PBS Mathline® is a teacher resource service of public television utilizing the power of telecommunications and video to provide resources and services to teachers of mathematics grades, K-12. Through participation in Mathline, teachers collaborate to make important decisions about their teaching. A new professional development program, the Algebraic Thinking Math Project (ATMP), has as its main purpose the promotion of thinking, dialogue and growth among teachers in grades three through eight on the topic of developing algebraic thinking in students. This project consists of: a series of video lessons which allow teachers to make "virtual visits" to classrooms where teachers and students are engaged in NCTM Standards-based instruction; printed lesson guides; and online learning communities which provide teachers with a small, focused web-based conference area. The video set includes an overview on "algebraic thinking" - what it means, why it is important, what research tells us about it, and what it looks like in different classroom settings.

For more information about Mathline, visit the website at http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/math/middle.html

 

REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL LABORATORIES. 1998. IMPROVING CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT: A TOOLKIT FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPERS (TOOLKIT 98), Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, Portland, OR.

This ready-to-use toolkit for professional developers offers two volumes of materials: one with background text and professional development training activities; the other containing supplemental resources, including sample assessment items, student work and readings.

For more information, visit the NWREL website at http://www.nwrel.org.