Julie McNamara Faculty Profile

Photo of Julie McNamara

Julie  McNamara

Associate Professor

Department of Teacher Education

My personal blog: 

  • Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, Graduate School of Education. Development in Mathematics and Science, 2006
  • M.A., University of California, Berkeley, Graduate School of Education. Development in Mathematics and Science, 2000
  • Teaching Credential, University of California, Berkeley, Graduate School of Education. Multiple Subject Credential, 1986 (CLAD Cert. 1996)
  • B.A., San Diego State University, San Diego, California. Psychology, 1982

Not teaching this semester.

McNamara, J. (in press). Supporting math at home. Chapter in You are not alone: We are with you. Recipes for success with your children, Lettie Ramirez, ed. El Monte, CA: Velazquez Press. 

McNamara, J. (2015). Beyond invert and multiply: Making sense of fraction computation. Sausalito, CA: Math Solutions Publications.

McNamara, J. & Shaughnessy, M. (2015). Beyond pizzas and pies: 10 essential strategies for supporting fraction sense, 2nd edition.. Sausalito, CA: Math Solutions Publications.

McNamara, J. & Shaughnessy, M. (2011). Student errors: What can they tell us about what students do understand?  NCSM spring newsletter. 28-31. 

McNamara, J. & Shaughnessy, M. (2010).  Beyond pizzas and pies: 10 essential strategies for supporting fraction sense. Sausalito, CA: Math Solutions Publications.

McNamara, J. (2010). Two of everything. Teaching children mathematics, 17, 3, 132-136.

McNamara, J. (2010). Two of everything or the magic pot. CMC Communicator, 34, 3. 46-49.

McNamara, J. & Shaughnessy, M. (2008).  Understanding fractions through measurement. CMC Communicator,13, 30-32.

McNamara, J.  Measuring Ruby: Using a measurement model to support students’ development of fraction understanding. Manuscript in preparation.

McNamara, J., Olkin, J., Eldridge, A., Hill, L. Co-Teaching across the pipeline: Encouraging discourse among students, teachers, and prospective teachers. Talk to be presented at the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators’ Annual Conference, Irvine, CA, January, 2016.

Shaughnessy, M., Garcia, N., Ball, D., McNamara, J., & Willis, A. Professional learning for leading mathematics discussions. Talk to be presented at the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators’ Annual Conference, Irvine, CA, January, 2016.

Khalsa, A. & McNamara, J. The magnitude of whole numbers and fractions on the number line. Workshop presented at the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics Annual Conference, Boston, MA, April, 2015.

McNamara, J. Digging into fraction division. Workshop presented at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Conference, Boston, MA, April, 2015.

McNamara, J. Beyond invert and multiply: Making sense of fraction computation. Workshop presented at the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics Annual Conference, Boston, MA, April, 2015.

McNamara, J. Digging into fraction division. Workshop presented at the California Mathematics Council Annual Conference, Palm Springs, CA, October, 2014.

McNamara, J. Understanding fraction computation by applying and extending previous understandings. Workshop presented at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Conference,, New Orleans, LA, April 2014.

McNamara, J. & Shaughnessy, M. Eliciting student thinking: Exploring common patterns and designing instructional responses. Talk presented at the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators’ Annual Conference, Irvine, CA, February, 2014.

McNamara, J. Examining/Developing practice via live laboratory teaching . Talk presented at the California Mathematics Council Annual Conference, Monterey, CA, December, 2013.

McNamara, J. Fraction computation: Building on previous understandings. Talk presented at the California Mathematics Council Annual Conference, Palm Springs, CA, November, 2013.

McNamara, J. Using representations to support students’ development of number sense. Invited Keynote for Connecting Number And Operations In The Classroom, NCTM Extended Online Professional Development - Grades Pk-5. August, 2013.

McNamara, J. & Gray, L. Fractions: What’s there to talk about? Workshop presented at the California Mathematics Council Annual Conferences, Palm Springs, CA, November, 2012 and Monterey, CA, December, 2012.

McNamara, J. Helping teachers transition to the common core: What they need to know now. Workshop presented at the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA, April 2012.

McNamara, J. Beyond invert & multiply: Making sense of fraction computation. Workshop presented at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA, April 2012.

McNamara, J. & Shaughnessy, M.  Fraction sense: What, why, and how? Workshop presented at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Conference, Indianapolis, IN, April, 2011.

McNamara, J. Beyond pizzas and pies: Supporting fraction sense. Workshop presented at the California Mathematics Council Annual Conferences, Palm Springs, CA, November, 2010 and Monterey, CA, December, 2010.

Shaughnessy, M. & McNamara, J. Addressing students’ difficulties with fractions: Pre- and inservice teachers’ strategies. Talk presented at the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators’ Annual Conference, Irvine, CA, January, 2010.

McNamara, J. & Shaughnessy, M.  Fractions: Unpacking the myths.  Workshop presented at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Conference, Washington, DC, April, 2009.

McNamara, J.  Measuring Ruby: Understanding fractions through measurement. Workshop presented at the California Mathematics Council Annual Conference, Monterey, CA, December, 2008.

Shaughnessy, M. & McNamara, J. (2008). Making sense of fraction representations: A measurement model. Workshop presented at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, UT, April, 2008.

McNamara J. (2008).  Using a measurement model to support fifth graders’ development of fraction understanding.  Poster presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Conference, New York, NY, March, 2008.

McNamara J. (2007).  Multiple subject TPAs: Issues, strategies, solutions, and suggestions.  Paper presented at the California Mathematics Council Annual Conference, Monterey, CA, November, 2007.

McNamara, J. (2007). Supporting students’ part/whole understanding with a measurement model: A case study. Paper presented at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA, March, 2007.

McNamara J. (2006).  Exploring the open number line.  Paper presented at the California Mathematics Council Annual Conference, Monterey, CA, December, 2006.

McNamara, J. (2006).  PACT at UC Berkeley: Linking coursework and the Teaching Event. Paper presented at the PACT Implementation Conference, Santa Barbara, CA, May, 2006.

McNamara, J. & Stansbury, K. (2005).  PACT in progress: Performance assessment in elementary mathematics. Paper presented at the California Mathematics Council Annual Conference, Monterey, CA, December, 2005.

Gearhart, M. & McNamara, J. (2004).  Teachers’ questions and students’ opportunities to learn in elementary mathematics classrooms. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Conference, San Diego, CA, April 2004.

McNamara, J. (2003).  Fractions: Students’ interpretations of the meaning of the digits. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, April 2003.

McNamara, J. & Krohn, C.  (2000).  What’s good for the goose: Using cases to improve our practice. Paper presented at the California Council on the Education of Teachers, San Jose, CA, Spring 2000.

Teaming for Effectiveness and Equity in Mathematics. California Department of Education, Elementary Mathematics and Science Professional Learning Initative. $490,582. 2016-2017. (Principal investigator with co-principal investigator Julia Olkin.)

AMTE STaR Fellow 2016 Cohort

Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award, 2002-2003.

University Fellowship, 2002-2003, 2000-2001, 1999-2000.

Alpha Delta Kappa Memorial Scholarship for Women, 1985.