Chapter 6: A Collaborative Model: From Establishing Certification to Developing and Delivering a Program

In Missouri, informal discussions concerning the need for elementary mathematics specialists (EMSs) had been occurring since 2005. Mathematics requirements for elementary teacher certification varied across universities with typical requirements including 9 to 15 semester hours of a combination of content and methods courses. While such mathematics preparation appeared to be sufficient for equipping new teachers to begin teaching elementary mathematics, there was evidence that many teachers were struggling with their understanding of fundamental mathematics concepts and teaching in ways that did not foster understanding.

Student performance on the Missouri mathematics assessment test indicated that many students had only surface level understanding of elementary mathematics concepts and procedures from number and operation, geometry and measurement, and problem solving. Student performance varied greatly from district to district and was often related to the resources that were available to teachers and students who were struggling.