Math Educators of Greater St. Louis

December 2012 Edition Math Educators of Greater St. Louis An Affiliate of the National Council of Mathematics From the MEGSL newsletter editor, Debbie Char dchar@stlcc.edu Happy Mathyear! I know, the editor usually just edits what others submit. But every once in a while, an editor gets the urge to editorialize This fall, I attended three mathematics education conferences, including MEGSL s own at Villa Duchesne. At each, I gathered exciting ideas and thought-provoking insights from my colleagues and peers. Ranging from kindergarten teachers to university professors, and from pre-service to retired teachers, the participants shared a common desire to learn about the many trends and changes occuring in mathematics education. Flipped classrooms, Wolfram Alpha, Geogebra, the Common Core, Singapore math, Mathematics Specialists, Inquiry-Based Learning, the eight Mathematical Practices, Smarter Balanced Assessment, STEM, ipads, service learning, Developmental Education Redesign, clickers, online courses, hybrid courses, contextualized learning-- what a challenging and exciting time to be a math teacher! More than one hundred scientific societies, research institutes, and organizations all over the world, including the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, have dedicated the year 2013 to the study and teaching of the Mathematics of Planet Earth. Their project is called MPE2013, and their website, www.mpe2013.org, includes wonderful resources. Check it out! The world beyond our classrooms is vast and changing. The need to understand math has never been greater. In this new year, I urge you to commit to continue your own mathematical journey share ideas with your colleagues, encourage a new or struggling teacher, try out a new technique or technology, read a journal, browse a new website, or attend a conference. MEGSL is here to support you! In this newsletter, you ll be invited to our winter meeting on January 30, and our spring banquet May 3. You ll find websites to explore, conferences to attend, dates to add to your calendar, and many opportunities to get involved. If your membership in MEGSL has expired, this will be your last newsletter. Fill out the membership form in this newsletter to keep your name on our roster! May your winter break be a time of joy and renewal. Happy, happy MATHYEAR! MEGSL Newsletter Page 1 December 2012

MEET MEGSL S GRADE LEVEL DIRECTORS! ELEMENTARY lauraparn@wentzville.k12.mo.us My name is Laura Parn, and I am in my second year of teaching elementary students in the Wentzville School District. Before coming to Missouri, I spent eight years as a teacher, mathematics coach, and professional developer in Lincoln, NE. I also served as an adjunct professor for the University of Nebraska- Lincoln, and co-developed and taught mathematics graduate courses for elementary teachers. I am currently a member of the 2013 NCTM Louisville, KY Regional Conference Program Committee and am one of Missouri's finalists for the 2012 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. I hope to increase the membership of elementary teachers in our organization, and am excited to network with colleagues in our area! HIGH SCHOOL TFressola@vdoh.org My name is Tony Fressola, and I ve been teaching at Villa Duchesne for 7 years, with courses ranging from Pre-Algebra to Geometry and Calculus. I ve become very interested in the paradigm shift from viewing mathematics as a lecture-based discipline to one that is dynamic and student-centered. I am interested in creating and collecting lesson plans that foster our students natural curiosity and promote a deeper understanding of mathematics. I believe that our true task is to help students develop the problem- solving and critical thinking skills they will carry with them after graduation, no matter where life takes them. To that end, I seek to bring together educators who share a similar philosophy. Creating investigative lesson plans is a very time-consuming process, so my goal is to build collaboration and promote the sharing of ideas, especially in the greater St. Louis area. If you have suggestions, questions, or comments, please contact me! POST-SECONDARY tvoepel@siue.edu I m Tammy Voepel, and I ve taught traditional math classes, content courses for future elementary teachers, and methods courses for future secondary math teachers at Southern Illinois University since the fall of 2000. I also supervise math student teachers placed in middle and high schools. My husband Kevin works for the Ferguson- Florissant School District as the Math Curriculum and Professional Development Coordinator. We have two children. As a member of ICTM, I was editor of the journal Illinois Mathematics Teacher. I attend and present at the annual ICTM and MEGSL conferences. I am excited to represent the college teachers of MEGSL! Please let me know if there is anything you would like me to discuss at the MEGSL meetings or if you can think of ways MEGSL can grow and support its members. Best wishes for a very successful 2013! We know what you re thinking WHERE IS THE MIDDLE SCHOOL DIRECTOR? Maybe it could be YOU! See the Help Wanted section on the next page!

The MEGSL Winter Meeting will be held Wednesday, January 30 at Parkway West High School in Ballwin, MO. Join us at 6:30 for socializing and refreshments. The general meeting will start at 7 pm. Finally, we will discuss the two most popular topics from our recent online survey: Technology in the Classroom and Math in Careers. Bring examples of either topic from your own classroom! The evening will include breakout sessions so we can help each other better incorporate technology and career exposure into our everyday teaching. A fun, educational evening for all! Secretary/NCTM Representative: 2-year commitment, 5/2013 5/2015 The secretary attends MEGSL executive board meetings (several per year) and general meetings, compiles and distributes minutes, and serves as our representative to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. President: 3-year commitment 5/2013 5/2016 The MEGSL president serves for one year as President-Elect, one year as President, and a final year as Past President. This person runs meetings, helps to organize our conference, and generally leads the group! Journal Editor: no term limit! After many years editing and compiling MEGSL s annual journal, The Confluence, Gene Potter has decided to give someone else a chance. The Confluence is published in September each year. Middle School Director: no term limit! WILL YOU STEP UP TO HELP MEGSL? We need a middle school teacher who can serve as MEGSL s liaison to all of our middle school teachers. This person would keep middle school members informed of events and help to recruit teachers and speakers interested in this age group. If any of these roles interest you, please e-mail our MEGSL president, Diane Relleke, at jdrelleke@att.net. THANK YOU!!!

