Mathworks Curriculum Development Project Recevies Grant from Meadows Foundation
Texas Mathworks received a 3-year grant of $386,000 from the Meadows Foundation to support the Mathworks Curriculum Development Project. The Meadows Foundation is a private philanthropic institution established in 1948 by Algur H. and Virginia Meadows to benefit the people of Texas. The Meadows Foundation mission is to assist the people and institutions of Texas to improve the quality and circumstances of life for themselves and future generations. The Meadows Foundation is among the most recognized private philanthropies in the country. It was the first recipient of the Texas Medal of the Arts for sustained support of arts and culture in Texas, and was named Outstanding Foundation of the year by the National Society of Fund Raising Executives.
This grant supports development, testing, and piloting of the Mathworks Middle School Mathematics Curriculum. Texas Mathworks is a center for mathematics education at Texas State University that develops model programs and self-sustaining learning communities that engage Texas K-12 students from all backgrounds in doing mathematics at a high level. Mathworks was honored by Governor Perry as one of five programs in Texas to receive the 2001 Texas Higher Education Star Award for Closing the Gaps, in recognition of its success in raising the mathematics level for all students, particularly underserved groups.
The Mathworks curriculum extends the Mathworks Junior Summer Math Camp curriculum to a full school-year program for 6th - 8th graders that introduces young students to algebra and higher-level mathematics. The curriculum is being piloted in San Marcos, New Braunfels, McAllen, Eanes, KIPP in Austin, and St. Michael’s in Arizona. The curriculum authors are Max Warshauer, Hiroko Warshauer, and Terry McCabe.
The Mathworks Curriculum Project began with support form the RGK Foundation and Kodosky Foundation. The first volume, Math Explorations and pre-algebra, is now complete and being piloted. The Meadows grant will support the development of Math Explorations Part II, Algebra, along with associated teacher training. Experienced teachers will work with Texas State faculty and undergraduates to develop a math learning community that supports the teachers and curriculum project during the school year. Undergraduate Meadows Fellows will also assist in curriculum development and editing, providing a unique opportunity for Texas State undergraduates to work on innovative research projects in mathematics education. For more information about this and other Mathworks programs see the web at www.txstate.edu/mathworks, or call 512-245-3439.