Suzanne Alejandre ........   

January, 2008

I started this home page as my first assignment as a participant at the Math Forum's Summer Institute in 1995. Five years later I joined the Math Forum Staff! Rather than completely change the page, I've decided to update the top but leave the lower half as an archive.

On June 26, 2000, I left my teaching position at Frisbie Middle School to become a full-time Math Forum employee.

My first job title at the Math Forum @ Drexel was Educational Resource and Service Developer. As of January 1, 2008, I agreed to be the Director of Professional Development. I am currently working on the following projects:

Amazon.com

We have links to Amazon.com that generate some revenue for the Math Forum. I add links to Amazon for books listed on various pages on our site.

Dr. Math books

Melissa Running and I worked on a project with John Wiley & Sons that resulted in publishing of four books generated from content in the Ask Dr. Math archives. Our books are:
    Dr. Math Gets You Ready for Algebra
    Dr. Math Explains Algebra
    Dr. Math Introduces Geometry
    Dr. Math Presents More Geometry

Math Forum Internet Newsletter

Each week I find three sites on the Web to feature in the newsletter as well as communicate with the authors of those sites.

Math Tools

I continue to catalog and/or approve the cataloging of resources as well as update the home page at least once a month when I write the newsletter.

Leadership Development for Technology Integration: Developing an Effective NSDL Teacher Workshop Model

I develop and facilitate face-to-face workshops, online workshops, and support the work of the Teacher Leaders in Houston and Philadelphia.

Pre-Algebra Problem of the Week

I've been writing the PreAlgPoW since the Fall of 2002. In 2007-2008 we started writing an Enhanced Teacher Packet for each of our problems.

PCMI

The Math Forum provides support to the Park City Mathematics Institute run by the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey.

Problem of the Week Teacher Support Pages

I write a Teacher Support page to go with each of the Pre-Algebra Problems of the Week.

Teacher2Teacher

Regularly I respond to questions and do the administrative tasks for the service. I write the T2T FAQ pages.

Teacher Exchange

I respond to teachers who have lessons for us to host or who fill out the form on that area of the Math Forum site.

What's New

I regularly add items to our What's New page.

Workshops

I regularly update the Workshop pages.

 

Temple Partnership, School District of Philadelphia - I provide support for 6th and 7th grade using Math in Context.

 

Local, State, and National Workshops - I present at a variety of workshops as cataloged on our workshops pages.

-- Suzanne

As a participant in the Constructing Geometry on the Internet project during July, 1995, I started learning html and my way around the Web. I am particularly interested in looking at ways that students can use technology as a tool as they learn mathematics (or anything else, for that matter).

To read an introduction of myself to the other participants at the Math Forum, please go to my introduction page.

I was fortunate to have participated in Constructing Mathematics on the Internet project during July, 1996 which you can read more about by going here.

During the '96-'97 school year I taught one mathematics class in my classroom which is a Macintosh computer lab. I taught eighth grade general mathematics. The first unit that I wrote from this experience is Polyhedra in the Classroom. I had planned to write other units. . . but . . . instead I made a Reference Table for Math 8. During the '97-'98 school year I taught two sections of seventh grade general mathematics and in preparation for that experience I made a Reference Table for Math 7. Because Frisbie Middle School is transitioning to include sixth grade during the '98-'99 school year I have started a Reference Table for Math 6.

As I taught Math 7, I wrote a variety of web pages for the students and myself. With time each activity will have a teacher lesson plan page with links to the NCTM Standards and the California Mathematics Standards along with an accompanying student page. My thinking has evolved to the point of wanting to write lessons that reflect

1. an introduction to the problem
2. a manipulative activity (perhaps more than 1)
3. a technological approach (perhaps more than 1)
4. formalizing the mathematics
5. practicing the mathematics (exercises)

I enjoyed participating in the Math Forum's Summer Institute in July, 1998. I used the time to develop more of my Math 7 ideas and also meet some innovative teachers with whom I am hoping to collaborate during the school year.

Using the experience gained as a participant at Math Forum Institutes I have been able to successfully lead workshops to teach others how to write html. My first experience at doing this was in Merced, California leading the SCORE workshop in June, 1997. Then I led the Fresno SCORE Institute in August, 1997. I co-led the Merced '98 Institute with fellow Math Forum Institute participant, Matt Gehrett.

In the spring of 1998 I was invited to participate in the recommendation of technology standards to the NCTM Standards 2000 Writing Group. My position paper can be read here.