Mathematics Teacher Specialists - Making a Difference for Student Learning
Abstract
"Despite the acknowledged importance of mathematics and less well-prepared teachers, there are relatively few elementary schools that have Specialists for mathematics. While the reason for this is often given as budget constraints, those budget constraints do not prevent the employment of Reading Specialists. It could be argued that, if mathematics is important in our society, and if Mathematics Specialists can make a difference in student learning, then money or ways of organizing teacher personnel should be found to provide Specialists, just as they are for reading/language arts. This paper is intended to support the view that Mathematics Specialists do make a difference--and this difference can be seen in many ways, including student learning."
