About our authors
Dr. John A. Van de Walle (1943-2006) was a professor emeritus at Virginia Commonwealth University. He was a leader in mathematics education who regularly gave professional development workshops for K–8 teachers in the United States and Canada focused on mathematics instruction that engaged students in mathematical reasoning and problem solving. He visited and taught in many classrooms and worked with teachers to implement student-centered mathematics lessons. He co-authored the Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley Mathematics K–6 series and contributed to the original Pearson School mathematics program, enVisionMATH. Additionally, John was very active in the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), writing book chapters and journal articles, serving on the board of directors, chairing the educational materials committee, and speaking at national and regional meetings.
Dr. Karen S. Karp is a professor at Johns Hopkins University (Maryland). Previously, she was a professor of mathematics education at the University of Louisville for more than 20 years. Prior to entering the field of teacher education, she was an elementary school teacher in New York. She is the coauthor of Strengths-Based Teaching and Learning in Mathematics: 5 Teaching Turnarounds for grades K-6, the three-book series The Math Pact: Achieving Instructional Cohesion within and Across Grades, and the What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guide on Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics: Intervention in the Elementary Grades. She is a former member of the board of directors for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and a former president of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators. In 2020, she received the NCTM Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2021 became a member of the United States National Committee on Mathematics Instruction. She continues to work in classrooms to support teachers in ways to instruct students with special needs in math.
Dr. Jennifer Bay-Williams is a professor at the University of Louisville. She is a leader in mathematics education, continually working to support mathematics instruction. Beyond her work on this book and the related Teaching Student Centered Mathematics book series, Jennifer has most recently authored a book series called Figuring out Fluency in Mathematics K-12 and Math Fact Fluency: 60+ Games and Assessment Tools to Help Learning and Retention. For teacher leaders, she has authored Everything You Need for Mathematics Coaching. In the area of financial literacy, she authored a three-book series titled On the Money. Over the years, Jennifer has taught elementary, middle, and high school in the U.S. and in Peru. She continues to work with teachers around the world and in her local school districts to support their work. Jennifer has been actively involved in NCTM, NCSM, AMTE, and TODOS: Mathematics for All. Currently she is serving as an associate editor for Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching in preK-12.
