NCTM Unveils New Math Standards- IMSA Math Teacher Author

For Immediate Release, April 2000
For comment, contact Brenda Buschbacher at (630) 907-5033

AURORA- Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy® (IMSA) teacher Susan Eddins of Batavia will attend an upcoming press conference in Chicago to unveil the new NCTM mathematics standards, "Principles and Standards for School Mathematics", for grades pre-kindergarten - 12. Eddins served on the 9-12 writers' group and contributed to other general sections as well.

The press conference, held in conjunction with the 78th Annual Meeting of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), will be held April 12 at 10:00 a.m. at the Hyatt Regency, Chicago, in Grand Ballroom A. NCTM's Annual Meeting is the largest gathering of mathematics educators in the world.

The "Principles and Standards" is intended to present a timely, updated vision of school mathematics, describing a future where all students have access to high-quality, engaging mathematics instruction. It updates NCTM's original standards documents for school mathematics, the first of which was released in 1989.

"It was an honor to have the opportunity to build on the pioneering work of the 1989 NCTM Standards," Eddins said. "To update and extend the expectations originated in this earlier document was both a big and an important task. In Principles and Standards, we have tried to respond to new understanding about learning, recent research into mathematics education, and advances in computational technology to provide a set of standards for all students," she said.

"It has been an awesome task and a terrific learning/growing experience for all of us. We hope it will serve to lead mathematics education for the next decade," Eddins added.

Eddins, a mathematics teacher at IMSA for 14 years and an educator since 1970, was also recently nominated to the NCTM Board of Directors. In addition, this year she was one of only four educators in Illinois to receive certification in Adolescence and Young Adulthood/Mathematics through the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). She now serves on the math standards committee for NBPTS.

Located in Aurora, Illinois, the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy® (IMSA) is an internationally-recognized pioneering educational institution created by the State to develop talent and stimulate excellence in teaching and learning in mathematics, science and technology. IMSA's advanced residential college preparatory program enrolls 650 academically talented Illinois students in grades 10-12. More than 14,000 teachers and 20,000 students in Illinois and beyond have benefited from IMSA's professional development and enrichment programs. IMSA serves the people of Illinois through innovative instructional programs, public and private partnerships, policy leadership and action research.