Math Teacher Resource Guide

October 22, 2012 Bill Neil Resource Guides Comments Off on Math Teacher Resource Guide

The following guide is intended to be a valuable resource for potential, new or experienced math teachers at all levels. The provided links include a variety of resources that help create better educators and more proficient students. Many of these resources are also designed to make the experience of teaching math more enjoyable. Teachers and students at all levels are encouraged to explore the wide variety of lesson plans, activities, challenges, example problems and other resources designed by researchers and educators to strengthen mathematical skills in our classrooms and homes.

General Resources

  • Reflections — Run by the National Council of Teacher of Mathematics, this is a video-based site that helps teachers systematically observe and analyze past lessons and classroom practices in order to improve professionally.
  • Math.com – Features a wide variety of lesson plans, classroom resources, career information and free stuff to help the modern math teacher. The site also offers free homework help to students and a math library that teachers can use whenever they need it.
  • PBS Teachers – The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has been developing entertaining educational content for over four decades. Their site has tons of media tools designed to help K-12 math teachers demonstrate mathematical concepts in a fun and entertaining way for students.
  • Free Federal Resources – The U.S. Federal Government has compiled various math resources in a variety of subjects for use by individuals and teachers in the classroom. These resources have been taken from major universities and scientific organizations that represent the greatest minds in mathematics.
  • The Math Forum – As a leading resource for math learning, communication and teaching, the math forum brings teachers, mathematicians, students and researchers together to improve math education. The site provides a wide range of puzzles, team challenges and research. Educators are also able to share ideas and skills with each other.
  • USA Mathematical Talent Search – The talent search is a great way to motivate advanced students at the middle and high school level who want to solve difficult problems. Students get one month to provide a solution to a problem given out four times per year. They are allowed to use resources, but all their work must be completed on their own.
  • NCES Classroom – This site allows students to solve math teasers, play games involving probability or take online quizzes. High school students can also find valuable information on programs from colleges and universities, including tuition costs and degree requirements.

Math Blogs

  • The Number Warrior – This Arizona math teacher has created a blog full of interesting riddles, observations and equations. There are also helpful videos and example problems. Any math teacher is sure to gain valuable new ideas that will help their students learn more effectively.
  • Continuous Everywhere but Differentiable Nowhere – Read about the daily struggles and successes of a calculus teacher that constantly tries to innovate and improve his classroom teaching. The blog is full of interesting anecdotes, lessons and valuable insights.
  • I Speak Math – This blog showcases creative ways to teach middle school math subjects. The teacher from North Carolina demonstrates math concepts through video, historical examples and biology, making for fun and exciting lessons that are sure to keep students engaged.
  • Sweeney Math – Look at math from a different perspective by creating catapults, drawing slopes, making dance equations and establishing rules for natural phenomena. There are plenty of other entertaining tips for keeping algebra and calculus students engaged.
  • Ars Mathematica – This blog provides up-to-date reporting on the latest developments in the world of mathematics. The topics range from unbelievably complex to very clear and understandable. The writing shows a clear love of both the art and science of mathematics.

Example Problems and Solutions

  • Figure This! – With more than 80 challenges for middle school students, this resources provides real-world challenges with complete solutions that show how math really works. Point your students towards this resource if they are stuck on any particular concept.
  • Balanced Assessment – The Concord Constortium offers more than 300 assessment activities for math subjects in grades K-12. These topics include probability, cost evaluations, basic physics and many more subjects.
  • Sample Math 101 – These sample problems from WSU help students evaluate if they are ready to enter college level mathematics. Nearly every math subject is covered in this comprehensive list of problems that test middle and high school level mathematics competency.
  • WebMath – This math-help site generates solutions to user-entered math problems. Students who are stuck on a particular problem can enter the equation and the site will attempt to develop a detailed solution that not only gives an answer, but provides a valuable explanation on how to get there.
  • Mathway – Whether the subject is geometry, algebra, basic arithmetic, statistics or calculus, Mathway has created problem solving software that walks users through solutions and important math concepts. They also provide example problems that cover nearly every topic in almost all math classes.

