Benefits for Pre-Service Teachers

Many participants have claimed that the Math Forum live mentoring is the most rewarding experience they have had as Pre-service teachers.

• The Online Mentoring Project allows a real-world experience for college and graduate students without leaving the classroom. It involves real work of real students in an asynchronous environment.

• The OMP provides a comfortable environment within which mentors can learn mathematics. They learn a variety of ways to solve problems, represent their thinking, and display their work.

• Mentors  learn to analyze the thinking of students and to identify their strengths and difficulties as they are exposed to a diverse group of young problem solvers. They develop insight into problem solving and how students think about mathematics.

• Mentors practice using a rubric to assess student work.

• Mentors improve their own communication skills. They learn how to provide clear and appropriate feedback to students to move them forward in their thinking and communication. This skill can be applied to many areas in their careers as teachers.

• Mentors develop realistic expectations of students through interacting with real work from real students.

• Mentors develop facility with online learning tools and online interactions.

• University faculty can assess their pre-service teachers mathematical thinking and mentoring interactions.

• The university faculty provide a safety net as mentors hone their communication skills with real students.