FIU, Algebra Project train next generation of STEM grads, teachers


Algebra Project

Students from Miami Northwestern Senior High take part in the Algebra Project Summer Institute.

Working with FIU professors and graduate students this summer, a group of incoming freshmen at Miami Northwestern Senior High School (MNW) got their first taste of an innovative program to boost learning in math, science and civics.

They were joined by a team of educators from Ireland who were interested in bringing the approach back to their own classrooms. The unique collaboration was all part of The Algebra Project Summer Institute hosted by FIU and led by civil rights activist Bob Moses.

The Algebra Project is a nonprofit organization that helps low-income students with under-performing math scores improve their math skills. The goal is to prepare students for college and provide the foundation for future careers in science and technology.


Read on NPR: How The Algebra Project Helps Math Make Sense


“The program focuses on math, science and civics education as a way to help young people take charge of their lives and improve their community,” says Joan Wynne, program leader for FIU’s urban education master’s program. “The combination of these subjects helps students hone their analytical and communication skills and prepare them for college-level classes.”

The Algebra Project was developed at MNW through The Education Effect, a highly successful university community school partnership that began in Liberty City in 2011. The success of The Algebra program led six teachers from Ireland to travel to Miami to find ways to help their own students struggling with math.

While the Algebra Project is hosted at other schools in the United States, Moses encouraged the Irish team to come to Miami specifically because of the program’s involvement with FIU and The Education Effect.

“FIU’s Education Effect offers all the crucial elements necessary for Algebra Project Summer Institute to be successful,” said Moses. “It has a strong connection to the community, schools and the university.”

For more photos, visit the FIU Flickr page.

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