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