Plenary Speaker Profile (1998-99)
Joan Ferrini-Mundy
Director of the Mathematical Sciences Education Board and Professor of Mathematics
University of New Hampshire
Preparing Teachers of Mathematics: Issues from National Standards

A number of national initiatives are focused on improving mathematics and science teachers' understanding of content and their use of that content in their teaching. This session will focus on the features of some of those initiatives, including ongoing work at the National Research Council, in identifying the roles of discipline-based faculty in helping teachers learn. In addition, we will discuss how ongoing work in producing and promoting standards for preK-12 mathematics education, including the National Council of Teachers' Principles and Standards for School Mathematics, might be related to issues in the preparation and continuing education of teachers.

Dr. Joan Ferrini-Mundy's research interests are in calculus learning and reform in mathematics education, K-14. She taught mathematics at Mount Holyoke College in 1982-83, where she co-founded the SummerMath for Teachers program. She joined the mathematics faculty of the University of New Hampshire in 1983. Ferrini-Mundy served as a visiting scientist at the National Science Foundation in 1989-91. She served on the Mathematical Sciences Education Board, and has chaired the AERA Special Interest Group for Research in Mathematics Education. Ferrini-Mundy has served in a variety of leadership roles in the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. She was the Principal Investigator for NCTM's Recognizing and Recording Reform in Mathematics Education (R3M) project, chaired the NCTM's Research Advisory Committee, and was a member of the NCTM Board of Directors. Currently, she chairs the Writing Group for Standards 2000, the revision of the NCTM Standards.