Fellows for the Advancement of Mathematics Education, FAME, organized under the direction of the Institute for the Advancement of Science at Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus, will train 45 outstanding and experienced middle school teachers (fellows) over a three year period in mathematics, mathematics education and leadership, who will then serve as school building leaders and developers of Mathematics Resource Teams. Each fellow will train ten novice teachers (inexperienced teachers or teachers with insufficient mathematical background), one of whom will be selected to participate in SSET (Scientific Specialization for Elementary Teachers), a mathematics and science training program in Years II and III. More than 450 novices, 75% of whom are minorities, and 15 SSET teachers will receive training. At the successful completion of FAME, fellows will be qualified to teach at the junior high school level in New York State and will be provided released time from teaching to train other teachers. In year II FAME will be disseminated to Florida at Miami University, to Texas Women's University and to New Jersey at Trenton State College. The anticipated outcomes of FAME's design will be: 1) A replicable interdisciplinary mathematics curriculum for middle school teachers;2) A functioning network of schools, universities and educational agencies; 3) Recruitment of bright youngsters, particularly minorities, for teaching;4) A model for providing mathematics expertise to middle schools. An evaluation is built into the project in order that the replicability of the model may be validated. Long Island University has already established the Institute for the Advancement of Mathematics and Science which is directed by P.I. Madeleine Long. Because of SSET (TEI-8316798; $381,686), whose science courses have been institutionalized, the Science Division (including mathematics) is now actively involved in teacher training and offers content courses especially designed for teachers and other adult learners. LIU will fund the fourth year of SSET. Evaluation information indicates that this program for 105 teachers has already had effect in the classroom in improving students attitudes and scores. FAME is directed at a significant problem--the critical need for qualified mathematics teachers. Fifteen of these teachers work in a region where 70% of the mathematics and science teachers are out of license. Groundwork has been laid in the currently NSF funded SSET program which involves the same pool of teachers who have been involved in the planning of FAME. The goals are clear, the selection process and pedagogical approach are appropriate, the staff is qualified and experienced, the math resource team is a creative approach, the course content is excellent, the participants are rewarded for excellence, positive aggresive attention has been paid to women and minorities, and tutors will help attract minorities. LIU has made a commitment of $551,863 to the project including the directors salary after year one. At the end of the funding period the program will be institutionalized. The school districts have committed $424,875. The Universities which will be used for dissemination have commited $122,100. Businesses have made commitments for mini-grants to be awarded to participants to fund proposals.
