Founding
On Saturday, November 2, 1991 a group of approximately 15 people met as the “National Forum of College and University Mathematics Teacher Educators” in the McKeldin Room of the Omni Inner Harbor Hotel (Baltimore). The site was also the location of the Baltimore Regional Conference of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). The purpose of the meeting was to discuss forming an organization devoted to the needs and goals of mathematics teacher educators. This meeting led to the eventual formation of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE).
Forum Chairman, Mark Spikell presided. Agenda items at the meeting and the follow-up dinner included: naming the organization; planning for convening gatherings at upcoming NCTM Annual Conferences; determining the first group of organization officers, consideration of affiliation with NCTM, NCSM and MAA; development of the organization mission statement. Outcomes of the meeting included identification of the formal name of the new organization, Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE), and the first group of AMTE officers:
President: Mark Spikell, George Mason University
Vice-President: Francis (Skip) Fennell, Western Maryland College
Secretary: Don Balka, St. Mary’s College
Treasurer: Judith Jacobs, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona
Early Development
On Thursday, April 2, 1992 the first AMTE Advisory Board met in Nashville, TN during the NCTM Annual Conference. During this meeting the AMTE membership count was reported at more than 230 people. Also during this meeting Judith Jacobs offered the services of The Center for Education and Equity in Mathematics, Science, and Technology at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona for handling headquarter responsibilities for AMTE.
In the Fall of 1992, volume 1, number 1 of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators Newsletter was published. In that issue, President Mark Spikell noted the primary goal of the organization,
“Provide a national forum … to discuss issues of mutual professional concern [and to] share ideas on effective ways of promoting the NCTM Standards, NCSM and MAA recommendations on teaching school mathematics and developing programs to improve the mathematics education of practicing and future teachers.”
Growth
Since its beginning in 1991, AMTE has grown in membership and recognition and is now a member of the Conference Board of Mathematical Sciences (CBMS) along with NCTM, NCSM, AMS and MAA.
Detailed History
For an extended history of AMTE, see History of AMTE (updated Jan 2012).