Candidate for President Elect:
Ed Silver
University of Michigan,
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Professional Experience
I am currently the William A. Brownell Collegiate Professor of Education and Professor of Mathematics at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. My primary responsibilities are teaching and advising graduate students in mathematics education and conducting research related to the teaching and learning of mathematics. During the Fall 2015 academic term I am the Fulbright Canada Visiting Research Chair at the University of Alberta. Before joining the U of M faculty, I taught at the middle school and high school levels in New York State and at Northern Illinois University, San Diego State University, and the University of Pittsburgh. My interests include the design and analysis of intellectually engaging and equitable mathematics instruction for students; innovative methods of assessing and reporting mathematics achievement; and enhancing mathematics teachers’ knowledge and effectiveness. I am also currently examining the interface between research and practice in education with an eye toward enhancing productive interchange between education research and practice. I have directed or co-directed a number of projects aimed at these goals, including the QUASAR Project and the Center for Proficiency in Teaching Mathematics.
Service to AMTE and other professional organizations:
I have been an active member of AMTE, serving the organization as an at-large member of the Board of Directors (2013-2016), Chair of the Research Advisory Committee (2009-2011), and Chair of the Research Task Force (2007-2009). In my role as Director, I have served as liaison to several different AMTE committees: Research Advisory Committee (2013-2014), Emerging Issues Committee (2014-2015), and Awards Committee (2015-2016). I have also been a frequent contributor at AMTE annual meetings, and I gave the Judith Jacobs Lecture in 2008. I also served as a member of the Finance Committee of MI-AMTE, the AMTE affiliate in Michigan. In addition to service to AMTE, I have also been active in other mathematics education professional organizations. For example, I have served in a number of different roles within NCTM, including as Chair of the grades 6-8 writing group within the team that produced Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (2000) and as editor of the Journal for Research in Mathematics Education (2000-2004). I have also been active within TODOS, serving as a member of the Research Committee and co-editing several publications for the organization.
Vision for and commitment to AMTE:
In relation to the mission and goals of AMTE,
The mission of AMTE is to promote the improvement of mathematics teacher education, K-12.
The Goals of AMTE are to promote:
- Effective mathematics teacher education programs and practices;
- Communication and collaboration among those involved in mathematics teacher education;
- Research and other scholarly endeavors related to mathematics teacher education;
- Professional growth of mathematics teacher educators;
- Effective policies and practices related to mathematics teacher education at all levels; and
- Equitable practices in mathematics teacher education, including increasing the diversity of mathematics teachers and teacher educators.
I think it is critical at this time to clarify and clearly articulate how AMTE is addressing the first and last bullets. Two current initiatives -- the creation of Standards for mathematics teacher preparation and the development of an Equity, Diversity & Inclusion position statement will be important foundational steps. It will be the work of the next president to solidify these and to advance these goals more aggressively in the coming years.
Another major issue pertains to the second bullet. AMTE has now grown to about 1000 members, and it has carved a niche for itself in regard to the initial preparation of mathematics teachers. Is this the right size for the organization? Is the focus too narrow or just right? Should we exert more effort to recruit mathematicians to our membership, given the import of mathematics content courses in teacher preparation? How about community college instructors of mathematics? Should we expand the focus to encompass programs and practices that affect inservice teachers as well as those in initial preparation programs? Most of the members of AMTE engage in both preservice and inservice teacher education activity, yet the inservice aspects are less visible in the work of AMTE. Moreover, most members of NCSM (which is focused clearly on those who work with inservice teachers) do not belong to AMTE and do not see it as an organization that could enhance their work and meet their needs. Should we move in that direction? Finally, what about colleagues who engage in mathematics teacher education outside the US? What are the pros and cons of identifying AMTE as a North American (including the US, Canada and Mexico) organization? What about a global organization? In my view, these are questions that the membership and leadership of AMTE would be wise to consider in the next few years.