Diane Briars facts for kids
Diane Jane Briars, born in 1951, is an American expert in teaching mathematics. She used to be the leader of two important groups for math educators: the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. She has strongly supported popular math learning programs like Everyday Mathematics, Connected Mathematics, and the Common Core State Standards.
Learning and Her Work
Diane Briars studied mathematics at Northwestern University and finished in 1973. She earned two master's degrees in math and a Ph.D. (a high-level degree) in math education from the same university. Her Ph.D. research in 1984 looked at how different people discover rules in a game called Eleusis.
She taught math to middle school students in Evanston, Illinois. After getting her Ph.D., she worked as a researcher at Carnegie Mellon University. She also briefly taught math education at Northern Illinois University.
In 1986, she joined Pittsburgh Public Schools. She became the head of math education there. She brought in the Everyday Mathematics program for elementary schools. She also introduced the Connected Mathematics program for middle schools. These programs helped many students learn math.
Later, Diane Briars became a consultant. She also helped lead a project called the Algebra Intensification Project. This project was a partnership between the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Texas at Austin.
From 2009 to 2011, she was the president of the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics. Then, from 2014 to 2016, she led the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. As president, she supported the Common Core State Standards. She worked to explain the truth about these standards.
Books She Wrote
Diane Briars has helped write several books about teaching math. One book is called What Principals Need to Know about Teaching and Learning Mathematics. It was published in 2012.
She also co-authored a guide for teachers. This guide is about the math parts of the Common Core State Standards. It is titled Common Core Mathematics in a PLC at Work, Grades 6-8. This book came out in 2013.
Awards and Recognition
Diane Briars has received awards for her work in math education. In 2009, the Pennsylvania Council of Supervisors of Mathematics honored her. They gave her their Outstanding Contributions to Mathematics Supervision award.
In 2018, she received another important award. The National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics gave her the Ross Taylor/Glenn Gilbert National Leadership Award. This award recognized her strong leadership in math education.
