Current Needs
In the immediate future, the Center will use funds to further establish the Los Angeles Mathematics Circle for 6-12 students, the Mathematics Teacher in Residence program, the Curtis Center Intern Program for mathematics graduate students and the Bruin MATHteach program for undergraduates interested in secondary mathematics teaching.

The Curtis Center seeks funding in the amount of $15K per year for the Los Angeles Mathematics Circle. The Circle meets weekly with the goals of exposing students to wonderful mathematics not covered in a typical school curriculum and actively engaging students in problem solving. UCLA math professors give many of the lectures. The UCLA Math Circle is free and open to all high school and advanced middle school students interested in mathematics and eager to learn. The requested funding would cover costs such as compensation for the director and weekly lecturers, monthly contest grading, supplies and expenses, and administrative assistance.

The Curtis Center also seeks funding in the amount of $155K per year to expand its current undergraduate mathematics teacher preparation efforts into the Bruin MATHteach program. Bruin MATHteach will integrate the Department’s coursework for future mathematics teachers, increase student enrollments by offering early completion of credential program coursework, and increase the readiness of these students for acceptance into CA credentialing programs. For more details and budget, click here to download PDF.

The Curtis Center also seeks funding in the amount of $50K per year for the Mathematics Teacher in Residence program. The program is modeled after the successful Visiting High School Teacher Program founded by Professor Curtis in 1980 and brings an outstanding local high school calculus teacher to the Department for one year to teach pre-calculus and other mathematics courses to future teachers as well as provide some administrative help with the undergraduate teacher preparation program. This annual investment in an exceptional teacher leader creates a network of liaisons in California secondary schools and communicates university expectations to teachers and students in those schools. Costs reflect the non-teaching portion of the MTR’s salary and benefits.

The Curtis Center also seeks funding in the amount of $75K per year to fund three mathematics graduate students interested in mathematic education to be Curtis Center Interns. The Curtis Center Intern program would be modeled after the National Science Foundation (NSF) Step K-12 Program whose implementation by the Mathematics Department several years ago proved successful in providing several math PhDs with an extensive introduction to the math education world. Curtis Center interns would serve as especially trained TAs for the undergraduate teacher preparation courses, editors with mathematics expertise for the Center’s curriculum development efforts, and instructors in the Los Angeles Math Circle.

Curtis Center Endowment
The Curtis Center invites you to help us raise $50,000 during the 2007 – 2008 academic year for the Curtis Center Endowment. This amount will provide the Center with a permanent endowment that generates annual income and guarantees sustainable support for the center’s comprehensive math education activities.