MATH/EDUC 446, Mathematics in the Secondary School, Fall 2009

Text: Most of chapters 1-7 from Teaching Secondary Mathematics, Techniques and Enrichment Units, 7th Edition, by Posamentier, Smith, & Stepelman

Topics covered: Who are the public school students today?; culturally relevant mathematics instruction; what makes an effective teacher of mathematics?; national and state standards; problem solving; curriculum development; lesson and unit planning; questioning; group work; assessment; use of technology; enrichment; and whichever other topics come up...

Why this class is important: Because so much of mathematics instruction is done through memorizing rules and formulas; because, as a consequence, many students dislike mathematics, and do poorly in it, especially minority students; because many students, even entire schools are failing the NCLB requirements; because many people fear that the U.S. is lagging behind other countries in mathematics; because mathematics can be taught in interesting and relevant ways; because mathematical literacy is crucial in today`s society, and because more math you take in school, the more likely you are to do well in life. I can`t teach you how to be a good teacher in the course of one semester. But I can provide you with some useful tools and resources, and I can encourage you to think more critically about mathematics education. Our country needs competent and dedicated math teachers. It is praiseworthy to want to be a teacher, but liking math and liking teaching is not enough to make you an effective teacher. In this class, I would like to bring up some issues that may help you answer the question What does it mean to be a good teacher, and will it take for me to become one?

Communication: For success in a class, regular communication between the student and instructor is crucial. Please talk to me about any problems and/or concerns you have about this class, your performance or my teaching. The best way to get in touch with me is via email, or to stop by my office. I will be emailing you frequently and will be updating the Sakai page regularly, so make sure that you check both on a regular basis.

Office hours: I strongly encourage you to attend office hours. Some of my office hours are posted on the course webpage. If I am not in and you need to meet with me, just email me. Chances are that I will respond very quickly.

Attendance: Due to the nature of the course, students are required to attend class regularly. In my experience, students who miss class do not perform as well. You cannot make up group work, class discussions, or work with manipulatives. I will be taking attendance daily, and excessive absences (three or more) will result in a lower grade, unless you have a different agreement with me. For example, if you are getting an A in the course, and have four unexcused absences, your final grade will be an A-; if you were supposed to have a B-, and have three unexcused absences, your final grade will be a C+.

Classroom conduct: Classroom atmosphere must be based on mutual respect. Everybody is entitled to learn and everybody is entitled to a comfortable learning environment. There is no such thing as a stupid question. I will always have patience for your questions, and I expect the same from you: I will not tolerate derogatory remarks directed at your peers. I also expect you to come to class on time, turn off your cell phones and pagers, and refrain from all side conversations. All conversation that pertains to the course is encouraged.

Course content:

• Readings. The class will be somewhat heavy on the readings. You should expect to have pages from the book as well as additional articles to read for (almost) every class period. You will be required to write a one-page reflection on all the readings for each class. More specific guidelines are available here. Each reading assignment is worth 5 points.
  
  
• Problem solving on the board. Each student will choose a problem from a list available on Sakai to solve and present to the class. Solve the problem in any way that makes sense to you, write up the solution to turn in, and prepare to explain the solution to your peers. Imagine they are high school students just studying the material you are explaining. Be prepared to answer questions from me and the other students. The grading rubric for the presentation is here. The presentation is worth 50 points.
  
  
• Lesson plan. Students will work in pairs (possibly groups of three) to create a lesson plan. This will be a three-part assignment, and will be spread out through the semester. Guidelines are here. The assignment is worth 100 points.
  
  
• Community math project. Since we will talk a great deal about making mathematics relevant to the students, I want you to create a lesson plan for an in-class project that will take into consideration your students` backgrounds. More information is available here. This project is worth 50 points.
  
  
• Curriculum review. You will pick a math topic (for example, linear functions, quadrilaterals, factoring polynomials etc.), see how the topic is addressed in the Washington and NCTM standards, and then see how the topic is covered in a commonly used middle school/high school textbook (I will try to make those available to you if you do not have access). You will then write a two-page paper on what you have discovered. More specific guidelines are available here. This assignment is worth 50 points.
  
  
• Math journal. You will locate practitioner journals for mathematics teachers in the library, pick a journal and article that interests you, and prepare to present it to your classmates. Journal titles and specific guidelines are available here.
  
  
• Other assignments. There will be a few other assignments: a problem solving assignment, a few homework- and test-writing assignments, and possibly others. The number of points for each will be available when they are assigned. All specific guidelines will be given with the assignments.