Message from the President

July 2007

Participation by The Adult Numeracy Network at COABE07 in Philadelphia was a huge success. Sixty participants, the largest number attending any of the Pre Conference sessions, attended the ANN Pre Conference session on Sunday. Several participants indicated they came just for the day to attend the ANN session. The focus of the activity based Pre Conference session was on using the ANN Teaching and Learning Principles as a map for teaching mathematics effectively to adult learners. At the end of the day participants agreed that they learned many new ways for teaching mathematics to adults. 

A Numeracy Strand consisting of 8 sessions was included in the concurrent sessions. Several ANN members presented additional sessions which brought the total participation for ANN sessions to about 300. That is an extra ordinary number!

Tom Brewer from California received the first ANN Practitioner as Researcher Grant. His research “Connecting Math and Critical Thinking through Group Interaction” was presented during the afternoon pre conference session. Tom’s research included direct instruction in small groups where students also worked cooperatively. The small groups encouraged student interaction that reinforced and developed real understanding of basic concepts. This project helped Tom understand how adults learn and how current research can improve his teaching. A complete summary of Tom’s project is provided in the Spring 2007 issue The Math Practitioner. Tom was also presented with the Edgar Easley Teacher of the Year award by COABE.

The Adult Numeracy Network (ANN) will sponsor two practitioner research projects to begin this fall and conclude before our annual meeting next spring. We would like practitioners to try something new in their classroom based on what the ANN Teaching and Learning Principles suggest for a high quality mathematics curriculum and learning environment.

Next year COABE 2008 is planned for the Adam’s Mark Hotel in St. Louis, April 28- May 1. Information concerning next year’s ANN meeting will be forthcoming.