9618633 Ratteray Invigorating Approaches for Elementary School Mathematics: A Professional Development Model The Institute for Independent Education (IIE) seeks a planning grant from the National Science Foundation to develop a full-fledged proposal to strengthen the mathematics curriculum and to enhance mathematics teaching and learning at urban-based independent schools. The participating schools are committed to building a strong mathematics curriculum and are willing to collaborate on acquiring strategies for its effective teaching through intensive professional development work. With the proposed planning grant, the Institute will develop a leadership team at a core group of schools primarily in Philadelphia and New York. The team will examine several innovative NSF sponsored 5-8 curriculum projects designed to enhance the teaching and learning of mathematics and will decide upon one curriculum to be implemented during the culminating project. With the assistance of the leadership team, the Institute will sponsor a regional conference to be attended by teachers, administrators, and, possibly, some parents from interested independent community-based schools in the area. At that conference participants will have an opportunity to learn about the chosen curriculum by experiencing representative activities from it. They will also have a chance to strengthen their commitment to collaborating on its implementation. During the planning project, the Institute will develop a proposal for a professional development program that will help the independent community based-schools involved in implementing the chosen curriculum to strengthen their mathematics program and in incorporating effective mathematics teaching strategies.
