TITLE:

Math ADEPT: a  working model for teacher professional
development which is sustainable, adaptable, and which enables
teachers to build professional communities of learners.

Abstract:

Now in its fourth year, ADEPT (the Allied Delmarva Enhancement Program
for Teachers) is tri-state (DE-MD-VA) program of professional
development for middle-school mathematics teachers.  Launched with
funding from the National Science Foundation, and additional support
from the Maryland Higher Education Commission, ADEPT is built upon a
suite of eight mathematics content courses that are interconnected in
structure, pedadogy, and in over-arching themes such as modeling,
problem-solving, and connections between different subjects in
mathematics. Teaming with the local school systems, ADEPT employs
veteran teachers as Teaching Assistants, and links ADEPT course
curriculum to the middle school curriculum.  At the heart of the ADEPT
model are Modified Lesson Plans (MLPs) assignments in which ADEPT
participants revise, expand, and enhance the content and pedagogy from
existing lesson plans, based on the ADEPT courses and the feedback
from ADEPT instructors and fellow teachers. This assignments also
fosters collaborative on-going discussions among the
teachers. Currently, in-school interviews and data collection are
deepening the knowledge base about ADEPT's impact. Faculty interested
in adapting ADEPT and brining a similar program to their region can
attend a summer 2005 workshop.