How to run a teacher's math circle

June 18 to June 22, 2007

at the

American Institute of Mathematics, Palo Alto, California

organized by

Tom Davis, Mary Fay-Zenk, Tatiana Shubin, and Joshua Zucker

This workshop, sponsored by AIM and the NSF, will train teams of teachers and mathematicians to run a "Teacher's Circle" for middle school math teachers.

What is a Teacher's Circle?

In August, 2006 a group of middle school teachers met at AIM to practice problem solving and to discuss ways to incorporate it into their classrooms. It was called a Teacher's Circle and was modeled after the Math Circles for students that originated in Eastern Europe and are now run in many parts of the United States.

Math Circles empower students, but Teacher's Circles empower teachers, each of whom can influence thousands of students over the course of a career. The purpose of this workshop is to help teams organize Teacher's Circles around the country.

The AIM Teacher's Circle met every day for a week during the summer, and now meets one evening each month. Each meeting typically has a mixture of lecture, discussion and working on problems, discussion of the process of solving the problems, and an exploration of how these ideas can be used profitably in the classroom. Participants receive course credit from San Jose State University.

The mathematical content of the Circle is interesting, but the real focus is on problems and the process of solving problems. The teachers who participate in the Circle report that the Circle has helped their problem solving abilities and also helped them to convey different aspects of problems solving to their students. They also report that it has helped them teach the required school material better -- approaching subjects from different angles -- as a result of problem-solving experience

Structure of this workshop

Based on the success of the AIM Teacher's Circle, we seek to create similar Teacher's Circles across the country. Teams of organizers will spend a week at AIM learning how to run a Teacher's Circle for middle school math teachers.

Every aspect of organizing and running a Teacher's Circle will be covered: selecting appropriate mathematical content, leading a problem-solving session. recruiting teachers to attend, finding a venue, and fund-raising. A small Teacher's Circle will run in parallel with the sessions above, so attendees can observe and practice leading a problem-solving session.

Who should participate?

AIM seeks applications from teams of people who would like to create a new Teacher's Circle. Teams should contain the following (note that in some cases one person may fill two of these roles):

at least two middle school math teachers
at least two people who will take responsibility for the mathematical content of the Circle.
someone who has wide-ranging contacts among middle school math teachers in their local area, to help recruit participants for the Circle.
someone who will take responsibility for administrative issues, such as locating a venue for the Circle, and fundraising.

The application deadline for this workshop has passed.

For more information email workshops@aimath.org

Go to the American Institute of Mathematics.
Go to the list of upcoming workshops.