Bridging Practices Among Connecticut Mathematics Educators (BPCME) is a professional development program for mathematics educators teaching grades 3 – 11 that aims to deepen teachers’ mathematics content knowledge and strengthen their ability to support students’ reasoning, argumentation, and communication in mathematics. Drs. Megan Staples, the Principal Investigator, Dorothea Anagnostopoulos, and Tutita Casa from the Neag School of Education, and Fabiana Cardetti from the Math Department received funding through a Math Science Partnership (MSP) grant from the CT State Department of Education.

BPCME began with a 5-day Summer Workshop in 2014 and continuing through summer, 2015. In the summer, teacher participants were challenged to deepen their own mathematical understanding of proportional and algebraic reasoning. They also formed Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to support each other in the classroom implementation of the CT Core Standards Mathematical Practice #3, which focuses on constructing and critiquing arguments in mathematics. Throughout the year, teachers will continue to meet in school-based PLCs while developing curricular and instructional tools and tasks that support students’ constructing clear and logical arguments. These tasks will be shared electronically as a resource for fellow participants.

 

During the summer of 2015, participants will solidify their learning and consider their roles as teacher-leaders who can support their colleagues in practices that encourage mathematical argumentation.

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