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MTC Organizer Toolkit

Mathematics

A math session is the heart of a Math Teachers’ Circle meeting. A typical 2-hour session focuses on a challenging problem that encourages collaboration among teachers with different skills and backgrounds. Thinking about your MTC’s mathematics will thread through all your planning activities.

Download the overview (0.1 MB).

Download the full Mathematics section (3 MB).

Vision & Goals

Your Math Teachers’ Circle is uniquely designed to address the particular aspirations, strengths, and challenges of the teachers in your community. The following materials will help you start thinking about who you plan to serve, how you will serve them, and what you hope to accomplish by starting a MTC.

Download the overview (0.1 MB).

Download the full Vision & Goals section (0.2 MB).

Logistics

If mathematics is the heart of a Math Teachers’ Circle, the logistical framework represents the bones. In this segment, we will explain the basic structure of workshops and meetings. We’ll discuss the work involved in running a Circle, and provide tools to help you do it.

Download the overview (0.1 MB).

Download the full Logistics section (4 MB).

Recruitment

So, you’ve set up a Circle meeting with a great math topic and session leader. How do you get people to come? Here are some of the best ideas we’ve found to attract and retain members.

Download the overview (0.1 MB).

Download the full Recruitment section (5 MB).

Budget & Fundraising

Treat teachers like gold. A Circle can run on a shoestring budget. But with a little extra money, you can offer a catered meal, an overnight retreat, a take-home game — these are the tokens of appreciation that make teachers feel honored for their hard work. What resources do you already have, and what resources you need to run your program effectively?

Download the overview (0.1 MB).

Download the full Budget & Fundraising section (0.5 MB).

All documents and activities contained in this toolkit are available to browse or download at http://tinyurl.com/MTCtoolkits.

So you want to start a Math Teachers’ Circle!

This organizer toolkit contains a wealth of materials to help you start a successful, self-sustaining MTC:

  • Activities developed over 8 years of AIM’s “How to Run a Math Teachers’ Circle” workshops
  • Documents from MTCs across the country
  • Articles from our newsletter

We also provide seed funding and planning support to selected groups. Applications are available here.

Getting Started

Time to Prepare: 3-6 months

Host institution: A site that will provide space for 6-8 MTC meetings each school year (e.g., a mathematics department, school district office, or community center) (see FAQ: Host institutions)

Team members: Two K-12 mathematics teachers and two mathematics professors (see FAQ: Leadership teams)

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Beyond the Basics

We offer additional planning resources on a password-protected site. Here, you’ll find sample letters of inquiry and proposals, t-shirt designs, evaluation materials, and more. To access this page, please contact circles@aimath.org for the log-in credentials.