Good teaching is key to improved student achievement. Photo: Microsoft Images.
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The National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century released a comprehensive plan to ensure that every American student receives excellent instruction in math and science — instruction critical to maintaining the U.S. edge in the competitive global economy. The report emphasizes that good teaching is key to improved student achievement. The Commission recommended programs that specifically target the existing teaching force and future teachers as well as the working conditions needed to support high quality math and science teaching.
“We as a nation must take immediate action to improve the quality of math and science teaching in every classroom in this country. If we delay, we put at risk our continued economic growth and future scientific discovery,” former Senator John Glenn, chairman of the Commission. “Here we outline a workable, balanced strategy that builds on what has been learned in the last decade, improves teaching, and thereby improves student achievement.”
“Before it’s too late”
The report, entitled Before It’s Too Late, sets three goals and action strategies for meeting those goals. They are:
Establish an ongoing system to improve the quality of mathematics and science teaching in grades K-12. Seven interdependent action strategies are suggested by the commission:
Each state must immediately undertake a full needs assessment to determine what teachers require to deliver high-quality teaching.
Summer Institutes must be established to address professional development needs.
Local professional Inquiry Groups should be formed to provide venues for teachers to enrich their subject knowledge and teaching skills.
Leadership Training is needed to prepare facilitators for the Summer Institutes and Inquiry Groups.
A dedicated Internet Portal must be available to teachers so they can have access to and contribute to the knowledge base about mathematics and science teaching.
A nongovernmental Coordinating Council is needed to bring together the above initiatives and to assess accomplishments.
All states and local districts should initiate reward and incentive programs to support exemplary professional development and to increase the attractiveness of teaching as a profession.
Increase significantly the number of mathematics and science teachers and improve the quality of their preparation. The commission identified three action strategies to reach this goal:
a direct strategy that identifies exemplary models of teacher preparation whose success can be widely replicated
an overarching strategy to attract additional qualified candidates into teaching
creating 15 competitively selected Mathematics and Science Teaching Academies to train 3,000 recent graduates or persons at mid-career with degrees in math and science who will be nationally recruited for a one-year, intensive course on effective teaching methods
Improve the working environment and make the teaching profession more attractive for K-12 mathematics and science teachers. The four action strategies identified to reach this goal are:
induction programs to help acclimate beginning mathematics and science teachers to the profession, create formal mentoring relationships, and introduce teachers to Inquiry Groups
district/business partnerships to enhance teaching by providing materials, facilities, equipment, and mentor stipends
incentives to encourage mathematics and science teachers to remain in teaching and improve their skills
more competitive salaries for all teachers, but especially for mathematics and science teachers
The report concludes by challenging all Americans directly to take personal responsibility for expressing their views on mathematics and science education to policy and decision-makers, and to take the initiative to implement the report’s goals in their own communities. “It is imperative to move swiftly. Two-thirds of the nation’s teachers will leave their positions over the next decade giving us an unprecedented opportunity for improvement,” said Senator Glenn.
© September 2000, News release from National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century. Reprinted with permission. See reprint policy.