Dr. Ball is the William H. Payne Collegiate Professor of Education and Arthur F. Thurnau Professor at the University of Michigan. She is the director of TeachingWorks and a former elementary teacher. Ball’s research focuses on teaching mathematics in ways that disrupt the reproduction of inequity and make it possible for children to enjoy and engage in mathematics in and out of school. Dr. Ball is an expert on teacher education, and her current work centers on how to improve the quality of beginning teaching.

Despite powerful notions, skillful teaching does not come naturally. Teaching depends on specialized knowledge of content and the ability to understand others. It requires good judgment and the capacity to build relationships with and among people, create respectful learning environments, and understand the role of cultures, contexts and communities. The presentation will focus on what is required to prepare beginning teachers and why everyone needs to stand up for the power of skillful teaching.

This is the third in OLLI’S distinguished lecture series for 2017-18. A variety of topics will be covered. There is one lecture each month, for a total of ten. The next lecture will be on December 12, 2017. The subject is An Update on Health Care Reform: Where Does it Stand?