The New Jersey Mathematics and Science Coalition is designed to
New Jersey Mathematics and Science Education Coalition January 2012
improve mathematics, science, and technology education in New Jersey and increase public awareness of the importance of
mathematics and science to the future of our children and our economy by drawing together all sectors of the state – including education, public policy, business and industry, and the public – in a sustained multifaceted statewide effort.
Notes from the Executive Director: Welcome to January 2012 edition of the NJ Math & Science Coalition Newsletter. The Coalition is working on several initiatives including STEM related activities for our website, dissemination of information with respect to the mathematics common core and we are involved in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Throughout our newsletter, you can find the latest information on these endeavors. Also at our website, the Coalition has collected a wide range of opinions (from good to bad to ugly) about the common core math standards. You can read these at: https://sites.google.com/site/njmsec/common-core You can also download some wonderful STEM activities at:
http://sites.google.com/site/njmsec
Executive Director: Dr. Eric Milou
[email protected]
https://sites.google.com/site/njmsec/Home/stem It is imperative that teachers throughout New Jersey have their voices heard on these issues. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with comments and questions as I welcome your feedback and comments on our newsletter and on our Coalition.
The New Jersey Mathematics and Science Education Coalition Newsletter 4 January 2012
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) is the highest recognition that a mathematics or science teacher may receive for outstanding teaching in the United States. Since 1983, more than 4,000 teachers have been recognized for their contributions to mathematics and science education. their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of mathematics and science education. Presidential awardees receive a citation signed by the President of the United States, a trip for two to Washington DC professional development opportunities, and a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation. WHO CAN NOMINATE? Anyone--principals, teachers, parents, students, or members of the general public--may nominate exceptional mathematics and science teacher NOMINATION DEADLINE: April 2, 2012 WHO CAN APPLY? Elementary school teachers ( K – 6 grade) are eligible to apply in 2012
APPLICATION DEADLINE: May 1, 2012 The eligibility requirements are as follows: Teach mathematics or science at the K-6th grade level (2012 deadline) or 7-12th grade level (2013 deadline) in a public or private school. Hold at least a Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution. Be a full-time employee of the school or school district as determined by state and district policies, and teach K-12 students at least 50% of the time. Have at least 5 years of full-time, K-12 mathematics or science teaching experience prior to the 2011-2012 academic school year (2012 deadline) or prior to the 2012-2013 academic school year (2013 deadline). Teach in one of the 50 states or the four U.S. jurisdictions. The jurisdictions are Washington, DC; Puerto Rico; Department of Defense Education Activity schools; and the U.S. territories as a group (American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). Be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident. Not have received the PAEMST award at the national level in any prior competition or category. Please direct anyone interested in nominating a teacher to PAEMST.org.
The New Jersey Mathematics and Science Education Coalition Newsletter 4 January 2012
SCIENCE NEWS NJ MSEC Goals:
Development of New Science Standards The initiative to develop K–12 science standards is expanding with the addition of 6 more states. In September, 20 states were announced as lead state partners. Now, 26 states will lead the development of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), a shared effort that will clearly define the content and practices all students will need to learn from kindergarten through high school graduation. Partnering with the states are the National Research Council, the National Science Teachers Association, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and Achieve, who is facilitating the collaboration. The newest state partners to lead this effort are Arkansas, Delaware, Illinois, Montana, North Carolina and Oregon. "A majority of the states, educating more than 50 percent of our nation's students, have committed to developing the Next Generation Science Standards and they should be commended," said Michael Cohen, president of Achieve. "Their collaboration with the leading voices on science and science education will produce a set of rigorous standards that will provide students with a complete science foundation and prepare them to be college- and careerready." All states were invited to join in June 2011. The first round of states included Arizona, California, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia. A follow-up invitation to the remaining states was extended in October 2011. The development of the Next Generation Science Standards is a two-step process. The first step was completed with the release of A Framework for K-12 Science Education by the National Research Council in July 2011. The framework identifies the core ideas and practices in natural sciences and engineering that all students should know by the time
