IMPA and ANPMat Launch an Award for Math Teachers
IMPA (Institute of Pure and Applied Mathematics) and ANPMat (National Association of Mathematics Teachers in Basic Education) launched on Tuesday (8) the first edition of the Brazilian Award for Mathematics Education in K-12. The initiative aims to identify, recognize, and disseminate successful teaching practices in mathematics education and to highlight experiences that contribute to learning and equity in basic education. Registration is open until October 12, on the IMPA website. Click here.
“The goal is to highlight and widely publicize successful initiatives that have been thoroughly tested in our classrooms, showing elementary and secondary school math teachers new ways to continually improve their teaching,” explains Marcelo Viana, director general of IMPA.
With a national scope, the award will recognize two categories: Teachers, divided into early elementary school years, late elementary school years, and high school; and Institutions, intended for schools, school systems, and educational management agencies. In total, up to 20 winners will be selected, with up to five winners in each category and, in the case of teachers, at each level of education. The selection process also provides for regional distribution, with a maximum of one winner per major Brazilian region in each category and level.
The winners will receive a certificate of recognition and will be honored at an awards ceremony during the National Symposium on Mathematics Teacher Education. The selected proposals will also be included in the National Compendium of Successful Practices, an annual publication that will bring together award-winning experiences and contribute to the dissemination of best practices in mathematics education.
“It is very common for recognition of mathematics teachers to focus almost exclusively on student performance, as measured by grades, the IDEB, and math competitions. A teacher who develops a consistent teaching practice but does not publish or does not have students who excel on external assessments will rarely be recognized. The Brazil Award for Mathematics Teaching in Basic Education reverses this logic: it shines a spotlight on how mathematics is taught, rather than just on the final result. “This is an opportunity for teachers and schools that are doing incredible work to be recognized, discovered, and seen,” said Sumaia Almeida Ramos, president of ANPMat.
Registration is open until October 12
To participate, candidates must submit practices developed within the context of Brazilian Basic Education. The general evaluation criteria include the indicators used to measure results, evidence of impact on learning and of contributions to equity, as well as the potential for dissemination, replicability, and continuity of the initiatives. In the Teachers category, aspects such as methodological innovation, inclusion and equity, and the use of technology will also be considered.
The Brazilian Award for Mathematics Education in Basic Education It also aims to provide technical input for educational policies and to establish a national database of best practices. The initiative has institutional support from the Ministry of Education (MEC) and is aligned with national guidelines for improving the quality of basic education and with the National “All Math” Initiative. Check out the announcement here.