpful to teachers, and other related topics.

What types of mathematics will we do? The mathematical problems have multiple entry levels and can be accessible to a wide variety of students.

How Do I Get Involved? The Teacher’s Circle will meet five times throughout the school year. Teachers will gather on Thursday evenings to participate in a math circle, have dinner together, and discuss experiences in their respective classes over the prior few weeks. In this way participants can regularly explore exciting new math topics, which can serve both as a refreshing time spent enjoying the subject they teach as well as a potential source of enrichment material for their classes.

Time:  
5:30 - 6:00 Dinner provided by UNL Center for Science, Mathematics, and Computer Education
6:00 - 7:30 Math Problem

Location:

Culler Middle School (52nd and Vine Street)
RSVP to Anne Schmidt aschmid@lps.org

 

 

 
Session Dates RSVP Deadline Title Presenter Handouts/Pictures

October 15

Location: SEC Continuing Ed Building (behind ShopKo on O St)

October 8 "Jim Tanton's Cascade Machines: From place value to long division to geometric series" Steve Dunbar  
November 12 November 5      
February 11 February 4      
March 11 March 4      
April 8 April 1      

**Special thanks to the UNL Center for Science, Mathematics and Computer Education for providing the dinner!

2008-2009 Seesions and Handouts
2007 - 2008 Sessions and Handouts

Quotes from the Organizing Team

“I have used many rich problem solving activities with my Math Intervention students as well as my gifted students. It is fun and rewarding when the students I least expect are actively involved in successfully solving the problem.” -- Julie Kreizel, Mickle Middle School & LPS Math Coach

“Higher level thinking problems provided my students the opportunity to surprise me with the depth of their mathematical knowledge.” --Anne Schmidt, Culler Middle School Math Coach

The mathematics is interesting, rich, deep, but accessible to all and best of all it is FUN!” -- Steve Dunbar, UNL

“Engaging in rich mathematical problems with highly motivated, energetic middle-level teachers is a rewarding experience.” -- Cheryl Miner, Nebraska Wesleyan University

Math circles will provide sustainable staff development that will have a profound effect on teachers’ content knowledge and the ability to transfer the mathematics to their students.” -- Sue Graupner, LPS

 

Front: Cheryl Miner, Julie Kreizel, Anne Schmidt.
Back: Steve Dunbar, Sue Graupner.

For more information about Math Teacher's Circles, check out www.mathteacherscircle.org

Sponsors:
AIM, American Institute of Mathematics
Center for Science, Mathematics and Computer Education, UNL
Lincoln Public Schools
ESU #6