I sent the following note to the MATHED mail list early this morning, but
there's no indication that it has been distributed. Here's another try.
Bob
________________________________________________________
From: Kansky R on Mon, Feb 5, 1996 5:45 AM
Subject: Final Copy #2: Letter on ECE
To: MathEd Mail List
TO: Mathematics Education Committee
FROM: Bob Kansky
DATE: 5 February 1995
RE: Final Copy of Letter Regarding ECE Certification
The following letter to the committee proposing programs for Elementary
Childhood Education certification includes the changes that you requested.
It will be delivered to Drs. Bergen and Steen as soon as offices open this
morning.
Bob
==============
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), an 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 (MAA) 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 MAA, and we understand that the NCATE standards
for science education are those developed by the National Science Teachers
Association. In the case of mathematics, the MAA assumes three years of
college preparatory high school mathematics and calls for nine semester
hours of content course in the college program. Those courses are to provide
a core of experiences in the strands of the nature and use of number,
geometry and measurement, patterns and functions, and collecting,
representing, and interpreting data. Since the proposed program would 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 five 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 (for the Committee)
Chair, Mathematics Education Committee
Committee Members: Kristen Brennan (Student), Johnny Hill (EDT), Iris
Johnson (EDT), Joe Kennedy (MTH), Dave Kullman (MTH), Amy McDiffett (MTH),
Cathie 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
|
