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C & I 332 – Syllabus
Fall Semester 2002
Thompson/Cox/Cheung
Hi, Michael-
In red, I’ve labeled where the information should go…THANKS for all of your help! J
Erica
C & I 332:
An Investigative Approach to Elementary Mathematics Instruction
Fall Semester, 2002
Tentative Syllabus, Date: 8/28/02
If you can, it would be nice to put up our office hours somewhere. I’ve place the initials of the instructor next to the cohort he/she will teach. On the students page, we spoke about putting links in for each cohort and placing the instructors name next to it.
Meeting Time: Cohort 1: 1:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. (F) EC Cohort 4: 7:00 – 8:50 (W)TC
Cohort 2: 10:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. (M)BT Cohort 5: 8:00 – 9:50 (F)BT
Cohort 3: 8:00 a.m. – 9:50 a.m. (M)TC
Room Location: 4G Education Building
Instructors: / Brad Thompson / Tedi Cox / Erica CheungOffice: / 314 Education / 382 Education / 382 Education
Office Phone: / 244-8062 / 333-3643 / 333-3643
Email: / / /
Office Hours: / Tu: 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Th: 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
or by appointment / M: 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
W: 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
or by appointment / W: 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
or by appointment
This section belongs on the main page of the course website. Most of it’s the same, however, I did make a few changes.
This course will model and examine an investigative approach to elementary mathematics instruction, which is purposeful, inquiry-based, and meaningful mathematics instruction, and which is integrated across math topics and with other content areas. Moreover, this course will offer students experience in developing mathematics lessons appropriate for elementary instruction. Students will explore appropriate technologies that enhance mathematics instruction.
- In C & I 331, you began laying the foundation for how children learn mathematics. You learned many important concepts in mathematics and aspects of how children learn those concepts. This course will build upon these ideas and offer you an environment to develop more expertise with creating and planning mathematics instruction.
What is mathematical power? The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) has called for fostering the mathematical power of ALL students (1989). In its most recent articulation of Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (2000), NCTM has reinforced this call with a clear vision for school mathematics. Mathematical power involves
· a positive disposition toward mathematics (e.g., the interest and confidence to learn and to use mathematics),
· the skills to conduct mathematical inquiry (e.g., problem solving and reasoning skills), and
· understanding (well-connected knowledge).
This course considers how K-8 instruction can foster each of these components of mathematical power. More specifically, it examines the rationale for an investigative approach (purposeful, inquiry-based, and meaningful instruction) and how to implement such an approach. The course will focus on choosing worthwhile mathematical tasks... interesting and rich tasks that engage children's curiosity, involve them in processes of mathematical inquiry, and prompt them to construct a more connected (deeper) understanding of mathematical content. Because instruction is based on rich tasks, it frequently entails integrated learning ... learning that cuts across mathematical topics and content areas (e.g., science, language arts, consumer education...).
Diverse learners in a diverse world: Our world is changing rapidly. The classrooms in which you will teach are NOT the classrooms in which you learned. NCTM (2000) reminds us that ALL students must have the "opportunity to study and support to learn" substantial and important mathematics that is necessary to function and soar in the world in which they live. Throughout all of your methods coursework, you will be addressing how instruction can meet the needs of students who have a multitude of personal characteristics, cultural backgrounds, and physical challenges. This is a never-ending process as a teacher, and it is hoped that in this course, you will begin this process of understanding.
What is the role of technology? Emergent technologies are an important means by which many students in today's world can learn more mathematics and learn it more deeply. Manipulatives, computer software, calculators, video, data collection devices, and the wealth of internet resources on the World Wide Web are some of the technological tools that can help our students learn. It is incumbent upon us as mathematics teachers at the door of the next century to embrace these tools, for our goal is that ALL students have the opportunity to learn. Learning to use technology takes time and requires a level of comfortability--sometimes just to not be afraid of the technology!! This course will explore some of those technologies and assist you in developing your personal presence with instructional technologies in mathematics.
In summary, this course expects to accomplish many things:
1. To examine, illustrate, and model various approaches to teaching elementary mathematics.
2. To provide participants with "hands-on" experiences with cooperative learning groups and investigative math lesson planning.
