Virginia Law

A. A mathematics specialist is a teacher in the elementary or middle grades who has interest and special preparation in mathematics content, scientifically-based research in the teaching and learning of mathematics, diagnostic and assessment methods, and leadership skills. The school-based mathematics specialist shall serve as a resource in professional development, instructing children who have learning difficulties in mathematics, curriculum development and implementation, mentoring new teachers, and parent and community education.

B. The mathematics specialist program shall ensure that the candidate has completed at least three years of successful classroom teaching experience in a public or accredited nonpublic school in which the teaching of mathematics was an important responsibility and demonstrated the following competencies:

1. Understanding of the knowledge, skills, and processes of the Virginia Mathematics Standards of Learning and how curriculum may be organized to teach these standards to diverse learners;

2. Understanding of a core knowledge base of concepts and procedures within the discipline of mathematics, including the following strands: number systems and number theory; geometry and measurement; statistics and probability; and functions and algebra;

3. Understanding of the sequential nature of mathematics, the vertical progression of mathematical standards, and the mathematical structures inherent in the content strands;

4. Understanding of the connections among mathematical concepts and procedures and their practical applications;

5. Understanding of and the ability to use the five processes - becoming mathematical problem-solvers, reasoning mathematically, communicating mathematically, making mathematical connections, and using mathematical models and representations - at different levels of complexity;

6. Understanding of major current curriculum studies and trends in mathematics;

7. Understanding how to utilize appropriate technologies for teaching and learning mathematics, including graphing utilities, dynamic software, spreadsheets, and virtual manipulatives;

8. Understanding of and the ability to select, adapt, evaluate, and use instructional materials and resources, including professional journals and technology;

9. Understanding of and the ability to use strategies for managing, assessing, and monitoring student learning, including diagnosing student errors;

10. Understanding of and the ability to use strategies to teach mathematics to diverse learners;

11. Understanding of leadership skills needed to improve mathematics programs at the school and division levels, including the needs of high-achieving and low-achieving students and of strategies to challenge them at appropriate levels; child psychology, including personality and learning behaviors; educational measurement and evaluation; and effective professional development approaches;

12. Understanding of how to develop and lead appropriate professional development based on the needs of students and the school community;

13. Understanding of how to work with school-based administration for the improvement of mathematics teaching and learning;

14. Understanding of how to effectively mentor teachers for the improvement of mathematics teaching and learning;

15. Understanding of how to effectively work with parents and the at-large community to improve mathematics teaching and learning;

16. Understanding of and proficiency in grammar, usage, and mechanics and their integration in writing; and

17. Understanding of and proficiency in pedagogy to incorporate writing as an instructional and assessment tool for candidates to generate, gather, plan, organize, and present ideas in writing to communicate for a variety of purposes.