Service is the rent we pay to Service is the rent we pay to be living. It is the very purpose be living. It is the very purpose of life and not something you of life and not something you do in your spare time.do in your spare time.

-Marian Wright Edelman-Marian Wright Edelman

Looking at Our Work as Looking at Our Work as Mathematics Teacher Mathematics Teacher

Educators through a Service Educators through a Service LensLens

William S. BushWilliam S. BushCenter for Research in Mathematics Center for Research in Mathematics and Science Teacher Developmentand Science Teacher Development

University of LouisvilleUniversity of Louisville

North Carolina Association of North Carolina Association of Mathematics Teacher EducatorsMathematics Teacher Educators

April 20, 2007April 20, 2007

Service as the Purpose of Service as the Purpose of Our WorkOur Work

• The Role of Service in Our The Role of Service in Our WorkWork

• Effective Service in Our WorkEffective Service in Our Work

The Role of Service in The Role of Service in Our WorkOur Work

The Work of Postsecondary The Work of Postsecondary FacultyFaculty

• TeachingTeaching

• ResearchResearch

• ServiceService

TeachingTeaching• Classroom instructionClassroom instruction• Field supervisions and classroom Field supervisions and classroom

observationsobservations• Individualized instruction/ Individualized instruction/

Independent studyIndependent study• Student advising and counselingStudent advising and counseling• Developing new coursesDeveloping new courses• Directing theses and dissertationsDirecting theses and dissertations

ResearchResearch

• Conducting high-quality Conducting high-quality contributing research contributing research

• Receiving funding to support Receiving funding to support research research

• Publishing empirical or Publishing empirical or theoretical researchtheoretical research

• Mentoring students and teachers Mentoring students and teachers as scholars and researchersas scholars and researchers

ServiceService

• Applying knowledge to the fieldApplying knowledge to the field• Developing knowledge through Developing knowledge through

applicationapplication• Making expertise available to others Making expertise available to others

at:at:– university leveluniversity level– community levelcommunity level– state levelstate level– national and international levelsnational and international levels

Rethinking the Rethinking the ComponentsComponents

It’s All Service!It’s All Service!

Teaching as Service Teaching as Service EnterpriseEnterprise

Teacher Educators serve by:Teacher Educators serve by:• Meeting the needs of the whole Meeting the needs of the whole

teacher--intellectual, psychological, teacher--intellectual, psychological, and emotionaland emotional

• Establishing relationships with Establishing relationships with teachers and colleaguesteachers and colleagues

• Building learning communities and Building learning communities and teacher networksteacher networks

• Developing leadersDeveloping leaders

Research as a Service Research as a Service EnterpriseEnterprise

Researchers serve by:Researchers serve by:• Identifying the needs and problems in Identifying the needs and problems in

the mathematics education communitythe mathematics education community• Seeking answers to critical questionsSeeking answers to critical questions• Solving problems that pose as barriers Solving problems that pose as barriers

to quality educationto quality education• Helping others do their work betterHelping others do their work better

Intrinsic Value of ServiceIntrinsic Value of Service

It is one of the most beautiful It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life, that no man (or compensations of life, that no man (or woman) can sincerely try to help woman) can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.another without helping himself.

--Ralph Waldo Emerson--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Only a life lived for others is a life Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.worthwhile.

--Albert Einstein--Albert Einstein

Effective Service in Our WorkEffective Service in Our Work

Service...Service...Giving what you don't have to Giving what you don't have to give.give.Giving when you don't need to Giving when you don't need to give.give.Giving because you want to give.Giving because you want to give.

-- -- Damien HessDamien Hess

Looking OutwardLooking Outward(Identify the needs)(Identify the needs)

• See the needs of othersSee the needs of others• Listen as others shareListen as others share• Understand the worldUnderstand the world• Know the researchKnow the research

Looking InwardLooking Inward(Personal)(Personal)

• What are your passions?What are your passions?• What is your personal style?What is your personal style?

– task-oriented or people-orientedtask-oriented or people-oriented– structured or unstructuredstructured or unstructured

• What is your expertise (knowledge, What is your expertise (knowledge, skills, etc)?skills, etc)?

• Where is your impact goal?Where is your impact goal?

I've come to believe that each of us has a I've come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that's as unique as a personal calling that's as unique as a fingerprint - and that the best way to succeed fingerprint - and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you.the universe to lead you.

--Oprah --Oprah Winfrey Winfrey

Looking AroundLooking Around(Building Collaborations)(Building Collaborations)

• Increases intellectual powerIncreases intellectual power

• Builds upon individual strengthsBuilds upon individual strengths

• Diversifies perspectivesDiversifies perspectives

• Utilizes the strengths and passions Utilizes the strengths and passions of othersof others

We don't accomplish anything in this We don't accomplish anything in this world alone ... and whatever happens world alone ... and whatever happens is the result of the whole tapestry of is the result of the whole tapestry of one's life and all the weavings of one's life and all the weavings of individual threads from one to another individual threads from one to another that creates something.that creates something.

--Sandra Day --Sandra Day O’ConnorO’Connor

Looking SmartLooking Smart(Careful Planning and Thought)(Careful Planning and Thought)

• Make sure the timing is rightMake sure the timing is right– Is the service needed?Is the service needed?– Do others want the service?Do others want the service?– Do you have the resources and Do you have the resources and

time?time?• Know the issues to be addressed Know the issues to be addressed

and barriers to overcomeand barriers to overcome

Every man (woman) must decide Every man (woman) must decide whether he (she) will walk in the whether he (she) will walk in the creative light of altruism or the creative light of altruism or the darkness of destructive selfishness. This darkness of destructive selfishness. This is the judgment. Life's persistent and is the judgment. Life's persistent and most urgent question is: most urgent question is:

What are you doing for others?What are you doing for others?

Martin Luther King, Jr.Martin Luther King, Jr.