3. To explore how assessment can be integrated with instruction.
4. To deepen participants' understanding of mathematics and children's mathematical learning.
5. To address how mathematics instruction can meet the needs of diverse learners in a diverse world.
6. To empower the participants, fostering confidence in their ability to teach inquiry-based mathematics.
7. To assist the participants with understanding of instructional technologies that are appropriate for learning mathematics in elementary and middle grades.
At the beginning of the semester, a diagram of a methods class might look somewhat like the one above. The skew lines going off in all different directions are representations of the teacher candidates (that's you!) and the circle in the middle could represent the methods class (that's C&I 332!). Do you see the star on the circle (It's difficult to see!) That is often a good representation of a topic in the methods class. The instructor is trying to focus on a particular aspect of mathematics education, but because of the different contexts of your practice teaching environments, it is quite difficult to intersect (i.e., make connections) with all of the teacher candidates. It is our goal to begin with the flat dimensional diagram to the left and, over the course of the semester, develop into 3 dimensional model below. Here, the connections are numerous and are of all different types. There is a support structure that inherent to this diagram, and we hope, to C&I 332. It is a richer picture of what practice teaching and an accompanying methods course can be. Let us see if we can develop our own sphere of learning.
Our hopes and purposes of C&I 332 are at least three-fold:
(1) To provide you a base of support as you make the transition from student to practicing member of the profession.
(2) To examine methods of delivering mathematics instruction to meet the needs of diverse elementary learners in a diverse world
(3) To immerse you in the emerging field of mathematics education research and thought, thus enabling you to continue the lifelong learning and professional development that is crucial in a changing world.
This section belongs on the Resources page:
In C&I 331, you studied from one of the best methods textbooks in elementary mathematics education, Fostering Children's Mathematical Power (Baroody & Coslick). You should retain that textbook as a resource in your teaching. It contains a wealth of information as well as a multitude of activities that you can do with your own students when you are teaching. We will undoubtedly do some of the activities from this text in this course.
Due to many needs of this second course, C&I 332, there is no central textbook that is required. Instead, there is a reading packet available at Dup It.
Required Texts:
Reading Packet of articles. Dup It (on Sixth between John and Daniel)
Hands-On Teaching Strategies for Using Math Manipulatives Grades K-6 Kit. ETA/Cuisenaire. Kit includes 19 manipulatives, shoulder bag, and 120-page resource binder.
Supplementary Texts:
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). Principles and Standards for School Mathematics, 2000. NCTM: Reston, VA. 2000. (Can be accessed entirely online.)
Baroody, A. & Coslick, R. Fostering Children's Mathematical Power. Publisher: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. 1998.
Please place this under the Syllabus page.
Tentative Schedule
of Activities, Readings and Assignments
Additional information on each of the assignments will be provided through the course.
Class / Major Activities / Readings & AssignmentsClass #1 / · Introductions
· Information Cards
· Syllabus/Course Overview
· Intro to course website, student folders, uploading files / Read: Chapters 1 and 2 in Principles and Standards for School Mathematics
Assignment:
· Metalesson
Class #2 / · Mathematics Activity
· Begin “MacGyver Math”
· Assign Groups for NCTM Projects / Read:
· Assigned sections of NCTM chapters 3, 4, 5, 6.
Assignment:
· Metalesson
· Begin work on the Content and Process Standards for Grades PreK-2, 3-5,6-8 and to create a lesson activity that exemplifies each standard. Due Week of September 23rd Class session
Class #3 / · Population Workshop / Read: In Reading Packet - "Making mathematics meaningful in multicultural contexts"
Assignment:
· Metalesson
· Continue work on NCTM Project.
