From: Rick (for Teacher2Teacher Service)
Date: May 18, 1998 at 17:52:54
Subject: Re: Job description of department chair

Martin, 

Great question. I'll start a list and am sure it will be added to by others. 

A department chairperson should:

A. Provide leadership in examining ways to engage teachers in a process of active 
   learning and teaching. This might include:

   1. Helping them learn more and deeper mathematics.

   2. Helping free them so that they can communicate with each other about 
      their teaching and student learning.
  
   3. Sitting in, and or participating in, their teaching and student learning.

   4. Supporting teachers who are willing to "go out on a limb" and try new or 
      different techniques and mathematics.

   5. Encourage the teachers to keep up with new and/or innovative methods and 
      materials for the math classroom.

B. Inform and Educate the administration and public as to the goals of your 
   department and what it is that you are doing to implement to address those 
   goals.

C. Be the final arbiter of fitting the schedule to the teachers so that ALL 
   students have the best opportunities.

This will at least get you started :-) .

Good luck.

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