The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) Office of Elementary Education and Reading announces the inaugural cohort of the Mathematics Coaching Academy of Mississippi (MCAM). The deadline to apply to the academy is 5 p.m. Friday, April 25.
The MCAM is a professional development program offered by the MDE Division of Mathematics Coaching to train K-12 school- and district-based mathematics coaches, lead teachers, or supervisors on the instructional foundations of mathematics instruction and certification in mathematics coaching. The program provides cohort members with the same onboarding training received by MDE mathematics coaches rooted in the Mississippi Instructional Observation Protocol (MIOP), the Standards for Mathematical Practices (SMPs), and the Effective Mathematics Teaching Practices (EMTPs) with the alignment to the MDE Coaching Cycle.
Upon participant selection and acceptance to the MCAM, K-12 mathematics coaches will receive guidance and support to refine and enhance their coaching craft.
Participants will:
- Gain intensive training in the aspects of a successful mathematics coaching model
- Receive knowledge building grounded in the instructional foundations of all MDE mathematics work
- Actively observe, model, and engage with the MDE mathematics coaching team to learn best practices and strategies to better assist educators with instructional delivery, data analysis, and goal setting for student success
- Become a member of a cohort of school- and district-based mathematics coaches that will serve as a professional learning community
- Receive actionable feedback and guidance on current mathematics practices and issues that are relevant to their personal work during on-site visits and virtual classes
- Earn continuing education credits (CEUs, SEMIs, or OSLs) required for Mississippi Educator License recertification
Participants who complete the requirements of the academy will receive a MDE Certificate for Mathematics Coaching. As the program is currently not for licensure endorsements, the certification will provide participants in-depth training in mathematics content and the fundamentals of mathematics coaching, opportunities for application of learned content, and school districts with proof of mathematics coach training.
A district commitment is required in the application for entry into the academy. The application window for the academy will close at 5 p.m. Friday, April 25. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered for review. For questions regarding the academy, please contact Rufus Hill, State Math Coaching Director, at mcam@mdek12.org.
Academy Informational Packet: https://bit.ly/3DMvp67
Application: https://bit.ly/41XbdpZ
District Commitment Form: https://bit.ly/3Y4HytV