The Board of Education has hired a conflict resolution consultant in a bid to quell concerns of parents who question the methods being used to teach math to grade-school students.

Beth Fisher-Yoshida, the associate director of the International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution at Teachers College, Columbia University, will be paid up to $9,000 by the district. Fisher-Yoshida will be on hand when groups of parents and educators meet through the fall in what the district said will be communitywide outreach.

The goal is to "facilitate the dialogue process," Fisher-Yoshida said, "so people can have constructive conversation." The effort follows the controversy over the school board's choice of Long Island educator Martin Brooks, viewed as a proponent of constructivist math, as the new superintendent.

This article appeared in the June 25, 2007 edition of the North Jersey.com.

http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk0NSZmZ2JlbDdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5NzE1Nzk2OSZ5cmlyeTdmNzE3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTM=

Published Tuesday, Jun. 26, 2007