University of Montana, Middle Grades MathThematics (STEM): Satellite Information and Services

Middle Grades MathThematics (STEM) materials differ considerably from traditional materials in that they are thematic units based on realistic applications. The mathematics is integrated throughout the units. A new assessment package is part of the program, with a multidimensional assessment rubric as a built-in part of the curriculum. Students are actively engaged in doing mathematics at the same time they learn mathematics. Technology plays an important role in the materials. Teachers and administrators need to be made aware that reform curricula such as STEM are available and how they differ from traditional curricula.

STEM will work with the Show-Me Center and the other NSF-funded curriculum,projects to make educators aware of what Middle Grades Mathematics (STEM) has to offer as a standards-based curriculum. Specifically, the STEM Satellite will:

• Assist the Show-Me Center in achieving its primary goal of disseminating information on the NSF-sponsored middle school curriculum projects in addition to information on curriculum reform. STEM will assist in conducting national awareness conferences for state leadership teams.
  
  
• Serve on the Show-Me Advisory Committee to oversee and plan project activities.
  
  
• Prepare awareness materials and lead workshops specific to the STEM project.
  
  
• Conduct institutes to train teacher leaders to offer workshops and inservice training on the MathThematics materials.
  
  
• Provide consulting and assistance to school districts considering or adopting the Mathematics curriculum.
  
  
• In cooperation with the Center and other satellites, STEM staff will contribute to the discussion and development of materials for parental awareness and support, use of technology as an instructional support for middle grade teaching and learning, assessment tools for monitoring student growth, and issues related to transitions at various levels of the K-12 school curriculum.
  
  
• Work with the McDougal Littell to provide ways to assist in the awareness and implementation stages of the STEM curriculum and serve as the liaison between the publisher and the Show-Me Center.
  
  
• Work with McDougal Littell to maintain a World Wide Web site with information about the STEM curriculum and discussions about the content. The site will be interactive with users and will tie to other standards-based sites (K-5, 6-8, and 9-12) and with the Show-Me Center web site.
  
  
• Travel to regional meetings and conferences to make presentations on reform mathematics and/or the MathThematics curriculum. Provide booths at conferences to display materials.
  
  
• Assist the Show-Me Center evaluation team in gathering data and preparing reports.
  

Making teacher educators and future teachers aware of the philosophy and the theoretical ideas that underlie the new curricula is essential if reform is to succeed. STEM Satellite staff will take a leadership role in developing materials to assist teacher educators to inform and prepare future teachers to teach a standards-based middle school mathematics curriculum. Philosophies and bibliographies concerning reform mathematics will be included as well as models and examples from the five middle school projects. Staff will compile sources of project materials and costs as well as web site addresses for projects and the Show-Me Center .

STEM Satellite staff will develop materials to assist teacher educators in teaching content, pedagogy, and the associated assessment. Many of these resources will be available through the World Wide Web so that teacher educators can download them for classes at no cost or so that students can examine them directly on the web. Samplers from the various projects will be available.