TO:  Mathematics Education Committee
FROM:  Bob Kansky
DATE:  31 January 1996
RE:  Request for Input on Draft Letter
 
What follows is my draft of the letter to the Early Childhood Committee that
I was instructed to write at the conclusion of our last meeting.  Since the
letter must reach that committee by 6 February, I ask that you respond with
comments/suggestions by close of business on Friday, 2 February.
 
I apologize for the tight schedule.  I simply could not get to the draft
until today, and that leaves us little time to massage it.
===================
5 February 1996
 
Drs. Doris Bergen and Arleen Steen
Co-chairs, Early Childhood Education Committee
CAMPUS
 
Dear Drs. Bergen and Steen:
 
The Mathematics Education Committee (MEC), a interdivisional committee of the
Department of Mathematics and Statistics and the Department of Teacher
Education, has reviewed your committee's statement of working philosophy and
proposed program of studies for a licensure program for birth through age
eight.  The purpose of this letter is to communicate MEC's concerns regarding
that program and to suggest alternative program components.
 
MEC concurs with all points made by the Board of Directors of the Center for
Mathematics and Science Education in its letter of 19 December 1995 addressed
to the Early Childhood Education Committee.  In particular, MEC offers the
following observations in support of the Board's assertion that the
certification or licensure program for teachers of children from birth to age
eight should "maintain requirements in the areas of mathematics and science
that are at least equivalent to what is currently required for elementary
certification."
 
  o     The age range of the children served by the proposed certification area
includes children through grade 3.  However, standards for the mathematical
education of primary school teachers published separately in 1991 by both the
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and the Mathematical
Association of America would not be met by the program proposed by your
committee.  Thus, the program is not aligned with the recommendations of the
principal professional organizations in mathematics education.
 
  o     The mathematics education standards used by NCATE are the standards that
were published by NCTM, and we understand that the NCATE standards for
science education are those developed by the National Association of Science
Teachers.  Since the proposed program does not meet those standards, NCATE
accreditation would be jeopardized.
 
  o     Because Ohio administers a proficiency test to students in grade 4, the
content and pedagogical preparation of teachers of grades K-3 is of great
importance to the schools.  The constructed-response and extended-response
items of the practice tests imply new, high levels of student performance in
mathematics.  The proposed program of study would not graduate teachers
prepared to help students achieve those high levels of  performance.
 
MEC recognizes that there is significant mathematics that could be taught to
children prior to age 5 and believes that the mathematics and mathematics
education courses of the current elementary certification program at Miami
University do not prepare teachers to teach appropriate mathematics at that
level.  Should a separate program of certification be developed for teachers
of children from birth to age five, MEC suggests that it would be necessary
to develop a new content course in mathematics and a new course in the
teaching of mathematics for children in that age range.  Candidates seeking
certification to teach children from birth to age eight would need those
courses in addition to the courses now required for elementary teachers.
Looking beyond the obvious problems posed by adding courses to an
already-packed program required of elementary school majors, MEC notes that
current faculty in mathematics and mathematics education probably do not have
the expertise required to develop such courses and the cooperating
departments would need to find support for the additional staff load.
 
Sincerely,
 
 
 
 
Robert J. Kansky
Chair, Mathematics Education Committee
 
Committee Members:  Kristen Brennan (Student), Johnny Hill (EDT), Iris
Johnson (EDT), Joe Kennedy (MTH), Dave Kullman (MTH), Amy McDiffett (MTH),
Cathe Mulligan (MTH), Bill Rouse (EDT), Lee Sanders (MTH), Jerry Stonewater
(MTH), Laura Urbanski (MTH), Tammy Walker (MTH), and Sandra Zirkes (MTH)
 
cc:     Ed Jones, Director, Center for Mathematics and Science Education
        Dave Killian, Chair, Department of Teacher Education
        Julie Underwood, Dean, School of Education and Applied Professions