PARSIPPANY, NJ. August 10, 2005--Pearson Learning Group today announced release of an innovative program to help school administrators improve their leadership of classroom mathematics teaching and learning. Supervision: Focusing on Mathematical Thinking is a new title in the Lenses on Learning professional development series for school leaders. Created and field-tested by the non-profit Education Development Center (EDC), the program was developed for a wide range of school leaders including principals, assistant superintendents, mathematics supervisors, Title I administrators, staff developers, and mathematics coaches.

Dan Caton, President of Pearson Learning Group said, "Supervision: Focusing on Mathematical Thinking helps school administrators explore concepts in elementary and middle school mathematics in order to deepen their understanding of high-quality math instruction." Caton added that by implementing a specially-designed classroom observation guide, administrators learn to be effective observers and evaluators of standards-based mathematics instruction in the classroom. Caton notes that this experience is essential for any school seeking better alignment between supervisory practices and standards-based mathematics teaching.

Barbara Scott Nelson, director of the Center for Development of Teaching at EDC, stated, "If schools are to consistently provide high quality mathematics instruction, it is critical that instructional leaders recognize and support the development of excellent teaching methods." According to Nelson, professional development for administrators supports efforts to improve student learning. Instructional leaders come into direct contact with classroom teaching practices, judge their quality, and decide what help a teacher may need. Their periodic review of classrooms and their assessment of instruction constitute the school district's quality control system.

EDC notes that research indicates that school leaders' understanding of high quality mathematics instruction and their ideas about how they can support it are significantly influenced by their knowledge of mathematics and their beliefs about the nature of mathematics learning and teaching. Supervision: Focusing on Mathematical Thinking is based on the premise that administrators learn best by engaging actively with mathematics concepts, and by doing mathematics together to become a community of learners.

The development of Supervision: Focusing on Mathematical Thinking was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts to Education Development Center. The program was field tested nationally in the 2000-01 school year.

About Education Development Center
For more than four decades EDC has been a pioneer, building bridges among research, policy, and practice. The Center's award-winning programs and products, developed in collaboration with partners around the globe, consistently advance learning and healthy development for individuals of all ages. The Center's work strengthens nearly every facet of society, including early child development, K-12 education, health promotion, workforce preparation, community development, learning technologies, basic and adult education, institutional reform, medical ethics, and social justice. For more information about Lenses on Learning, visit http://www2.edc.org/CDT/cdt/cdt_admin.html

About Pearson Learning Group (www.pearsonlearning.com)
Pearson Learning Group publishes precise solutions to meet teaching needs and help all students succeed. Pearson Learning Group is part of Pearson Education, the global leader in education publishing. Specializing in PreK-12 supplemental and special needs basal programs, Pearson Learning Group publishes under the following imprints: Modern Curriculum Press, Globe Fearon, Celebration Press, Dominie Press, Dale Seymour Publications, and Pearson Early Learning. For more information, visit www.pearsonlearning.com

Contact:
Kate Miller
800 745-8489
kate.miller@pearsoned.com