Curriculum Support: to support district alignment of curricula with the standards and classroom implementation of the standards by teachers. Professional Development: to promote high-quality standards-based professional development activities throughout the state. Assessment: to inform educators, policy makers, and the general public about progress in achieving our goals in improving mathematics and science education in New Jersey. they graduate. It was developed by a committee representing expertise in science, teaching and learning, curriculum, assessment and education policy. The second step is the development of science standards based on the Framework. The 26 state partners will guide the standards writing process, gather and deliver feedback from state-level committees and come together to address common issues and challenges. The states also agree to commit staff time to the initiative and, upon completion, give serious consideration to adopting the Next Generation Science Standards. States submitted a letter with the signature of the Chief State School Officer and the chair of the State Board of Education as part of their application. Drafts of the science standards will be made available for public input at least twice during the NGSS development process. The NGSS should be completed by the end of 2012. American students continue to lag internationally in science education, making them less competitive for the jobs of the present and the future. A recent U.S. Department of Commerce study shows that over the past 10 years, growth in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) jobs was three times greater than that of nonSTEM jobs. The report also shows that STEM jobs are expected to continue to grow at a faster rate than other jobs in the coming decade. "We must provide our students a strong science education so they have the necessary knowledge to compete in a global economy," said Stephen Pruitt, Vice President of Content, Research and Development at Achieve, who is coordinating the NGSS effort. "A strong understanding of science is crucial not only to our success as a nation, but to living in the 21st century."
The New Jersey Mathematics and Science Education Coalition Newsletter 4 January 2012 The VISION of the Coalition is that all New Jersey students, children and adults, develop the mathematical, scientific and technological skills, knowledge, understandings, and attitudes that they need in order to be productive in their personal, work, and civic lives and thereby ensure that New Jersey has a competent and competitive workforce that will help us meet the challenges of the global economy.
MATHEMATICS NEWS New Jersey Department of Educaton will be developing model mathematics curriculum - writing student learning objectives (SLO) from the common core state standards with 6 week assessments aligned to those SLOs. They will form teams of 3-4 members per grade per subject to put the standards into units and write the learning objectives. They will work closely with their grade groups of 9-12 members (k-2,3-5,9-12) to align their work. Each group will have a special education and ELL expert among them.
Development of an Elementary Mathematics Specialist Certification Throughout New Jersey, many teachers are presently working in elementary and middle schools as math coaches, math teacher leaders, or math basic skills teachers. At the present time, there is no certification in NJ for such roles, although there is an existing reading specialist certification. Eleven states have established certifications for elementary mathematics specialists (EMS), and another 20 are working to develop such certifications. Specialists may work directly with students or they may work primarily with teachers as coaches, in a professional development capacity, or to target school-wide improvement in math. Research findings suggest that appropriately-trained specialists improve student achievement by strengthening teachers’ understanding of mathematics content and helping them develop more effective instruction and assessment. The New Jersey Math and Science Education Coalition and the Association of Mathematics Teachers of New Jersey are working with the New Jersey Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators to develop a white paper
describing the need for an Elementary Mathematics Specialist certification and outlining research findings supporting the role of elementary math specialists. A New Jersey team attended a conference in Louisville KY July 7-9, 2011, sponsored by the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators. AMTE, along with ASSM, NCSM, and NCTM, has issued a position statement on the role of elementary mathematics specialists in the teaching and learning of mathematics and AMTE has developed standards for credentialing such specialists. Specialists should hold an appropriate teaching certificate and have at least 3 years of successful teaching experience, in addition to at least 24 semester hours of advanced study, including content knowledge for teaching mathematics K-8, pedagogical knowledge for teaching mathematics, and leadership knowledge and skills. Specialists should also have completed a supervised practicum working with a range of students and teachers, both novice and experienced.
AMTNJ Annual Winter Conference: Preparing for Assessments Under the Common Core A conference for all grades PK-16. Tuesday, February 14, 2012 8:00am-3pm Keynote Speaker: J. Michael Shaughnessy, NCTM President Crowne Plaza, Monroe Township For more information see flyer.
