Nominate them for the Jim Tallmadge Innovative Math Education Fund.  Every year, Voices for Education will award a $1,500 stipend to a public school teacher in Pima County who:

• Empowers students to experience academic success through innovative techniques and mastery of math content skills; and engages students in the learning process by developing meaningful connections and relationships.

“In an era when Pay-for-Performance programs threaten to tie teacher salaries to test scores,” explains Robin Hiller, Director of Voices for Education, “We want to recognize and support teachers who contribute much more to their students, schools and community than gains on a standardized test.”

Voices for Education created the fund in honor of veteran teacher and community leader Jim Tallmadge.  In June 2007 Mr. Tallmadge retired after more than 30 years of teaching at Sam Hughes Elementary School.

“Mr. Tallmadge not only used creative activities like Math Cross County and Spelling Basketball to empower students to experience academic success,“ explains Hiller, “he also promoted emotional learning and connected with students outside the classroom through activities like chess, flag football, and basketball.”

“Mr. Tallmadge infused his teaching with such enthusiasm, originality, and commitment.  Standard subjects, like math, took on new life and engaged the class like never before. Even though I could never truly master the rapid fire "6+2*2/6+3/3+2+2+2*3/12+3*3/5 = ???", 6th grade with Mr. Tallmadge was one of my most memorable years in school,” Jay Bergesen, Tallmadge class of 1989.

For information on how to join the Jim Tallmadge Innovative Math Education Fund Committee or to donate to the Fund please contact Voices for Education.

 Great sites for kids:

coolmath.com  An amusement park of mathematics and more!  Very cool math stuff! Algebra, Calculus, Geometry, math puzzles and problems.