"ASK TCALL"
Questions & Answers
QUESTION: I need help. I'm supposed to start teaching math to adults in a few weeks, and I
really don't have a clue. Don't misunderstand- I have taught before (high school social studies
and English), and I'm very good at math but I need ideas about where to start in an adult math
classroom. isn't there some work. Isn't there some work being done by the National Council of
Teachers of Mathematics? Does any of this apply to adults? I guess I'm a little compulsive, but I
feel like I need to do some background research on current trends and best practices in adult
math education before I begin. Any suggestions?
ANSWER: Yes. You're smart to do your homework. One excellent source, The Massachusetts
Adult Basic Education Math Standards (published by The ABE Math Standards Project, and
funded mainly by the National Institute for Literacy Grants Program), will bring you up to speed
on the NCTM Standards as they apply to adults. The authors state that this document
synthesizes our vision of the valuable components of any curriculum for adult learners in ABE,
ESL, GED and workplace education classes. We start out by describing the characteristics of
the adult learners we teach and then put forth eleven curriculum and one evaluation standards."
You may borrow a copy of The Massachusetts Adult Basic Education Math Standards from the
Adult Literacy Clearinghouse. Contact Harriet Smith at (409) 845-6615 or you can order Volumes
I and 11 for $20 from Peppercorn Books and Press; P.O. Box 1766; Durham, NC 27702.
QUESTION: Wonderful. I'll use this as a beginning resource. Now, are there any kinds of organizations, conferences, or newsletters that I could join or subscribe to? Are there any people
with expertise to whom I could turn for help?
ANSWER: Yes! Here are some sources of ongoing input:
(1) Subscribe to The Math Practitioner, a quarterly newsletter of The Adult Numeracy
Practitioners' Network. Send a $10 check, payable to ANPN, to: Rose Steiner, ANPN,
Billings Adult Education Center, 415 N. 30th Street, Billings, MT. This newsletter has
information about conferences, resources (software, books), issues (ex. "Gender Equity
in Your Classroom") as well as suggestions for instruction.
(2) Do you have e-mail? If so, you can join "Numeracy", an e-mail-based discussion group,
also sponsored by the ANPN.
To subscribe, send a message to
Majordomo@world.std.com
In the body of the message, write:
Subscribe numeracy
Topics recently discussed include how to "see" fractions (lots of creative ideas!); how Paulo
Freire's ideas relate to the teaching of math: software; journal writing; and statistical literacy.
As well, the Adult Education Professional Development and
Curriculum (AEPDC) Consortium has several members with expertise in adult
numeracy who can provide professional development for adult education programs
funded by the National Literacy Act. And adult education conferences always
have sessions on numeracy.
QUESTION: Any other bright ideas to stimulate my thinking?
ANSWER: Yes. There are two bestsellers by John Allen Paulos that should provoke your thinking
about numbers and their applications. One is A Mathematician Thinks about the Newspaper,
scheduled to come out in paperback in April for $11- it's currently in hardback for $18 - and the
other is Innumeracy, also in paperback for $9. Both highly recommended.
This column was prepared by Victoria Hoffman, Professional Development Coordinator for the
Texas Center for Adult Literacy and Learning, and liaison for the AEPDC Consortium. If you
have questions about professional development, call Victoria Hoffman at (979) 845-6615.
Are there other topics you would like to see addressed in this column? Do you have questions?
Answers? Comments? If so, send your suggestions:
C/O "ASK TCALL" to one of the following addresses:
FAX: (979) 845-0952
E-MAIL: klynncool@yahoo.com
MAIL: TCALL
Texas A&M University
4226 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-4226
|