Expanding Your Horizons is a one-day conference to introduce middle and high school girls to careers and ideas in mathematics and science. The conference will be held March 11, 2013 at St. Louis Community College at Meramec. For more information, contact Toni Garrett at tgarrett@stlcc.edu. EYH Conference 3/11/2013 MEGSL and St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley will hold their 35 th Annual Junior High Excellence in Mathematics Contest on Saturday, March 16, 2013 at STLCC-Flo Valley. For more information, contact Brian Bozek: bbozek@stlcc.edu. Middle School Math Contest: 3/16/2013 MOMATYC, the Missouri Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges, will host its annual conference April 4 6, 2013 at St. Louis Community College in Wildwood, Missouri. The keynote speaker will be Cheryl Ooten, author of Managing the Mean Math Blues: Math Study Skills for Student Success. For more information, or to submit a proposal to speak, go to www.momatyc.com. MOMATYC Conference 4/4 4/6/2013 MEGSL Conference 10/11 10/12/2013 Plans are already under way for MEGSL s annual conference, to be held at Villa Duchesne October 11 12, 2013. Consider sharing your ideas as a presenter! You ll find the form on our website, www.megsl.org.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR HIGH SCHOOL MATHLETES! The annual High School Excellence in Math Contest at St. Louis Community College at Forest Park was a huge success! Congratulations to Joseph Roddy from John Burroughs and Tim Chen from Edwardsville High School, winners of the $1000 scholarships! Thanks to Carol Loeb, Sharon Pemberton, Jim Munden, and the STLCC Math Department for making this great event possible! MEGSL Teacher of the Year Do you know of a teacher who deserves some recognition for the fine job he or she does? Why not take the time to nominate that teacher for MEGSL s Teacher of the Year? MEGSL wants to honor teachers who do great work day after day in the trenches of the elementary, middle, high school, or post-secondary classrooms in the Greater St. Louis area. Don t you think it s time to give that special teacher a pat on the back? Download an application from MEGSL s website (http://megsl.org) and submit it by March 15, 2013. Direct questions to Dr. Nancy English, 314-719-3588 (nenglish@fontboone.edu). $1000 Scholarships for High School and University Students Interested in Careers in Mathematics Education MEGLS annually awards two $1000 scholarships to two deserving students who plan to pursue a career in mathematics education. One is awarded to a high school senior; the other is awarded to a college/university student. Details and applications are available at www.megsl.org, or e-mail Dr. Nancy English at nenglish@fontbonne.edu. 2013 NCTM CONFERENCES: Denver, CO: 4/17 4/20/2013 Baltimore, MD: 10/16 10/18/2013 Las Vegas, NV: 10/23 10/25/2013 Louisville, KY: 11/6 11/8/2013 MEGSL Spring Banquet: May 3, 2013 MEGSL WINTER MEETING: Wednesday, 1/30/2013 Parkway West High School, Ballwin, MO 6:30 pm. Topics: Technology in the Classroom, Careers using Math. Come for food, friendship, ideas, and lively discussion!

AWM AMS MEGSL MPE2013 MCTM ICTM NCSM MDHE How many of these organizations can you identify? More importantly, how many do you use as a resource in this time of changes and challenges? AMATYC NCTM MAA MOMATYC DESE Mathematics Educators of Greater St. Louis (www.megsl.org) : FANTASTIC organization supporting math teachers and students of all ages and levels in the St. Louis area. If you aren t a member, you SHOULD be see our membership form in this newsletter! Missouri Council of Teachers of Mathematics (www.moctm.org) Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics (www.ictm.org) National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (www.nctm.org) Mathematical Association of America (www.maa.org) Missouri Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (www.momatyc.com) American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (www.amatyc.org) Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (www.dese.mo.gov) Missouri Department of Higher Education (www.dhe.mo.gov) American Mathematical Society (www.ams.org) Association for Women in Mathematics (www.awm-math.org) National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (www.mathedleadership.org) Mathematics of Planet Earth 2013 (www.mpe2013.org)

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION http://www.megsl.org Mathematics Educators of Greater St. Louis (MEGSL) NEW MEMBER MEMBER RENEWAL MEMBER REINSTATE CHANGE OF INFORMATION ONLY: Please fill out the fields that have changed since you last applied or renewed. Name: Address: City: State: Zip+4: Phone: Home Work Cell Email: Home Work District: School: May we include your information in the Member Directory? Yes No *Educator $12/year $12 x yrs = *Educator: First-time Member (1 st year of membership) FREE_ *Last-Yr College Student (graduation date: ) FREE_ *Pre-Service College Student $5 x yrs = *Donation to Scholarship Fund (tax deductible) TOTAL = Mail this application and your check payable to MEGSL to: Patrick J. Mooney MEGSL Treasurer / Membership Chair 2638 California Ave. Saint Louis MO 63118-1418 pmooney@parkwayschools.net FOR OFFICE USE ONLY: FTM PS LYCS R CHECK #: NEW EXP. DATE:

MEGSL c/o Debbie Char Math Department, B-320 St. Louis Community College at Forest Park 5600 Oakland Ave St. Louis, MO 63110 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID FLORISSANT, MO PERMIT NO. 191 The expiration date of your membership is shown on the mailing label. If your membership has expired, you must renew in order to remain on the mailing list! Don't Forget to Check Out www.megsl.org! When s the Next Issue? Deadline for news items and contributions (send to dchar@stlcc.edu): March 15, 2013 Release date for next issue: March 30, 2013 2013 is the first year in 26 years to be denoted with no repeated digits. The last time we had to use four different digits was 1987! If you would like to receive a copy of this newsletter by email please notify Debbie Char at dchar@stlcc.edu