Lectures are not a part of the classroom activities. Instead, instructors guide student dialogue and discourse about mathematical problems and principles. Instructors ask up to 150 questions in each class without providing a single answer. The instructors supplement the work of elementary and middle school teachers who, because of their preparation as generalists, say logarithms and differential equations are like a foreign language to them. This type of project puts people like James Mill back into classrooms.
Instructors stimulate students' interest in learning and help guide the process.
The program, which has been evaluated for more than 30 years, has led to higher student test scores in every community in which it has been used. Research indicates that Project SEED improves students' ability to think more critically and develop a deep knowledge about mathematics. Not everyone is an expert in mathematics. Shortages of qualified teachers are critical in most of the school systems around the country. There are just too few people with the necessary content knowledge to teach advanced concepts.