Illinois State University will conduct a three-year program to enhance 56 mathematics teachers of grades 4 through 8. Each teacher will attend a four-week summer institute and six half-day academic year seminars each year and will be given released time to meet with project staff and to mentor preservice teachers and their peers. The project emphasizes "LINCS" between research and instruction, elementary and high school mathematics, self-improvement in mathematics instruction and building mathematical leadership, and inservice and preservice teachers. Approximately 60 preservice teachers will be mentored by the participants. Approximately 100 second-wave teachers will also be enhanced through the project, and the local school districts have pledged to support further inservicing of teachers after the NSF funding terminates. In all, 60 preservice and 150 inservices teachers will be effected by this project. Major mathematical topics include the integration of technology into mathematics teaching and learning; problem solving in the content areas; the teaching and learning of prealgebra/algebra concepts and skills; probability, statistics and graphing; geometry and measurement; and developing number sense and proportional reasoning. Eighteen graduate credits may be earned and applied toward a Master of Arts degree. Illinois State University and school district cost-sharing accounts for 25% of the NSF budget. This inservice program which LINCS with a current NSF funded preservice program could become a model for Teacher Preparation Centers.