Class #4 / · Introduction to Lesson and Unit Planning
· NCTM Standards Project Work Time / Read:
· In Reading Packet – “Chapter 3: Planning for Instruction"
· Chapter 17 of Fostering Children’s Mathematical Power (Baroody)
Assignment:
· Metalesson
· Work on NCTM Project
Class #5 / Presentations of NCTM Projects / Read: In Reading Packet -
· "Kathy: A Case of Innovative Mathematics Teaching in a Multicultural Classroom"
· "Goals and Misconceptions"
· "Dimensions and School Characteristics"
Assignment:
· Metalesson
Class #6 / · Investigations in Number Sense, Operations and Measurement
· Discussion of the Case Study Article / Read: In Reading Packet - "Mathematics as a Creative Art"
Assignment:
· Metalesson
· Field Exercise #1
Class / Major Activities / Readings & Assignments
Class #7 / · Investigations in Geometry
· Discuss “Mathematics as a Creative Art”
· Intro to Unit Plan / Read: TBA - Focus on Classroom Practice
Assignment:
· Metalesson
Class #8 / Investigations in Data, Probability and Statistics / Read: TBA - Focus on Classroom Practice
Assignment:
· Metalesson
· Websites about Data, Probability and Statistics Teaching. Include short description.
Class #9 / Investigations in Patterns, Functions and Algebraic Thinking / Read: TBA - Focus on Classroom Practice
Assignment:
· Metalesson
· Find a children's literature book that promotes mathematical thinking to bring into class and write and upload a brief description of how you would use it in the classroom.
Class #10 / Literature in Mathematics Presentations / Read: In Reading Packet - "Assessing For Learning."
Assignment:
· Metalesson
· Integrating disciplines Assignment
Class #11 / Assessment (Part 1): Games to Promote Mathematic Thinking / Read: In Reading Packet - "ISAT Sample Mathematics Materials."
Assignment:
· Metalesson
Class #12 / · Assessment (Part 2): Building Rubrics
· Unit Plan Project Work / Read: In Reading Packet - "Using Concept Maps to Link Mathematical Ideas"
Assignment:
· Metalesson
· Field Exercise #2
Class #13 / · Work Time for Final Projects
· Concept Maps & Connections Activities / Read: In Reading Packet -"Culturally Relevant Mathematics"
Assignment:
· Metalesson
· Work on Unit Project
Class #14 / THANKSGIVING BREAK / Work on Unit Project
Class #15 / Group Presentations
(Units DUE for presenters) / Assignment:
· Metalesson
Class #16 / Group Presentations
(Units DUE for presenters) / Assignment:
· Metalesson
This belongs under the grading page.
Course Expectations and Grade Requirements
Below are the basic categories of assignments and requirements for this course and their relative weight in determining course grades.
Electronic Notebooks
We do expect that you maintain a "notebook" for this course, but not the traditional hard-copy notebook. On the course website, there will be a folder established for each person enrolled in the course. It is expected that you submit all of your assignments and other coursework by dropping them into this folder. In class, we will walk you through the procedure to do so. Throughout the course, the instructors will peruse the folders periodically to see that you are maintaining its contents regularly--keeping your assignments up-to-date and keeping it organized.
In order for ease of reading and opening all such assignments, it is expected that all assignments will be submitted in HTML. If you are not an HTML-savvy person, do not fret. From the beginning of the course, we will review how to use popular HTML editors such as Netscape composer and Adobe Go Live. These editors allow you to create HTML documents in WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) mode and will assist you in learning the "innerworkings" of HTML gradually.
Attendance and Participation -- 15%
/ It is impossible to succeed, much less grow, in this course without these elements./ Active participation is expected to qualify your attendance.
/ All readings must be completed for class discussion. This is a sign of active participation.
/ All absences must be excused in advance if at all possible. If illness or emergencies occur, please notify the instructor as soon as possible and follow university guidelines about such situations.
/ If a class session is missed, it is the responsibility of the student to obtain notes, materials, and assignments from other classmates first and the instructor secondly.
Meta-lessons -- 15%
"Meta-lesson" is a term, our colleague (Tim Hendrix) coined several years ago when trying to describe what would be an appropriate entry for a class reflective journal. Literally, it means "lesson behind the lesson." In this course, we ask that you complete a reflective journal of meta-lessons with an entry for each class session. Usually, one healthy paragraph or approximately 1/2 page is sufficient. It is difficult to prescribe someone's reflection!