Lesson Plans and Activities

  • Illuminations – These classroom-ready lessons help K-12 teachers implement innovative concepts and ideas in their classroom. The site also contains activities and standards that will help any math teacher create a learning environment that is more successful for students.
  • Teacher Vision – Use these creative math lessons, quizzes and activities to hold the interest of your students throughout the year. By incorporating subjects such as art and science into your lessons, you can connect whatever math subject you are teaching with real-world applications.
  • MathTools – This site offers lesson plans, activities and tools for learning and teaching various math subjects: probability, area, platonic solids, fractals, percents, functions, fractions, factors and more advanced subjects like calculus.
  • MyMoney.gov – Despite years and years of mathematics education in public and private schools, many students leave high school without basic knowledge in personal finance. This site provides basic and easy to understand financial information for use in the classroom or home. No student should leave school without basic financial literacy.
  • Math at Teachnology – This huge selection of lesson plans from a wide range of math subjects is a great resource for teachers looking to find the perfect instruction for their classroom. These easy-to-follow plans help students discover new mathematical concepts in a friendly and effective way.

Explore and Discover

  • Exploratorium Online – This resource helps students, teachers and self-learners discover how important mathematical concepts are used in the development of scientific research and technology. Search through thousands of movies to learn about the brain, DNA , magnetism, planets and even chocolate.
  • SimCalc – This software helps early math students learn concepts like accumulations, approximations and real-life situations like motion and money. SimCalc was developed by Dartmouth and the National Science Foundation to create better understanding of important mathematical concepts.
  • Practical Uses of Math and Science – This NASA resource provides numerous one-page examples showing how math can be used in interesting situations. Students and teachers can learn about weather, social security, ice sheets, sea level, dates, natural selection, traffic signals and volcanic clouds.
  • CryptoKids – The NSA shares some of its cryptoanalysis secrets in order to help kids better realize important math concepts. Breaking codes can be a very fun way to get kids interested in a variety of key math concepts that will help them later in the real world.
  • MegaMath – Discover how scientists and professional mathematicians use math in their everyday work in laboratories and offices. These activities provide real insight into how important math is in research settings and cutting-edge discovery.

Advanced Math

  • MIT OpenCourseWare – Watch lectures, read notes and explore the math curriculum from one of the world’s leading research institutions. OpenCourseWare provides comprehensive materials for math courses at undergraduate and graduate levels. Students can learn from the very best in the field from the comfort of their own computer.
  • Calculus on the Web – The Temple University resource provides students and teachers with an environment to experiment with a variety of calculus concepts. It covers topics ranging from Calculus I to Abstract Algebra.
  • Mathematics: Research Overview – Discover the latest math related research topics being covered at major colleges, universities and other institutions. These topics currently include CPU testing, nanotechnology, proteins, financial mathematics, cellular automata, weather and climate simulation.
  • The Mathematical Atlas – This gateway to modern mathematics covers a wide range of advanced math topics that are usually only covered at higher levels of math education. Discover information about number theory, abstract algebra, numerical analysis, topology and differential equations.

Teacher Education

  • InterMath – This site uses workshops, technology and materials to strengthen the core understanding of math concepts for middle school teachers. It is professionally developed program specifically designed to create better math educators.
  • Seeing Math – Clearly see how key math concepts work through this interactive software. Clarify key algebraic concepts like quadratic functions, linear functions and much more. These resources will help any math teacher develop more effective curriculum.
  • Education-Portal – This resource provides basic information to individuals who are thinking about becoming mathematics educators. It outlines the basic steps that need to be taken and what the best paths are to getting certified in any particular state.
  • Mathematics Across the Curriculum – This Dartmouth developed resources provides an electronic bookshelf of materials that helps math teachers connect their subject with history, art, science and engineering. These e-books cover interesting topics like bar codes, crime stats, DNA, data analysis and computer programming.
  • Encouraging Girls in Math and Science – Help girls achieve the same level of math proficiency as boys by using recommendations based on research in the field of education. Helping girls become more proficient in math will lead to more women entering the fields of science and engineering.

Organizations Associations and Societies

  • AMTE – The Association for Mathematical Teacher Educators is devoted to improving math education in all subjects. It is the largest organization of its kind, with over 1000 members dedicated to the professional development of math teachers in public and private primary schools.
  • NCTM – The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics provides resources for the professional development of math teachers at all levels. They provide conferences, research, journals and articles designed to create math education standards that improve mathematical education nationwide.
  • AMS – The American Mathematical Society started in 1888 with the goal of promoting mathematical research and education as an important resource for society. The AMS encourages institutions to transmit mathematical skills and understanding through education at all levels.
  • COMAP – The Consortium for Mathematics and Its Applications is a non-profit organization that has a mission to improve math education for students at all levels and ages. They work with students, teachers and businesses to develop mathematical environments where real-life applications can be explored and learned.