Math ADEPT (Allied Delmarva Enhancement Program for Teachers) is a unified program of interconnected courses in mathematics at Salisbury University (SU), offered for graduate credit, and developed to meet the content and pedagogical needs of inservice middle school teachers across Delmarva (MD, DE, VA). Salisbury University has received a 3-year grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) which will help fund the development of the ADEPT program. (Update: funding from MHEC and 4th year funding from NSF received)

Teachers participating in ADEPT will acquire a deep, conceptual understanding of the mathematics content of standards-based middle school curriculum within a classroom environment which embraces discovery-based learning within small classes. ADEPT will also promote a pedagogically sound transfer of participants' content mastery into their middle school classrooms and will enhance teachers' mathematical confidence and attitudes. ADEPT participants will create, implement, modify, and improve lesson plans under the guidance of ADEPT faculty, mentor teacher colleagues, and other school system partners. Key Features of ADEPT courses:

• Courses to meet the needs of elementary-certified teachers taking the "middle school challenge"

• A challenging yet supportive atmosphere to help you gain a higher level of content mastery

• Coverage of the content that is hands-on and involves active learning (problem-solving, groupwork, written assignments, technology, oral presentations, etc).

• In most ADEPT courses, there are no tests, with grades based on homework; other written assignments; projects; assignments to modify/improve your lesson plans; class presentations; class participation; and where appropriate other forms (e.g. statistics project, computer lab, etc).

• While ADEPT courses are not methods courses (with the exception of the TCIT class (see below) which integrats a math content course -- with content from the other ADEPT courses brought into the class -- with some methods). In all ADEPT classes, coverage of content is integrated with ties to, and thought given to applicability to k-12 classes; NCTM readings, model curricula, manipulatives, and technology are also be integrated throughout.

• Opportunities to interact with teachers from other counties, and who teach at grade levels ranging from elementary to high school, but who are interested in middle school math.

• For the first 4-5 years, free of tuition was available for the 6 NSF-sponsored ADEPT courses. This is no longer the case with funds expended, and with the program having proved itself over the years and earned a reputation as a strong professional program helping teachers become mathematically stronger, meet or exceed state and federal requirements, and even earn National Board Certification, as several ADEPT veterans have done. (however, should grant funds become available again, the ADEPT website will be updated to reflect this).

• Participants who complete 4 or more ADEPT courses will receive a Letter of Recognition and will have earned a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Middle School Mathematics. Their ADEPT instructors may also write letters to the school systems of ADEPT participating teachers, recognizing the significant level of achievement ADEPT courses represent.

The six NSF-sponsored courses:

• Conceptual Algebra for Teachers (Dr. Harel Barzilai)
• Number Theory from a Historical and Multi-cultural Perspective (Dr. Homer Austin)
• Geometry: From Euclid to Modern Day (Dr. Michael Bardzell)
• Data Analysis (Dr. Barbara Wainwright)
• Mathematical Modeling for Middle School Teachers (Dr. Bob Tardiff)
• Middle School Mathematics in a Teaching Context with Instructional Technology (TCIT, Dr. Gerry Rossi ; newer TCIT version by Dr. Jennifer Bergner)

  The two MHEC-sponsored courses:

• Mathematical Reasoning for Middle School Teachers (Dr. Donald Cathcart)
• The Cartesian Triad: Algebra, Geometry, and Coordinates in the Plane (Dr. Donald Spickler)

A fuller listing of all eight ADEPT courses with Course Information, Syllabus, and more.