UAteach Charters New Professional Society for Future Math and Science Teachers

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Kim McComas (center) accepts the NCTM affiliate charter from NCTM president Robert Berry and ACTM president Vanessa Cleaver.

A new professional society on campus will allow future math and science teachers a chance to jump-start their careers.

The University of Arkansas Council of Teachers of Mathematics was officially chartered in April when Kim McComas, a mathematics educator through the UAteach program, accepted the charter at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics annual conference.

All students who join the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics as student affiliates receive free council membership, access to council journals and resources, and free registration to regional council conferences. McComas took a group of UAteach math majors to the regional National Council of Teachers of Mathematics conference in Kansas City in the fall of 2018.

The creation of the student affiliate has increased interest in professionalism among the UAteach math teacher candidates who have become involved in a variety of events focused on math education, McComas said.

The goal is to drive engagement among students interested in education.

"We are hoping that by connecting students with the math education profession early, we can retain their interest in becoming math teachers rather than lose them to other careers," she said.

About UAteach: The UAteach program prepares math, science, and computer science majors for a teaching license and leads to a minor in secondary education. The 26 credit hour program takes a minimum of five semesters to complete, beginning with a one credit hour introductory course, ARSC 1201, that allows students to try out teaching before committing to the program. Go to teach.uark.edu for more information.