Supporting Teachers
WHAT WE DO
We support teachers by offering the Making Sense Professional Development courses and the Teaching Math to Struggling Learners courses. These innovative courses for both general and special education elementary teachers are designed to improve teacher practice in order to enhance student learning. A team of course developers from across Iowa collaborated on content and shared their pedagogical expertise to create these high-quality, research-based professional development courses that enhance math instruction in both general and special education elementary classrooms.
We support teachers by offering the Making Sense Professional Development and Teaching Math to Struggling Learners courses. These innovative courses for elementary teachers are designed to improve teacher practice in order to enhance student learning. A team of course developers from across Iowa collaborated on content and shared their pedagogical expertise to create these high-quality, research-based professional development courses that enhance math instruction in the elementary classroom. As a result, students develop a deeper understanding of mathematics and improve achievement. To learn more about our educational courses, please click on the link of interest to you below.
Additionally, the CTLM has partnered with the Waterloo Community Schools to provide instructional coaching in both Cunningham and Irving Elementary Schools during the 2013-2014 academic school year. With a focus on changing teachers’ beliefs and classroom practices, University faculty collaborated with Building Interventionists and District Math Coaches, to provide intensive modeling, coaching, and professional development to the elementary teachers. The instructional focus was successful implementation of the newly adopted TERC Investigations series. Success criteria for the project included an increase in teacher content knowledge of mathematics, improvement in teachers’ implementation of instructional strategies aligned with the adopted district mathematics curriculum, and an increase in mathematics achievement by the elementary students.
To meet our Instructional Coaching team visit Elementary Mathematics Instructional Coaching Team.
WHY WE DO IT
We created the Making Sense Professional Development courses because we believe in the importance of effective and innovative math instruction. The positive impact felt by students who are taught by highly-effective and capable teachers with strong content and pedagogy drives our course writing.
We created the Making Sense Professional Development courses because we believe in the importance of effective and innovative math instruction. The positive impact felt by students who are taught by highly-effective and capable teachers with strong content and pedagogy drives our course writing. We believe teachers are critically important in a child's education. Through our Making Sense Professional Development courses and instructional coaching, we strive to empower teachers and principals to become the most impactful educators and classroom leaders that they can be.
Key foundational research drives our desire to reach elementary teachers and principals, and ultimately impact student achievement. To read more on foundational research, please click below.
Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching
Standards for Mathematical Practice
Visit Course Outcomes to learn more.
Visit our Vision and Mission page for more information about our purpose.
WHO WE SERVE
Currently, we serve Iowa elementary mathematics teachers and principals. The teachers we serve strive to improve in their own instruction, which ultimately impacts student learning. The principals we serve are eager to take their role as an instructional leader to a new level.
More than 40 teachers from Southwest Iowa have worked their way through the courses thanks in part to a Mathematics and Science Partnership Grant funded by the Iowa Department of Education. In addition, last fall, all teachers in seven select elementary schools (a total of approximately 100 teachers) started the series of courses.
In the summer of 2012, 50 additional teachers worked their way through the courses in part to a Mathematics and Science Partnership Title II grant. In addition, another 50 teachers participated in the courses through alternative funding.
Beginning the summer of 2013, even more teachers benefitted from the courses thanks to another Mathematics and Science Partnership Title II grant, as well as district support.
Additionally, the CTLM is partnering with UNI's Mathematics Department and the Waterloo Community Schools to focus on successful implementation of the newly adopted TERC Investigations mathematics series. To meet our Instructional Coaching team, please visit the Elementary Mathematics Instructional Coaching Team page.
MAKING SENSE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SCHOOLS
(Elementary buildings from the following districts are participating in Making Sense Professional Development)
Cedar Falls Community School District
Clarinda Community School District
Creston Community School District
Creston- St. Malachi Parochial School
East Union Community School District
Ft. Dodge Community School District
Ft. Dodge- Community Christian School
Hamburg-Farragut Community School District
Lamoni Community School District
Red Oak Community School District
Saydel Community School District
Saydel- Heartland Shelter Care
Waterloo Community Schools
We would love the opportunity to add your school to our Participating Schools list! Contact us.
Where We've Been
The Mathematics Department at the University of Northern Iowa has provided professional development to teachers around the world for the past 20 years. What began as a contract with the Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) to extend high-school teacher learning in mathematics has evolved into innovative and responsive professional development opportunities for all teachers of mathematics.
1993
A University of Northern Iowa Mathematics Department proposal was funded through the Office of Naval Research to launch an in-service project for Department of Defense secondary mathematics teachers.
1993-2002
The UNI Department of Mathematics provided professional development for Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) secondary mathematics teachers.
2002-2004
The professional development offerings by UNI for secondary DoDEA mathematics teachers expanded to include middle grade (6-8) teachers.
2004-2008
The UNI professional development offerings for DoDEA teachers expanded again to include elementary teachers.
2007-2008
Professional development efforts continued for DoDEA teachers and also included teachers from the Hawaii Public School District.
More than 1,000 DoDEA and Hawaii teachers received professional development as a result of contracts with the UNI Mathematics Department.
2009
The Center for Teaching and Learning Mathematics received a $48,000 grant to modify one of the DoDEA courses to align with the Iowa Core Curriculum (ICC). 25 teachers piloted this course in the spring of 2009 in Pocahontas, Iowa.
2009-2010
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds ($50,000) were accessed fall of 2009 to facilitate the course that was piloted in Pocahontas the previous spring and to align a DoDEA course with the ICC. 25 teachers piloted these two courses in Creston, Iowa.
2010-2012
A $424,338 Mathematics and Science Partnership grant was funded by the Iowa Department of Education to facilitate the two courses previously piloted and an additional four courses in Creston and in Red Oak for 50 educators.
2011-2014
In collaboration with UNI’s Mathematics Department, a $297,500 partnership with the Waterloo Community Schools was established to provide instructional coaching in both Cunningham and Irving Elementary Schools.
2012-2015
A $448,895 Mathematics and Science Partnership Title IIB grant was funded by the Iowa Department of Education to facilitate six mathematics professional development courses in the Creston, Ft. Dodge, Saydel, and Waterloo school districts.
2014-2016
A $675,281 Mathematics and Science Partnership grant was funded by the Iowa Department of Education to create the Special Education Mathematics Professional Development courses: Teaching Mathematics to Struggling Learners.
2016-2020
A $1,464,889 DoDEA grant allowed the UNI professional development offerings to expand again to include elementary teachers in Mascoutah, Illinois.
For more information on funded projects at CTLM, visit our Funded Projects page.
Supporting Teachers Overview Map
How We Can Serve Teachers
The Center for Teaching and Learning Mathematics is committed to helping teachers maximize their mathematics instruction. Developed and facilitated by a team of leading mathematics experts, our Making Sense Professional Development courses are available to the elementary mathematics teachers. Designed with the needs of teachers mind, our courses will provide teachers with an opportunity to expand their thinking and instructional practice through the study and application of practical, research-based strategies. By discovering their own potential as mathematics instructors, teachers will undoubtedly discover the learning potential in their students as well.
We support teachers via face-to-face instructional sessions, web-based modules, and classroom coaching. Currently we offer a hybrid course that combines online with traditional delivery models. An online-only course option is also available.
To learn more about our professional development courses and how they may be right for your school, please click on the link of interest to you below.