PRISM Showcase

The P-5 Mathematics Endorsement: Impacts and Lessons Learned

Description

This study supported the hypothesis that elementary-school teachers who earned the P-5 mathematics endorsement (a) increased their knowledge and understanding of important mathematics required to effectively teach the K-5 mathematics Georgia Performance Standards (GPS), and (b) changed their teaching practices in ways that make those practices more reflective of the standards-based approach implicit in the GPS. It also showed that endorsees' students were more engaged in mathematics learning and the endorsees assumed leadership roles in the adoption of the GPS at their schools.



The study identified three characteristics of the program judged to be important to its success.

• Reduced enrollment barriers achieved by offering the courses through an agency other than an Institution of Higher Education


• A perception of direct relevance to the endorsees' own teaching achieved by having the courses taught by high school mathematics teachers who held advanced degrees, not by IHE mathematics faculty.


• Introduction of a financial incentive through payment of a substantial stipend.