Event promotes exchange of experiences among teachers.

Fundamental to fostering a positive relationship between children and adolescents and mathematics, teachers in Brazil face a dilemma: we are a country of excellence in research, but we do not achieve a similar level of performance when it comes to primary and secondary education. Can the training process help us change this scenario? What are the obstacles? What should be prioritized to promote improvements? How can we value the professional who is in the classroom every day, tasked with unveiling mathematical reasoning for students?

All these questions should be part of the debates at the III National Symposium on Mathematics Teacher Training, from November 17th to 19th, in Rio de Janeiro. The event is part of the official calendar of the 2017-2018 Mathematics Biennium and is organized by IMPA and SBM (Brazilian Mathematical Society).

During the three days, professionals from all over Brazil, including researchers, professors, undergraduate and graduate students working in the field, especially graduates of PROFMAT (National Network Professional Master's Program in Mathematics), will gather at the Military College for a promising exchange of experiences.

According to Priscilla Guez, a member of the event's organizing committee, the activities are held almost entirely over the weekend to allow as many teachers as possible to participate in the meeting.

“Often, it’s difficult for a teacher to get time off, even for something as important as a professional development event, which, in the case of a teacher, is never, let’s say, finished. They continue learning even after completing their course,” observes Priscilla, a teacher at Colégio Pedro II (Humaitá), who has been in charge of organizing the symposium since its creation in 2013.

At that time, Priscilla had just completed the PROFMAT program when, according to her, the idea arose to create a meeting to promote the exchange of experiences among graduates of the course. Soon, the initiative caught the attention of other professionals in the field and gained wider reach.

In this third edition, as in the first two held in Brasília, there is a focus on offering activities tailored to teachers of Elementary School 1. This measure prioritizes those who, more frequently than at other levels, lack qualifications in mathematics and may therefore have more difficulty with the subject.

“We will also highlight the topic of Mathematics and inclusion,” Priscilla adds, informing that the subject will be the topic of a round table discussion.

In addition to lectures, participants will be able to take part in workshops and present papers in eight thematic areas: Innovative approaches and methodologies in Mathematics in Basic Education; Teaching Mathematics in the early years of Elementary School; Teaching Mathematics in Youth and Adult Education and in Technical Courses Integrated with High School; Initial and Continuing Training of Mathematics Teachers; Development of Didactic Materials and Resources in Mathematics; Digital Technologies in Mathematics Teaching; Assessment in Mathematics Teaching; History of Mathematics and Teaching Practice.

More information about the event can be found on the symposium website .