The Reconceptualizing Mathematics Teaching and Learning through Professional Development Local Systemic Change project involves Community School District Two of New York City and the following higher education partners: City University of New York, Bank Street College, and New York University. The project also involves Marilyn Burns' Education Associates, the Federal Reserve Bank, and the 14th Street Business Improvement District as private sector partners.
The project focuses on the implementation of mathematics education reform initiatives at the K-8 levels. It is the project's goal to enhance the capacity of all 1,200 teachers of K-8 mathematics by focusing on their mathematics content knowledge, challenging their instructional beliefs, and building their ability to utilize constructivist-based instructional strategies. The project plans to implement the NSF-funded Investigations (elementary) and Connected Mathematics (middle) curriculum materials. It will also link up with the NSF-funded Mathematics in the City Project and New York's Urban Systemic Initiative. A very thorough evaluation of the project will be completed, via a subcontract with New York University.
District Two is the only one of New York City's 32 school districts to work with Lauren Resnick and Marc Tucker's New Standards Project. The district is now implementing the New Standards and this project will expand District Two's efforts in professional development and the use of exemplary curriculum.
An interesting aspect of this project is the use of a variety of partners and prior and current projects in extending professional development efforts to include the implementation of a standards-based K-8 mathematics curriculum.
