We strongly encourage all middle school math teachers who would like to incorporate a problem-solving approach into their daily curriculum and who are interested in exploring engaging, accessible topics in mathematics to apply for The Teacher’s Circle. Applications will be evaluated on a first-come first-served basis beginning February 6, and spaces are expected to fill up fast, so please apply early! Decisions will be sent via email to applicants on a rolling basis beginning February 30th.

This program consists of two components: the summer workshop and the evening sessions during the school year. The summer workshop will take place at the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI), Berkeley, CA during the week of June 28 - July 2, 2009. Not only will MSRI be hosting the workshop itself, but they will also house participants at the Foothill Suites Residence Hall on the UC Berkeley campus. Lodging is free of charge and food will be provided during the day. Furthermore, no tuition charges will apply since the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI), the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation and the Firedoll Foundation are supporting our instructors and covering other expenses. In addition, each participant will receive an honorarium for each day of the workshop they attend. We ask that all participants remain on site, even those within commuting distance, since collegial interaction and evening activities form an important part of the workshop.

Follow-up sessions in the form of teacher and student Math Circles will be offered on Monday or Thursday evenings during the ensuing academic year to provide further resources and support. Participants are asked to commit to attending these events. In particular, those teachers receiving professional development units or college course credit must attend.

Approximately 30 teachers will be selected from the Bay Area. Acceptance will be based as much on a desire to implement this new style of teaching as on each applicant’s current use of problem-solving, so we urge all interested teachers to apply, regardless of mathematical background.

See our brochure: pdf

Application Form

To apply for The Circle for Teachers, first choose two individuals who could serve as personal references. Select people who are familiar with your teaching or your interest in enlivening mathematics education. You will need to provide an email address for each person serving as a reference. Please note that letters of recommendation are not automatically solicited from your references.

The second step is to prepare a statement explaining why you are interested in participating in The Circle for Teachers and how you expect to benefit from this program. There are no specific guidelines regarding the length of this statement; simply include enough information to give the reviewers an adequate summary of your reasons for wanting to participate, without writing so much that it becomes a burden to read. Prepare a document on your own computer using any word processor, so that you can cut and paste your statement into the online application form. (Text only, please—no graphics or other files.)

Once you have selected two people who can serve as references and prepared a statement as described above, please apply to The Circle for Teachers using the online form provided by MSRI at their web site at https://secure.msri.org/forms/oebtc/application. The application deadline is April 30.

If you have further questions or need additional information, please do not hesitate to Contact Us.

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