Mathworks recruiting undergraduate 'Fellows' for middle school

Posted by Jayme Blaschke
University News Service
August 10, 2012

The Mathworks program at Texas State University-San Marcos is seeking Texas State undergraduates to be math class assistants as part of the Mathworks Algebra Program (MAP) at Miller Middle School in San Marcos.

These "Mathworks Fellows" will gain first-hand classroom experience while guiding young students to learn pre-algebra and algebraic concepts during the school year.

Starting this fall, the students of Miller will be using the Mathworks Math Explorations curriculum, a series of three textbooks developed at Texas State. More than three years of pilot data shows that student use of the curriculum correlates strongly with statistically significant gains in algebra readiness. Algebra has been a long-standing stumbling block for Texas students, with many having to take remedial math courses upon entry to college. MAP aims to give young students a solid foundation for algebra readiness and success, opening pathways to higher-level math courses and more opportunities when seeking degrees and careers.

Mathworks Fellows will provide a critical component to MAP, serving as mentors and role models to the middle school students, and giving the math teachers extra support. Math and education majors are particularly encouraged to apply to the program. Fellows will also provide valuable feedback regarding curriculum implementation, as the Mathworks team incorporates best practices, latest research, and feedback from students, teachers, and administrators to continually improve the textbooks. Funding for this year's Mathworks Fellows has been supported by San Marcos CISD, the KDK-Harman Foundation, and the Sid W. Richardson Foundation, as part of the Mathworks Algebra Program.

For more information, please visit www.txstate.edu/mathworks/Additional-Resources/fellows.html.