Implementing and using mathematics standards in North Carolina

School Science and Mathematics, Oct 2001 by Joyner, Jeane M, Bright, George W

Sid Rachlin, a professor at East Carolina University, pointed out that a number of new courses focus on standards-based mathematics, especially at the middle school level (personal communication, March 24, 2001). The standards documents have become required readings in teacher preparation courses. Carol Malloy and Carol Midgett, both members of the Principles and Standards Writing Group and also university faculty in North Carolina, echoed their belief in the importance of new teachers being knowledgeable about the standards documents and resources supporting implementation of the ideas in those documents (personal communications, March 23-24, 2001). University faculty who identify themselves as mathematics educators know about all of the NCTM standards documents and incorporate their messages into teacher education courses. The commitment of mathematics educators is to help graduates of teacher education programs begin their first jobs as up-to-date teachers with a deep knowledge of mathematics reform and current mathematics standards.

Another partner in promoting standards-based education is the MSEN, which was established and funded by the state legislature in 1984. Within MSEN there are 10 centers (nine at University ofNorth Carolina System universities and one at the North Carolina School for Science and Mathematics), which provide mathematics and science education professional development locally. MSEN has regularly supported activities that help inform educators across the state about mathematics standards, science standards, and other reports important to mathematics and science education. For example, during 1999-2000 MSEN sponsored a series of three symposia that examined various aspects of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study.

Symposium on Principles and Standards

North Carolina was actively involved in providing feedback to the writers of the 1989 and the 2000 NCTM standards documents. MSEN centers sponsored meetings, at which each of the NCTM drafts (e.g., Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics: Working Draft in 1987, Principles and Standards for School Mathematics: Discussion Draft in 1998) were read, discussed, and critiqued. Feedback from these meetings was shared with the writers of these NCTM documents, with the hope that the insights of North Carolina teachers would help shape the final versions. Apart from the impact these comments may have had on standards writers, the study of drafts was a significant professional development experience for the teachers and leaders in mathematics education who were involved.

In May 2000 consultants from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and several Meredith College mathematics faculty members invited other mathematics education leaders to join in planning a statewide "roll-out" of the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics. What emerged was a symposlum, held in September 2000, with over 500 K-12 teachers, higher education faculty, school system administrators, and community leaders in attendance. The symposium, cosponsored by Meredith College and the Mathematics Section of the Department of Public Instruction, had additional financial support from the North Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics and MSEN.