Board Member-at-large
Timothy Boerst
Professor of Clinical Practice, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Professional Work Experiences
During 15 years as an elementary teacher, I twice earned National Board Certification as a Middle Childhood Generalist. I hold a PhD in teacher education and a master’s in mathematics education from the University of Michigan. I am currently Professor of Clinical Practice at the University of Michigan School of Education and Associate Chair for Assessment of Professional Progress. We have over the last several years fundamentally redesigned our teacher education program to prepare elementary teachers who are skillful with high leverage teaching practices, subject-matter serious, and professionally committed to the learning of all students. I have played a central role in the design and implementation of the new program. I work and provide leadership on course design and program assessment of our teacher interns’ development of practical knowledge, content knowledge for teaching, and skills of actual classroom teaching. I also teach mathematics methods courses embedded in schools. My scholarship focuses on mathematics teaching practice and the design of professional learning experiences. I currently lead projects funded by NSF and IES focused on the design of professional development materials and the assessment of teaching practice. I regularly present at national conferences and have published in major research and practitioner journals.
Service to AMTE and other professional organizations:
My service to mathematics education organizations has taken many forms. I lead projects that develop materials and provide practice-based, mathematically focused, professional development for practicing elementary teachers in a wide array of school contexts across the country. I have played a central role in the development of school-university partnerships. I have served on the editorial panel of NCTM’s Teaching Children Mathematics (2000 – 2002; chair 2003) as well as the NCTM Research Committee (2007 – 2009; chair 2010). I have also served as a member of NCTM’s Equity and Diversity Task Force (2003) and most recently as a facilitator for NCTM’s “Connecting Number and Operations in the Classroom” Institute. I have served on advisory boards for NSF centers such as the Center for the Study of Mathematics Curriculum and for national curriculum publishers. I have also been active with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards serving as a member of the Early Childhood Generalist Standards Committee and currently as a member of the Certification Council that guides and evaluates the National Board’s entire program of certifications. In 2012 I received the AMTE Early Career Award for Distinguished Contributions to Teaching, Service, and Scholarship.
Vision for and commitment to AMTE:
As a key organization serving those preparing and providing continuing professional education for teachers of mathematics, AMTE has supported its members in considering the implications of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for teaching, learning, and teacher education. As the next phases of work on CCSS unfold, such as large-scale implementation of assessments, development of curriculum materials, and evolution of teacher licensure and evaluation, and as orientations toward the CCSS shift and mature, AMTE will play a crucial role through conferences, position papers, publications, and other resources to support its members, as well as providing leadership in the education community.