ABOUT US
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By Educators, for Educators
The Terrapin Teachers (TT) initiative includes a group of UMD students interested in STEM
education, and a subset, the Future Mathematics Teacher Council (FMTC), who is invested in improving mathematics education. The educational interest, access, and content knowledge make our TT team unique to address mathematics proficiency and dispositions within our local schools. Improving fluency and dispositions will allow for more students to be successful in mathematics and to remove barriers to STEM related fields. Broadening the notion of who can be successful in mathematics, will allow for a more diverse pool of future STEM majors.
In the Spring of 2024 FMTC received a $5000 Do Good Grant from the University of Maryland to purchase over a hundred board games. One goal was to provide future mathematics teachers an opportunity to facilitate K-12 student game-based mathematical learning. The project aimed to bring joy to the mathematics classroom via games, while allowing K-12 students to increase procedural fluency and promote positive mathematical dispositions.
Since then, more individuals have progressively joined in the project and consequently our outreach has grown as well. As a group, we offered eight professional development opportunities for local teachers, which included local, state, and national conferences. Furthermore, our FMTC members were able to have more positive engagement with our local K-12 students. We supported a year-long after school enrichment program at a local middle school and several one day events for local elementary school students. The Game On project allowed our FMTC members and students to experience joy via games! We piloted a variety of these game-based mathematical learning opportunities– printables, card/dice games, as well as traditional table top board games–to enhance procedural fluency, strengthen mathematical reasoning, and develop positive mathematics identities.
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MEET THE TEAM
Senior Lecturer
Dana Grosser-Clarkson
Dr. Dana Grosser-Clarkson is a senior lecturer with the Terrapin Teachers initiative at the University of Maryland. Dr. Grosser-Clarkson has been teaching secondary mathematics methods courses at UMD since 2013 and is a member of the Center for Mathematics Education at UMD. She was the founding advisor of the Future Mathematics Teachers Council (FMTC) at UMD in 2022 and has been supporting the NCTM affiliate since. Dr. Grosser-Clarkson enjoys piloting these games with her two elementary age kids!
Graduate Student
Jade Miles
Jade Miles is a graduate student of the University of Maryland to complete the Master’s Certification Program with the Terrapin Teachers initiative, which is a joint partnership with CMNS and the College of Education. She is the Co-Community Liaison of the Future Mathematic Teachers Council (FMTC) at UMD. Since last spring, Jade has become involved in local communities alongside fellow members of Terrapin Teachers to support the ongoing efforts of implementing Game-based Learning.
Graduate Student
Victoria Fernandez
Victoria Fernandez is a PhD student at the Center for Math Education in the Teaching, Learning, Policy, and Leadership Department at the University of Maryland. Before studying at the University of Maryland, Victoria taught middle school special education math and worked as an instructional coach supporting secondary math teachers. Victoria’s research involves understanding structural and systemic math education issues that impact students’ ability to enjoy math.
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Undergraduate Student
Zoe Chabria
Zoe Chabria is an undergraduate student at the University of Maryland on the Undergraduate Certification Pathway in the Terrapin Teachers initiative, which is a joint partnership with CMNS and the College of Education. She is the President of the Future Mathematics Teachers Council (FMTC) at UMD. Zoe has presented at several mathematics education conferences, emphasizing the benefits of Game-based learning and sharing games with educators in the state of Maryland.