Laurie Edwards	Class: Th 4-7:45 pm
459-3291	Room: Oakes 106
225 Crown College	Office Hours: W 3 - 5
edwards@cats.ucsc.edu	and by appointment

Topics:

Course Description Course Structure Assignments Back to Syllabi Table of Contents

Texts:

Course Reader (available at Copy Center, Communications Bldg) NCTM, Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics Parker, Mathematical Power Zazlavsky, Multicultural Mathematics

Optional texts:

Burns, About Teaching Mathematics Erikson, Getting it Together Stenmark, Family Math Stenmark, Matemática para la Familia Dept. of Educ., Mathematics Framework for California Public Schools

I. Course description:

This is a course for prospective elementary and middle school teachers about how children learn mathematics and how to create positive, developmentally-appropriate mathematics instruction. Since we have all gone to elementary school, we have learned and "know" the mathematics which will be addressed in this course; in fact, we may know it so well that we have forgotten what it was like to ever not know it. Or, because of inadequate past instruction, we may feel we "know" certain mathematical topics but have never really understood them, or we may even dislike the subject. If this is the case, consider this course an opportunity to break the cycle of negative, disempowering mathematics teaching. Mathematics can be an intellectual adventure, a powerful tool, and a creative experience for children. As a teacher, you can make it so.

In this class, we will "deconstruct" our own mathematical knowledge in order to reconsider it from the point of view of the learning child. We will practice listening to children in order to uncover their existing mathematical understandings. We will evaluate current curricula in light of professional standards for mathematics teaching. We will create and teach lessons which exemplify core content and processes in K-8 mathematics. And, as a culminating activity, each student will create a year-long plan for teaching mathematics at a specific grade level. The overall goal of the course is to provide you with the principles, experience, and skills needed to create, select, and teach mathematics curricula that is effective, enjoyable, and empowering for your students.

The philosophical foundation of the class is constructivism, which holds existing understandings are built on previously-constructed knowledge and skills, and that learning occurs through adaptive responses to new experiences. We will explore how to create instruction that builds on children's intuitions and experiences, how to interpret errors, and how to provide concrete experiences from which students can construct new mathematical knowledge. The focus of the course will be on mathematics as problem-solving and as a tool for "making sense" of the world. A special emphasis of the course will be on what has been called "multicultural mathematics," that is, on seeing mathematics as a human creation which has expressed itself in diverse ways across many cultures. We will look at mathematics, then, as both an individual construction and as the product of cultural activity and social interaction, both inside and outside the classroom.

II. Course structure:

The course will use a "jigsaw" model for developing and sharing expertise. During the first part of the course, collaborative groups will be formed with students who are preparing to teach different grade levels. Each group will focus on one of the NCTM Standards, and will prepare a summary of the core concepts and teaching strategies for the standard, as well as a set of exemplary lesson plans. One or more of the lessons will be taught and discussed in class each week as we consider each standard.

In the second part of the course, the class will reconfigure into grade-level groups, with each member of the group bringin expertise in one of the standards. These grade-level groups will share this expertise as each member creates a comprehensive, year-long mathematics teaching plan which fully addresses all of the NCTM Standards.

On a day-to-day basis, the course will be structured around three basic components: brief lectures, collective reflection on individual and group problem-solving, and discussion of actual episodes of mathematics teaching. Most of the teaching episodes will be lessons created and taught by members of the Standards groups. Whenever possible, the lessons should be taught in actual placements and videotaped; however, it is also acceptable to teach the lessons "live" to the class. The discussion will focus on how the lessons exemplify the given Standard, on how to assess the effectiveness of the lesson, and on modifications and improvements.

The goal is to create a community of reflective practitioners, acting and reflecting on that action, and learning together how to become effective teachers of mathematics.

III. Assignments, assessment, and assistance

There are two main assignments for the course: (1) write a review of a curriculum or replacement unit for your grade level. (2) write a year-long mathematics teaching plan for your grade level. In addition, each Standards group will: (3) complete a grade-by-grade summary of core content, methods, and resources for teaching the Standard. (4) create two exemplary lesson plans for your Standard, one for K-4 and one for 5-8, or, create a set of stations consisting of activities related to the Standard. You will also keep an on-going math journal, both to record your own thoughts, questions, and reactions to the course, and for specific assignments, including Problems-of-the-Week and "Listening to Children" interviews. Math journal entries will be discussed regularly in class and journals will be collected at least twice during the quarter.

The first two assignments may be completed individually or with a partner. The second two assignments should be completed within your group, with the work shared equitably. Assessment for the main assignments will be based on rubrics provided in advance. Assignments that receive less than a "good" rating on the rubric must be revised and resubmitted. Since we will be meeting only eleven times this quarter, every class meeting is essential; please be there to participate and work with your group!

I will be available for drop-in office hours and by appointment to provide assistance and tutoring on any mathematical or pedagogical topic of concern to any student -- I hope that this class will increase your own enjoyment and understanding of mathematics!