Opening Session
2020. Perfect Vision? Perfect Hindsight? Are We Ready to Reimagine Mathematics Teacher Education?
Panelists:
Naomi Jessup, Assistant Professor, College of Education, Georgia State University
Joel Amidon, Associate Professor, School of Education, University of Mississippi
Sandra Crespo, Professor of Mathematics Education, College of Education, Michigan State University
Moderator:
Marrielle Myers, Associate Professor, Kennesaw State University
Session Description
2020… wasn’t it supposed to be the year of perfect vision? Yet this year has made us even more aware of the serious challenges to the promises and ideals of a public education system that is constantly underfunded and under attack, especially for schools that serve historically marginalized communities. How have the events of 2020 challenged us to rethink our practice? What can this mean to us as mathematics teacher educators? What has changed and what needs to change, in regard to mathematics teacher education? What inequities, barriers, and shortcomings have been illuminated, what spaces have been disrupted, and what opportunities have emerged this year? How can we leverage lessons learned to reimagine mathematics education and mathematics teacher education? The panelists will explore these questions and challenge us, as individuals and as an AMTE community, to consider ways to use this opportunity to bridge and support students, families, teachers, mathematics teacher educators, schools, school systems, and communities. Panelists will discuss structures that have been barriers in the past and structures that need to be in place in order to support the important work of preparing teachers and students within an educational and political landscape that is constantly changing. Over the rest of the conference, we hope participants will continue to discuss issues raised during this session and develop concrete steps they can take as individuals and that our organization might take in rethinking mathematics teacher education.
The opening plenary session is designed to engage conference attendees in collective reflection.
Naomi Jessup
Joel Amidon
