Classroom-Ready Rich Math Tasks, Grades K-1

Beth McCord Kobett, EdD, is Professor of Education and Associate Dean at Stevenson University, where she leads, teaches and supports early childhood, elementary, and middle preservice teachers in mathematics education. She is a former classroom teacher, elementary mathematics specialist, adjunct professor, and university supervisor. Beth also served as the Director of the First Year Seminar program at Stevenson University. She recently completed a three-year term as an elected Board Member for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and was the former president of the Association of Maryland Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMMTE).  Beth leads professional learning efforts in mathematics education both regionally and nationally.  Beth is a recipient of the Mathematics Educator of the Year Award from the Maryland Council of Teachers of Mathematics (MCTM) and the Johns Hopkins University Distinguished Alumni Award. Beth also received Stevenson University’s Rose Dawson Award for Excellence in Teaching as both an adjunct and full-time faculty member. Beth believes in fostering a strengths-based community with her students and strives to make her learning space inviting, facilitate lessons that spark curiosity and innovation, and cultivate positive productive struggle. Francis (Skip) Fennell, PhD, is emeritus as the L. Stanley Bowlsbey Professor of Education and Graduate and Professional Studies at McDaniel College in Maryland, where he also directed the Elementary Mathematics Specialists and Teacher Leaders Project (ems&tl). He is a former classroom teacher, principal, and supervisor of instruction, and past president of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE), the Research Council on Mathematics Learning (RCML), and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). He is a recipient of the Mathematics Educator of the Year Award from the Maryland Council of Teachers of Mathematics (MCTM), the Glenn Gilbert National Leadership Award from NCSM: Leadership in Mathematics Education, the Excellence in Leadership and Service in Mathematics Teacher Education Award from the AMTE, the James W. Heddens Distinguished Service Award from the RCML, and Lifetime Achievement Awards from both the MCTM and the NCTM. In 2018, he received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from McDaniel College. Skip’s many book-length and peer-reviewed journal publications and classroom experiences have focused on assessment, number sense, fractions, elementary mathematics specialists and mathematics teacher leaders, and teacher education. Karen S. Karp is a professor in the School of Education at Johns Hopkins University. Previously, she was a professor of mathematics education in the Department of Early and Elementary Childhood Education at the University of Louisville, where she received the President’s Distinguished Teaching Award and the Distinguished Service Award for a Career of Service. She is a former 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). She is a member of the author panel for the What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guide on assisting elementary school students who have difficulty learning mathematics for the U.S. Department of Education Institute of Educational Sciences. She is the author or coauthor of approximately 20 book chapters, 50 articles, and 30 books, including Elementary and Middle School Mathematics: Teaching Developmentally, Developing Essential Understanding of Addition and Subtraction for Teaching Mathematics, and Inspiring Girls to Think Mathematically. She holds teaching certifications in elementary education, secondary mathematics, and K–12 special education. Delise Andrews is the 3-5 Mathematics Coordinator for Lincoln Public Schools in Lincoln, Nebraska. During her career, she has worked in both rural and urban districts and has taught mathematics to students at every age from Kindergarten through the 8th grade, undergraduate math methods, and graduate level courses for teachers of mathematics. Delise is a recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching and a Robert Noyce Master Teaching Fellow. She is also an active member of NCTM, serving as a past member and chair of the Professional Development Services Committee, member of regional conference committees and chair of the St. Louis annual conference committee, and an NCTM Professional Services facilitator. Latrenda Knighten is the elementary math curriculum content trainer in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She has been an educator for more than 30 years, and is an active member of many professional organizations. She currently serves as the NCSM Southern Region 2 team leader for Louisiana and secretary for the Benjamin Banneker Association, Inc. Latrenda is also a past member of the NCTM Board of Directors.