January 18, 2007

Conference on Teaching Mathematics is Feb. 15

by Chase Goble

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois University Carbondale will host the 23rd Annual Conference on Teaching Mathematics on Thursday, Feb.15, in the Student Center.

The conference will provide K-14 teachers with new ideas on mathematics education for students. The different sessions offered will allow participants a choice of a variety of topics.

There will be a continental breakfast and luncheon. After lunch Jackie Cox, Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics president, will greet teachers. Tad Watanabe, associate professor of mathematics education at Kennesaw State University in Georgia, will give the main address. Watanabe's address is titled, "Does A Picture Speak A Thousand Words? Pictorial Representation in Japanese Textbooks." He will focus on how drawing pictures and diagrams is an important tool for the teaching and learning of mathematics and how Japanese mathematics textbooks help students develop this important ability.

The conference will adjourn by 2:15 pm.

The registration deadline is Feb. 8. Early registration is strongly advised. Registration fee is $50, which includes the continental breakfast, conference luncheon and all sessions. There is a reduced fee of $20 for retired teachers. The fee is $8 for pre-service students and $12 with lunch. You may register by phone with a credit card by calling the SIUC Division of Continuing Education at 618/536-7751 or by visiting www.dce.siu.edu.