Elementary & Middle School MathematicsVan de Walle, John, Karp, Karen S., Bay-Williams, Jennifer M
Dr. John A. Van de Walle was one of the most renowned mathematics educators in the country and the author of Elementary and Middle School Mathematics: Teaching Developmentally, the book that, in its seventh edition, continues to be the leading text and resource in the United States and Canada for teaching K-8 mathematics. John A. Van de Walle graduated cum laude from Bellarmine College in 1965 with a degree in mathematics, earned his master's degree in mathematics at St. Louis University in 1967, and in 1972, earned his doctoral degree in mathematics education from Ohio State University. He spent most of his career at Virginia Commonwealth University where he was Professor Emeritus and for 29 years taught mathematics education to pre-service and in-service teachers. He retired in 2002, but continued to write and work with teachers to promote mathematics education. He also served as a consultant to various school systems in the U.S. and Canada. He was an active member of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and served on its board of directors from 1998 to 2001. He once said, “It is fun to figure out the puzzle of how children go about making sense of mathematics and then how to help teachers help kids.” Dr. Van de Walle died at home on December 2, 2006. He is survived by his wife Sharon of 40 years, his two daughters, and three grand daughters.
Karen Karp is a Professor of Mathematics Education at the University of Louisville (Kentucky). Prior to entering the field of teacher education she was an elementary school teacher in New York. Karen is a co-author of Feisty Females; Inspiring Girls to Think Mathematically, which is aligned with her research interests on teaching mathematics to diverse populations. With Jennifer, Karen co-edited Growing Professionally: Readings from NCTM Publications for Grades K-8. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and a former president of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE).
Jennifer M. Bay-Williams is an Associate Professor of Mathematics Education at the University of Louisville (Kentucky). Jennifer has published many articles on teaching and learning in NCTM journals. She has also co-authored the following books: Math and Literature: Grades 6-8, Math and Nonfiction: Grades 6-8, Navigating through Connections in Grades 6-8. Jennifer taught elementary, middle, and high school in Missouri and in Peru, and continues to work in classrooms at all levels with students and with teachers. Jennifer serves as the editor of the upcoming NCTM Yearbook (2012) and is the Immediate Past President of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE).
