The authors propose a conference on the mathematical knowledge needed for teachers of grades K-8, to be held at the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute at the University of California, Berkeley, during the month of May, 2005. Participants will be drawn from the mathematics research community, together with researchers in mathematics education and school and district education personnel.
Sessions at the conference will assume various formats, from individual presentations to panel discussion to small group discussion. A volume of proceedings will be generated and disseminated.
The goals of the proposal are to examine a variety of issues connected with the mathematics needed to teach on this level. This issue has become the subject of significant national discussion. While mathematics courses and curriculum for engineers, for computer scientists, for mathematics and physics majors are routine, similar specialized mathematical materials for teachers have not been developed. Nor has the mathematical community engaged in serious discussion of what this body of mathematics might be. The present proposal is to convene a group of mathematicians and educators to further this discussion.
