Learning and Growing in Community
“I realized I have grown so much and see the bigger picture now. I didn’t recognize the importance of the productive struggle, the connections, or the process involved. The more I learn, the more I realize how much growing I still have to do, which is a good thing. It also makes me want to learn more from others, take risks, and share my experiences.” This quote was shared by a student (who gave me permission to share here) after a semester of teaching and learning elementary mathematics. Elements of this resonate with me in multiple ways, including my experiences during this first year as AMTE president, as an AMTE member, and as a researcher, teacher, and learner. I am sharing the quote and asking you to consider how this might resonate with various elements of your identity as well.
As I reflect on this past year, I am thankful that our AMTE community supports us where we are, but also pushes us to continue improving and advocating for our students, colleagues, and mathematics teacher education. During 2021 AMTE held its first virtual conference, began Community Circles, held webinars, hosted virtual STaR events, facilitated our first Community Conversation related to Critical Race Theory, shared podcasts, continued to build our Get the Facts Out Partnership, worked collaboratively with our sibling organizations, and so much more, all with a focus on our long-term goals. At the October AMTE board retreat, we reflected upon what has been accomplished, but also examined the areas and ways we can continue to grow and improve as an organization. Throughout the retreat, the long-term goals were central to every discussion. There has been risk taking, growth, productive struggle, listening, and sharing this year. As the new year is upon us, I encourage each of us to reflect upon our accomplishments, things we have learned, our challenges, and ways we can grow in 2022.
As we prepare for the 2022 AMTE Annual Conference in Henderson, NV, I am excited to reconnect with colleagues, to meet new ones, and to learn from the work of others. A focus of this conference will be connecting with your math education community. Wednesday evening there will be a reception for scholars of color. Information about this will be sent out closer to time. Thursday we hope you will arrive a few minutes early for everyone to meet and greet before the opening session officially kicks off the conference. There will be opportunities to connect and interact throughout the conference. In addition, we will officially welcome our newest members to the board at our annual conference. Thanks to the elections and nominations committee for selecting talented, passionate colleagues for the slate. We will also install the Vice President of Advocacy, Equity, and Research, the Vice President of Communications and Outreach, the Associate Vice Presidents, and committee members. I am thankful for each member’s willingness to serve in the past and those who are starting new service roles in 2022. At the annual business meeting, we will revisit accomplishments of the year, our long-range goals, and visions for 2022.
In the 2020 annual report I shared the quote at the end of this message, which I think is still true. As AMTE President, I continue to seek to listen, learn, and grow so that AMTE can continue to grow, thrive, empower, repair, and embrace the stories to support our members, students, and community. What stories have been told by AMTE this past year? What stories have you told? What stories have you listened to this past year? What will our stories be in 2022? Please reach out if there is anything you would like to share or discuss, megan.burton@auburn.edu.
Best,
Megan
“Many stories matter. Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign. But stories can also be used to empower, and to humanize. Stories can break the dignity of a people. But stories can also repair that broken dignity.”
~ Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, author