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OVERVIEW


Nurturing Mathematics Dreamkeepers (NMD) is a five-year research project designed to promote K-2 teachers’ professional development through implementation of standards-based, culturally relevant pedagogy conducive to nurturing students’ conceptual achievement in mathematics. It seeks to study teachers’ professional development in terms of changes in their mathematical understandings, instructional practices, and professional dispositions. Additionally, the project examines how teachers draw upon the cultural and mathematical experiences of their students as a critical component in adopting new ways of teaching the big ideas in the mathematics curriculum. Ultimately, the NMD project aims to improve the mathematical achievement of all students with a particular focus on African-Americans. The project takes place in select elementary schools in the Wake County Public School District located in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The concept “dreamkeepers” refers to teachers who exhibit personal commitment to providing high quality education for all students, but especially for those students who are placed at risk for academic underachievement owing to their economic and/or socio-cultural circumstance. Regardless of the subject matter they teach, dreamkeepers effectively implement instructional and interpersonal strategies that sustain hope and promote personal aspirations for high academic achievement among all their students. Mathematics dreamkeepers recognize that by utilizing effective teaching strategies that draw upon (rather than work against) children’s existing mathematical knowledge, achievement in mathematics is possible for all students --- not just the “talented” few. The project seeks to nurture the development of elementary mathematics dreamkeepers through a creative partnership between the elementary schools and the NMD research team.

Nurturing Mathematics Dreamkeepers is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation (Grant #0353412). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations are those of the researchers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

PROJECT TEAM