Senior Scientist
617-873-9640
maria_blanton@terc.edu
Program/Areas of Interest
Mathematics Education - (1) Children's algebraic thinking; (2) Students' understanding of proof in advanced mathematical thinking; (3) Sociocultural perspectives on learning mathematics; (4) Learning progressions applied to mathematical thinking
TERC Projects
- Children's Understanding of Functions
- Developing Algebra-Ready Students for Middle School: Exploring the Impact of Early Algebra
- The Impact of Early Algebra on Students' Algebra Readiness
- Project LEAP: Extending a Grades 3-5 Early Algebra Learning Progression into Grades K-2
- Building a Grades K-2 Early Algebra Learning Progression Prototype for Diverse Populations
Biographical Summary
Maria Blanton is a Senior Scientist at TERC in Cambridge, MA. Prior to joining TERC, she was a Professor of Mathematics Education in the STEM Education Department at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Her primary research interests include teaching and learning algebra in the elementary grades. Her expertise has led to numerous federally-funded research projects and national and international presentations and publications (in, e.g., Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, Educational Studies in Mathematics, Teaching Children Mathematics). She is co-editor of the research volumes Algebra in the Early Grades (2008, Taylor/Francis) and Teaching and Learning Proof Across the Grades (2009, Routledge), author of Algebra and the Elementary Classroom: Transforming Thinking, Transforming Practice (2008, Heinemann), and co-author of Developing Essential Understanding of Algebraic Thinking for Teaching Mathematics in Grades 3–5 (2011, NCTM). She has served as Chair of the Editorial Panel for the Journal for Research in Mathematics Education and Chair of the Special Interest Group for Research in Mathematics Education (SIG-RME) of AERA. Dr. Blanton is currently PI of US DoE and NSF-funded projects investigating Grades K-5 children’s understanding of algebraic thinking and the impacts of sustained early algebra education on children’s algebra-readiness.
Associations
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), American Educational Research Association (AERA), The North American Chapter of the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME-NA)
