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 western North Carolina and throughout the state. 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 activities.

Summer Institutes

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; five of our institutes focus on implementing the NCSCS in important and commonly taught high school courses. One course focuses on helping teachers appropriately use the newly released TI n spire calculator. This summer we are offering a newly developed course, underwritten by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, exploring purposeful pedagogy and analyzing teaching through formal Lesson Study.   All Summer Institutes may be taken for CEU credit and/or for graduate credit in mathematics. Financial assistance is available for selected Summer Institutes.   For further questions, contact us at:

www.melt.appstate.edu

MELT office:   242 Walker Hall, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC, 28607

Dr. Doug Jones, Director: 828-262-2862;   jonesd@appstate.edu

Diana Ward, Administrative Assistant:   828-262-2360;   wardrd@appstate.edu