some more information for introductions
Brianna Donaldson
It's wonderful hearing from so many of you! I was thinking that when people write in for the first time, it would be nice to know where they are and which Math Teachers' Circle they're affiliated with as part of the introduction.
So, I will start: as I wrote before, I am affiliated with the American Institute of Mathematics (www.aimath.org), which is located in Palo Alto, CA.
AIM is one of the 8 U.S. math research institutes supported by the National Science Foundation. The first Math Teachers' Circle started at AIM in 2006. Since then, AIM has been involved in spreading MTCs around the country, mainly through workshops called "How to Run a Math Teachers' Circle." Many people on this list have either attended or will attend one of these workshops, and others of you participate in MTCs that were started by people who attended one of these workshops.
AIM also maintains a website at www.mathteacherscircle.org for the network of MTCs around the country. The site includes information about Member Circles (check out the map here: http://www.mathteacherscircle.org/membercircles.html), news, upcoming workshops, materials and resources for MTC sessions, several classroom lesson plans, and more.
I'm the main contact person at AIM for the Math Teachers' Circle Network, so I help organize the "How to Run a Math Teachers' Circle" workshops, work with teams as they develop plans for their MTCs, stay in touch with established MTCs, maintain the website, and do a variety of other things to try to support MTCs at a national level.
As of this summer, there will be over 50 MTCs (including those in the planning stages), which is a very exciting milestone! Since there are now so many of us across the country, it seems like a wonderful time to develop our sense of mathematical community beyond local boundaries. This discussion group is part of an effort to help encourage conversation and connections among MTC participants and leaders regardless of physical location.
Best,
Brianna Donaldson
Gopalakrishnan, Prof. Hema
I am a member of the first math teachers’ circle in CT, which is at its planning stages, and will be attending the workshop in DC this summer. I teach Freshman to Senior level undergraduate mathematics courses at Sacred Heart University in CT. Many of the students I teach are prospective K-12 teachers. Although I have a Ph. D. in mathematics from the U. S., I neither did my K-12 schooling in the U.S., nor have taught at the grade level. I am excited to be a part of the math teachers’ circle as this is a wonderful opportunity for me to help and learn at the same time.
Hema Gopalakrishnan
________________________________________
From: mathteach...@googlegroups.com [mathteach...@googlegroups.com] on behalf of Brianna Donaldson [bri...@aimath.org]
Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2011 2:29 PM
To: mathteach...@googlegroups.com
Subject: some more information for introductions
Hello again, all,
Best,
Brianna Donaldson
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Seeger, Stacey
I have been participating in TMCs here at the University of Utah. I have benefited in so many ways. Not only do I get to play with mathematics (something some of my students absolutely reject as a possibility), but I also get to spend time with some incredibly brilliant teachers from around the state as well as collaborating with the various extraordinary professors from the U of U. There is a very strong community here and it is great.
It seems that Utah is not the only state to adopt and implement the common core within a year. I will be working with our State Office on curriculum mapping and item writing. In addition, I am in a conundrum. I have been offered 6 weeks of full time summer teaching, but it goes across our Teacher's Math Circle Summer Workshop. I hate to let money influence my decisions particularly because I thoroughly enjoy the summer workshops, but this year's scheduling makes me choose. I would rather hang with my math buddies than work. I will have to decide by Friday. I will also be participating in several workshops regarding the implementation of the Common Core secondary year 1.
And that's not including my family, vacations, garden and whatnot!
Stacey Seeger
Origami
University of Utah Teacher's Circle. I am a parent volunteer who has
led competitive math teams, problem-solving sessions in classrooms,
and problem-solving seminars for teachers and parents at our local
public schools. Following my children's interests, the last two years
have found me more involved in music and origami than mathematics.
But, as you can see from my last post, that has brought me full
circle, having discovered new and interesting problems to explore with
the students. This summer I also get to attend the National Origami
Convention with my son. He has written a proposal to create a high-
school class which uses origami to teach geometry and art, for which a
student should be able to get either math or art credit. His pursuits
may eventually be of interest to Teacher's Circles. - Kate