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Description

“Just being able to surround myself with other people who have the same role as I do is invaluable because one of the things that I've found this year is that…no one knows what I do. And I didn't realize how lonely it could be” (Coach A). Mathematics Specialists (MS) work across Maine. They support teachers with instruction, teach in their own classrooms, provide intervention support to students, facilitate professional development (PD) for teachers, analyze school data, and serve in various leadership roles. MS frequently work in isolation and may be the only person in their school or district who holds their position. National organizations call for MS to receive their own PD (AMTE, 2024; NCSM, 2019), yet PD designed specifically for MS is rarely offered. In our poster presentation we will highlight findings from a study conducted in 2019–2020, showing the benefits of providing professional support to MS in Maine. We will then turn our attention to early work on a new project, aiming to develop a self-sustaining professional learning community for MS in Maine. We will share information from a recent literature review about the need for, content of, and structure(s) for PD for MS with focus on the barriers to providing such support in a large, rural state. Finally, we will ask attendees to share their own ideas about how professional learning opportunities might be developed so that a sustainable system of professional support can be developed for mathematics education leaders from across Maine.

Publication Date

10-28-2024

Developing a Self-Supporting Professional Learning Community for Math Specialists in Maine

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