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2006 Mathematics Educator Appreciation Day ConferenceThe Second Annual Mathematics Educator Appreciation Day conference was held this year on Saturday, January 21, 2006 at Tucson High Magnet School. The conference is hosted by the Center of Recruitment and Retention of Mathematics Teachers with help from outside sponsors. Approximately 300 teachers and various administrators attended the conference which included 38 morning sessions for middle and high school mathematics teachers. The luncheon, sponsored by McDougal Littell, immediately followed at the Doubletree on Alvernon and nearly all of the 300 reserved seats were filled. Our keynote speaker was Dr. Timothy Kanold, a nationally known educator, textbook author, and former mathematics teacher. Currently Dr. Kanold is superintendent of the Adlai E. Stevenson School District in Chicago, a district that has been recognized by United States Department of Education as one America’s best school districts six years running under Dr. Kanold’s leadership. Perhaps the simplest, yet the most telling, statement Dr. Kanold made during his keynote address was, "I cannot believe how many school teachers have taken their Saturday to come to a conference". It was so unbelievable to him that he said it twice. It is well known in the profession that weekends are sacrosanct to school teachers; they value Saturdays and Sundays like no other professional values them. Dr. Kanold’s sentiments were echoed by the publishing company representatives who attended the conference. In particular, McDougal Littell’s representatives told us that they had been to countless statewide and regional National Council of Teachers of Mathematics conferences over the years and this conference rivaled the very best they had seen.Dr. Kanold agreed to come to Tucson a day early to meet with the school district’s superintendents, administrators, and curriculum specialists. Our expectations were that 20 to 25 administrators would attend. In fact, close to 70 educators signed up for this presentation. Dr. Kanold spoke with them for 2 ½ hours. The Center has received numerous emails, letters and personal comments extolling the value of the conference. This input indicates that the conference is very much needed, very much wanted, and very much appreciated by the mathematics educators in this city. The conference is, in part, made possible by the collaborations established between the University of Arizona’s Center of Recruitment and Retention and the eight local school districts. Many of those district’s superintendents joined us either for the Friday meeting with Dr. Kanold or the Saturday luncheon. We intend to accommodate even more mathematics teachers and mathematics educators in future years and continue to expand our collaborative efforts. The Pima County Regional Support Center once again provided much needed behind the scenes support. The mathematics department was well represented with sessions offered by Drs. Rebecca McGraw, Peter Wiles, Fred Stevenson, and Professor Emeritus Stephen Willoughby. Dr. Robin Ward from the College of Education offered a session as did Kim Craft and Joe Chitwood from the UA Channel. Pima Community College has asked if more of their mathematics faculty may participate in the future. Working together we can build a stronger mathematics community. Next year’s conference will be held on January 27, 2009.
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Wednesday, November 14th, 2007
