AMTE is committed to promoting the use of Elementary Mathematics Specialists in PK-6 environments to enhance the teaching, learning, and assessing of mathematics in order to improve student achievement.
Elementary Mathematics Specialists (EMS) Book - Spring 2017
Elementary Mathematics Specialists: Developing, Refining, and Examining Programs that Support Mathematics Teaching and Learning is AMTE’s latest resource supporting the important work of EMSs. It has five sections related to the preparation and professional development of EMSs: (a) Background; (b) Models for Mathematics Specialist Program Development and Delivery; (c) Ongoing Learning and Support of Mathematics Specialists; (d) Researching the Impact of EMS Professionals and Programs; and (e) What's Next for the Field? The book provides support to EMS practitioners, program providers/developers, and researchers seeking to answer important questions about how to prepare Mathematics Specialists, support them in the field, and research their effectiveness.
Sponsored by Maier Math Foundation
EMS Scholarship Program
The AMTE Elementary Mathematics Specialist Scholarship program provides support to teachers in their development as elementary mathematics specialists. Recipients receive $2,000 of funding to enhance their mathematics knowledge, teaching, and leadership by enrolling in university coursework or other training to develop the expertise in becoming an elementary mathematics specialist. Funds should be used to work towards an EMS certificate or endorsement.
Featured Resources
Standards
AMTE published the Standards for Elementary Mathematics Specialists: A Reference for Teacher Credentialing and Degree Programs in January 2010. In response to the updated Mathematics Education for Teachers 2 and the release of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics they refined the standards in 2013.
Position Statement
AMTE with ASSM, NCSM, and NCTM developed the first joint position statement when they released The Role of Elementary Mathematics Specialists in the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics in 2010.
States with EMS Certification or Credentials
In 2010, 9 states offered EMS certification or credentials. Following conferences in 2010 and 2011 along with related efforts (e.g., conference presentations, publications, research conference), 22 states now offer state certification for EMS:
|
|
|
Mathematics Specialist Language
In the AMTE EMS Standards document, we used the term EMS Professional as an umbrella title for all of those involved in this work. For the book, we knew different teams would will be writing about teachers in three different general roles: (1) teachers who primarily work with students, (2) teachers who work primarily with teachers, and (3) teachers who work with students in intervention/pull-out programs. We provided the language presented in the graphic as consensus language.
- Mathematics specialist - a professional who is certified as a mathematics specialist or who works in the role of a mathematics specialist
- Mathematics coach - a professional who exclusively works with teachers
- Mathematics teacher - a professional who teaches math to students
- Mathematics intervention specialist - a professional who works in a “pull out” program.
(McGatha & Rigelman, 2017)
Research and Assessment
EMS Research Conference
The Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE) and the Brookhill Institute of Mathematics jointly sponsored a conference for those involved in conducting research relative to mathematics specialists. The conference provided time for Elementary Mathematics Specialist (EMS) researchers to share their research, dialogue about challenges in conducting research, share resources and instruments being used/designed for research, and consider future collaborations in researching the impact of Mathematics Specialists.
The conference was held May 18-19, 2015 at the Brookhill Institute of Mathematics facilities in Waukesha, Wisconsin. There were 34 people who attended the conference representing 14 states. Participants included mathematics teacher educators, mathematics education researchers, and mathematics specialists. The math teacher educators range from seasoned professors to graduate students.
- Agenda
- Keynotes and Research Bursts
- Problems of Practice Resources
- Current and Past Projects
- Related Publications
Assessment and Evaluation of Elementary Mathematics Specialist Candidates and Programs
A working group convened at the 2017 AMTE Annual Conference to discuss best practices in assessment and evaluation of EMS programs and brainstorm possibilities for strengthening our systems.
Developing a Research Agenda of Mathematics Teacher Leaders and Their Preparation and Professional Development Experiences
A working group convened at the 2017 PME-NA Annual Conference to discuss teacher leader professional learning and how to systematically study such learning.
- Working Group Proposal
- Tools for Program Evaluation and Research
- Related Articles
- Mathematics and Other Disciplinary Tools
- Professional Learning Tasks
- TEAMS Presentation and Handouts
More Information
For more information on AMTE Initiatives in support of Elementary Mathematics Specialists, please contact:
- Nicole Rigelman, rigelman@pdx.edu
- Maggie McGatha, maggiemcgatha87@gmail.com