Chapter 2: Preparing Elementary Mathematics Specialists1: Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Experiences

The purpose of this chapter is to outline the knowledge and skills expected of elementary teachers who choose to prepare for and focus on teaching mathematics in the elementary grades. Increasingly, this preparation is being acknowledged by states through the creation of an advanced teaching certification known as elementary mathematics specialist (EMS) or simply mathematics specialist (MS).

We face several dilemmas in addressing the task described in the opening sentence. First, in the vast majority of U.S. elementary schools, all classroom teachers are mathematics teachers. That is, they are responsible for teaching mathematics to a group of students throughout the year. One might argue, therefore, that all elementary teachers should be proficient in mathematics at the same level as other teachers who specialize in mathematics.