UNI Mathematics Faculty Host Waterloo Schools Professional Development

As an extension of the ongoing instructional coaching project between UNI’s Center for Teaching and Learning Mathematics and the Waterloo Community Schools, UNI mathematics faculty recently facilitated professional development for 4th and 5th grade teachers from all 11 Waterloo Elementary Schools.

On March 5th and 6th, 2013, Dr. Glenn Nelson, Dr. Brian Townsend, and Dr. Matt Webb provided teachers an opportunity to discuss and further study their implementation of the new TERC Investigations mathematics curriculum adopted this school year. The professional development centered on Problem-Based Instruction and allowed teachers time to work through the key components of a mathematics lesson—the Big Idea, Launch, Exploration, and Discussion.

The TERC Investigations have generated a shift in how teachers think about and implement mathematics curriculum, thereby creating a new style of learning for students. After this first year of TERC Investigations implementation, Waterloo teachers report students as more engaged, more strategic in their thinking, and more willing to grapple with tougher problems.

More recently, Dr. Brian Townsend will be facilitating our course, Making Sense of Numbers, for the entire staff of Cunningham Elementary in Waterloo as part of a new contract recently formed with Waterloo Community School District. This course will begin Tuesday, September 9, 2014, and run through the middle of December.  It will be held at Cunningham School.