The most effective leadership style for school improvement is instructional leadership (Robinson, Lloyd, and Rowe, 2008), and in order to improve at a basic level, education systems must strive to achieve the basics of literacy and numeracy (McKinsey & Co., 2007). In your role as an instructional leader, you therefore must familiarize yourself with the educational practices that enhance and support the learning of mathematics. As you progress through this workbook, you will hone your skills in recognizing effective teaching strategies, begin or continue to use appropriate terminology in discussions relating to mathematics education, and discover how best to coordinate professional development sessions for staff, focusing on mathematics improvement.
In this module you will investigate the following:
- philosophical bases for mathematics instruction
- effective instructional strategies
- national standards for mathematics in K-12 education
- ways to support mathematics teachers through useful resources and professional development activities
- evaluation and assessment strategies
Q: Why are mathematics activities important to you?
A: Students in schools today will use mathematics every day of their lives.
- Some may also use mathematics in their professional roles
- Competence in mathematics depends, in large part, on effective teaching
The challenge for you, as an instructional leader, is to ensure that your staff shares your enthusiasm for quality mathematics instruction and will work collaboratively to bring about real change and improved pedagogy in school mathematics.
