Rafael Mercado (rmercado@buffaloschools.org)
Associate Director - Gifted Math Program
For the past 19 years I have been an instructor of mathematics at the 7th & 8th levels in the inner city of Buffalo, at the college level for future elementary school teachers (Pre-K – 6th grade), or in teaching gifted students in grades 6th – 8th. In addition to my teaching experience, I have tutored students up to college level and have continued being involved in the education of either students or teachers as it pertains to the implementation of technology in the classroom. As an administrator for the Buffalo Public Schools I have gain a tremendous amount of insight as to the impact of NCLB has had in public school education. I have participated and lead several Gap Analysis of 3rd – 8th Terra Novas (National standardized test used in Buffalo Public Schools) that has lead to influence of instruction of students. I am acutely aware of the changes that New York Education department has made in the mathematics curriculum in the past 3 years and have attended several workshops on how to implement these changes in the mathematics program in the classrooms as well as being in constant contact with people that influence the Mathematics curriculum at the State.