EFFECTIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: DEFINING THE VITAL ROLE OF THE MASTER TEACHER

Originally conceptualized in 1987 as a bridge between the research mathematicians at Rice University and the precollege mathematics education community, the Rice University School Mathematics Project (RUSMP) has evolved over time, transcending its initial goal, and now serving as a nationally recognized K-12 mathematics education center with a documented ability to improve teacher knowledge and student learning  RUSMP nurtures and prepares mathematics teachers to become a collaborative community of highly-skilled, K-12 mathematics educators capable of providing effective mathematics instruction to all students - regardless of race, gender, socioeconomic status, mathematics aptitude, or prior success in mathematics. 

Although RUSMP offers a wide variety of programs and support for the K-12 educational community, the cornerstone of RUSMP is its Summer Campus Program (SCP) initiated through National Science Foundation funding.  A key to the success of SCP are master teachers, who are K-12 classroom teachers who serve as instructors, role models, and mentors for participating teachers. The term “master teacher” can mean many things to many people. Master teachers have always been selected for their abilities as exemplary teachers as identified by Rice University faculty and local district mathematics leaders. The roles of the RUSMP master teachers have evolved over time. This paper is an attempt to further the discussion towards a common understanding of the meaning of the role that is vital to effective teacher professional development and to investigate the selection, development, characteristics, roles, and impact of teacher leaders identified by RUSMP as SCP master teachers.