John A. Van de Walle Biography

Dr. John A. Van de Walle was a well-known mathematics educator and the author of Elementary and Middle School Mathematics: Teaching Developmentally, a book that continues to be a popular text and resource for teaching grades K-8 mathematics. 

John A. Van de Walle graduated cum laude from Bellarmine College in 1965 with a degree in mathematics, earned his master's degree in mathematics at St. Louis University in 1967, and earned his doctoral degree in mathematics education from Ohio State University in 1972.  He spent most of his career-29 years-at Virginia Commonwealth University where he taught mathematics education to preservice and in-service teachers. He retired in 2002 as a professor emeritus, but he continued to write and work with teachers to promote mathematics education.

Dr. Van de Walle also served as a consultant to various school systems in the United States and Canada. He was an active member of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and served on its board of directors from 1998 to 2001. He once said, "It is fun to figure out the puzzle of how children go about making sense of mathematics and then how to help teachers help kids."
 
Dr. Van de Walle died at home on December 2, 2006.