Candidate for Board Member-at-Large
Farshid Safi
University of Central Florida
Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education
Participation in AMTE and/or AMTE Affiliates(s)
I have been a member of AMTE since 2008 as well as an officer of the New Jersey AMTE affiliate. I was able to engage in professional leadership in AMTE through my service on the program committee - first as a committee member, then as a strand leader, and eventually as Program Chair of the 2018 Annual Conference. My AMTE and New Jersey AMTE service includes the following:
- Member, AMTE Opening Session Planning Committee, 2019
- Associate Vice President for Local Arrangements, Annual AMTE Conference, 2019
- Conference Leadership Team, Annual AMTE Conference Committee, 2019
- Conference Program Chair, AMTE Annual Conference, 2018
- Task Force Member, AMTE Task Force Focusing on Equity and Social Justice in Mathematics Teacher Education, 2017-2018
- Associate Vice President for Annual Conference, 2017-2018
- Assistant Chair, Program Committee, AMTE Annual Conference, 2016-2017
- Member, Program Committee, AMTE Annual Conference, 2014-2018
- New Jersey AMTE, Secretary, 2013-2015
- New Jersey AMTE, Four-Year College Representative, 2011-2013
Participation in Related Organizations
I have been a contributing member of national organizations including NCTM, PME-NA, PME as well as affiliate state professional organizations such as the New Jersey NCTM affiliate (AMTNJ) and the Florida Council of Teachers of Mathematics (FCTM).
- Program Committee Member, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Regional Conference, Kansas City, 2017-2018
- Member, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Committee for Review of Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE) Standards for Preparing Teachers of Mathematics, 2016-2017
- Vice President, Association of Mathematics Teachers of New Jersey, 2014-2015
- Executive Board Member, Association of Mathematics Teachers of New Jersey, 2013-2014
Qualifications for the Position
During the past several years, I have gained a detailed understanding of AMTE as an organization, first as a member and more recently through significant leadership positions on several committees in order to serve the needs of the mathematics education community. In these roles, I have succeeded in considering, contributing, and communicating significant issues and approaches in meetings and committee work with AMTE leadership from presidents and board members-at-large to the vice presidents for professional learning, conference directors, and executive directors. Additionally, through my experiences with AMTE, NCTM, and PME-NA, I have had the opportunity to get to know several generations of AMTE members from original founders of our organization to early and mid-career faculty as well as supporting and engaging with new graduate students at AMTE national conferences. Through connecting with and listening to various AMTE members, I feel that I am well positioned to communicate and effectively address and implement important objectives in our field.
As a board member at-large, I intend to leverage my experiences and expertise in order to promote current and future organizational priorities while intentionally working to engage and empower AMTE members, as well as stakeholders in mathematics teacher education. On a personal and professional level, my background and academic journey enables me to effectively collaborate and bring about a more inclusive and intentional approach to address inequities throughout mathematics teacher education.
Three Goals AMTE should make a Priority
(1) Extending invitations to national experts and exemplars (not restricted to mathematics teacher education) in order to invigorate teacher education in the next 10-15 years while analyzing equitable pathways to access and success in mathematics teacher education programs. This may include novel ways to bring together institutions, centers of learning, leading practitioners, policy leaders, and others to address critical issues in teacher education including the recruitment and retention of mathematics teachers.
(2) Including and intentionally integrating various stakeholders and mathematics teacher educators into the AMTE membership/leadership. In what ways can we as a community address and remove obstacles that have hindered the visibility, values, and voices of specific groups? How do we remove barriers in order to welcome and grow together by contributions from individuals and communities that have remained on the sidelines for too long?
(3) Creating a national conference experience that rejuvenates and promotes a commitment to the positive professional growth of our community while serving as a springboard toward joint efforts that propel mathematics teacher education as a powerful force in bringing about equity and justice through educational opportunities.
Additional Information
Alongside my teaching, research, and service experiences, I do believe my background and personal experiences would contribute positively to serving the MTE community in ways which foster inclusiveness and an equity mindset. My life journey includes moving to the United States as part of an immigrant family in my early teens, being an English language learner, growing up in a Muslim community and experiencing first-hand discrimination and racism due to my faith, nation of origin as well as being "other"-ed in various ways. I want to be able to lend a voice and represent our ever-increasingly diverse communities of mathematics teacher educators. Through serving our community on the AMTE board, I will continue to engage, empower and elevate others individually and collectively, personally and professionally. I would be honored to contribute to AMTE by serving on the board at such a critical time and contribute in significant ways to mathematics teacher education while serving the needs and concerns of our membership.