Mathematics Education Leadership Training

About MELT
The MELT Program was established in 1998 through a generous donation from the Cain Foundation. The goal of the program is to provide support and professional development for high school mathematics teachers in North Carolina and other states. The program currently emphasizes weeklong Summer Institutes and through-the-year follow-up activities.  Summer Institutes, each of which is collaboratively developed and taught by a pair of highly qualified and experienced educators, provide teacher professional development on timely topics such as the preparation for meaningful implementation of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study (NCSCS) in Mathematics, the use of technology and other representational tools in the classroom, thoughtful and purposeful pedagogy, and analysis of teaching. Follow-up workshop activities include helping teachers implement problem-solving activities in their classrooms, collaboration among teachers and high school students in monthly contests, and the creation of exemplary classroom-based instructional and assessment activities.

Summer Institutes 2009 (June 15-19, 22-26, July 13-17, 20 - 24)
The goal of the weeklong summer institutes is to help mathematics faculty improve their teaching effectiveness through investigation of mathematics content and pedagogy while examining the appropriate use of technology.   One of our institutes targets integrating middle school mathematics; several others focus on implementing the NCSCS in important and commonly taught high school courses. One institute focuses on helping teachers learn how to appropriately use the newly released TI Nspire calculator. This summer we also are offering an institute, underwritten by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, exploring purposeful pedagogy and analyzing teaching through formal Lesson Study.  All Summer Institutes may be taken for 3 CEU credits and/or for 2 graduate credits in mathematics. Registration fees are $330/institute; housing (if selected) is $280/week. (Tuition for graduate credits is set by the graduate school and payable directly to them. Check back in the spring for graduate tuition rates.) Currently we have external support from the Mathematics and Science Partnership (MSP) grant program and from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund; financial assistance is available for selected Summer Institutes to cover registration and housing costs.  For further questions, contact us at:

MELT office:  242 Walker Hall, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC, 28608
Dr. Doug Jones, Director: 828-262-2862;  jonesd@appstate.edu
Diana Ward, Administrative Assistant:  828-262-2360;  wardrd@appstate.edu