The Early Childhood Mathematics Collaborative: Communities of Discourse

The Early Childhood Mathematics Collaborative (ECMC) has been active for seven years at the University of Houston. A unique professional developmental model, the collaborative has several components: (1) a university faculty member adopts a public school and conducts specific, standards-based professional development sessions; (2) five preservice teachers per classroom present games or activities to children in prekindergarten, kindergarten, and first and second grades; and (3) while the preservice teachers cover the classes, classroom teachers are involved in study groups with the university professor.