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University of Pittsburgh School of Education — Department of Instruction & Learning — IL 2476 —
IL 2476 – Teaching & Learning in Secondary Mathematics 1
Fall 2014 (1 credit)
Teaching & Learning in Secondary Mathematics 1 is a 1-credit course offered in 6 sessions during Jumpstart. The course is designed to help learners develop a vision for what “doing mathematics” might entail in a secondary classroom, and to begin to consider the multiple facets of the teacher’s work that effectively support such activity.
COURSE INSTRUCTORS
Peg Smith5515 WWPH
(412) 648-7361 / Ellen Ansell
5516 WWPH
(412) 648-7319
SCHEDULE
Tuesday, 8/26 / 1:00- 4:00 PM / 5151 WW Posvar HallWednesday, 8/27 / 1:00- 4:00 PM / 5151 WW Posvar Hall
Friday, 8/29 / 11:00 AM-12:00 PM
1:00 – 4:00 PM / 5151 WW Posvar Hall
Tuesday, 9/02 / 1:00 – 4:00 PM / 5151 WW Posvar Hall
Wednesday, 9/03 / 1:00 – 4:00 PM / 5151 WW Posvar Hall
Friday, 9/05 / 10:45 AM-12:00 PM
1:00 – 2:30 PM / 5151 WW Posvar Hall
SPECIFIC GOALS
Throughout this course, students should:
1. Develop a shared vision of what doing mathematics looks like in secondary (7-12) classrooms, drawing from first-hand experience with learning tasks during model lessons.
2. Come to see and understand relationships between students’ learning and specific actions taken by the teacher before and during the lesson, the mathematical tasks in which students engage, and the resources (e.g., physical materials, knowledge, other students) that are available during a lesson.
3. Write a Lesson Plan, including several components (LGs, Objectives, Topics, Tasks).
4. Make observations about the classroom to which you have been assigned and reflect on students’ opportunities to learn, making connections (when appropriate) to the two readings:
· Dweck, C.S. (2007). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. New York: Ballantine Books.
· Milner, H.R. (2010). Start Where You Are, But Don’t Stay There: Understanding Diversity, Opportunity Gaps, and Teaching in Today's Classrooms. Boston, MA: Harvard Education Press.
ASSIGNMENTS
Students will complete 5 assignments during this course: A pre-course survey; two reflections; and two lesson plans. Find descriptions & due dates below.
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University of Pittsburgh School of Education — Department of Instruction & Learning — IL 2476 —
GRADES
The following activities and contributions will form the basis for your course grade:
· Attendance (10 points): Most of what we will do during this two-week course will happen in class. Therefore, it is necessary that students attend all six sessions and arrive on time. Points will be assigned as follows: Present and on time for all class sessions = 10; each tardy = -1; each missed class = -5.
· Class participation (10 points): The members of the mathematics education faculty at Pitt believe that learning is mediated through social interactions within communities. As such, our participation is necessary both for our own learning and that of others. The “norms” of participation will be negotiated among the members of the learning community, but there are some “up-front” expectations about which we feel strongly: (a) as much as possible—we know that enthusiastic discussions can become “messy”—please lend your attention to others when they are talking; (b) try to monitor your participation so that you are both making contributions and making space for your colleagues to be heard as well; (c) no “side conversations.” If you have something to add to the discussion, please do so in a public forum; and (d) please refrain from using electronic devices (cell phones, laptops, tablets, etc.) for purposes unrelated to our classroom tasks at hand. Please be present within the learning environment. Points will be assigned according to the following rubric:
Points / Participation9-10 / · Offers comments on a regular basis
· Takes risks by making contributions that “go against the grain”
· Contributions demonstrate that the individual has been following the “flow of the conversation”
· Contributions often reference specific ideas from in-class discussions and from readings
· Contributions sometimes demonstrate respectful disagreement with what has been said to that point.
7-8 / · Talks with some degree of frequency
· Will occasionally initiate a new thread to the conversation, sometimes one that “goes against the grain”
· Contributions reflect awareness of what others are saying
· Contributes mostly from personal experience but sometimes refers to specific points from class readings
0-6 / · Seldom or never talks; talks only when spoken to
· Contributions do not reflect awareness of what has been said previously
· Contributions always are “in agreement” with what has been said
· Contributions are only from personal experience
· Reflections (5 points each): Points will be assigned according to the following rubric:
Points / Reflections5 / · Overall the entries demonstrate thoughtful reflection and sound reasoning.
· Entries draw connections between and raise questions about points raised in reading assignments and in discussions.
· Entries include comments about how one’s thinking has been challenged and is perhaps changing.
· Sufficient detail, including examples, is provided to support claims made.
4 / · Overall, the entries demonstrate reflection and reasoning.
· Entries summarize main points and occasionally, but not consistently, draw connections between and raise questions about points raised in reading assignments and in discussions.
· Some detail, including examples, is provided to support claims made.
0-3 / · Overall, entries demonstrate limited reflection and/or reasoning.
· Entries primarily consist of summarizing main points from discussion, activity, or reading assignments.
· Limited or detail, including examples, is provided to support claims made.
· Reflection #1 (5 points): Reflect on the Dweck text (Mindset) by answering the following questions: What are the two mindsets? What does this mean for you as a student? As a teacher? Draw upon your experiences this week. Upload to CourseWeb (use the Assignment link on the left side of the home page) no later than 9:00am Friday, August 29.
· Reflection #2 (5 points): This will be a reflection related to the Milner text (Start where you are, but don’t stay there…). Details to follow. Upload to CourseWeb (use the Assignment link on the left side of the home page) no later than Wednesday, September 3 at 9:00 am.
· Lesson plan #1 (5 points): Write a lesson plan for a lesson on the Pythagorean theorem. The goal of the lesson is for students to understand and apply the Pythagorean theorem. Uploaded to CourseWeb (use the Assignment link on the left side of the home page) no later than Tuesday, September 2 at 9:00 am. [You should also bring a hardcopy of the lesson plan to class.]
· Lesson plan #2 (10 points): Write a second lesson on the Pythagorean theorem, drawing on the resources that will be provided. Uploaded to CourseWeb (use the Assignment link on the left side of the home page) no later than Friday, September 5 at 9:00 am. [You should also bring a hardcopy of the lesson plan to class.]
· Pre-course survey (5 points)
COURSE GRADE:
Your grade will be calculated on a percentage basis (number of points earned out of the possible 50) and assigned a corresponding letter:
97-100% A+ 80-82% B- 67-69% D+
93-96 A 77-79 C+ 63-66 D
90-92 A- 73-76 C 60-62 D-
87-89 B+ 70-72 C- 0-59 F
83-86 B
TEXTS & REQUIRED RESOURCES
There is no required text for this course (beyond summer reading). To access reading assignments and other class materials, and to upload assignments, students will need to have access to the Courseweb (Blackboard) system through my.pitt.edu (https://courseweb.pitt.edu/).
We do require that you obtain a student membership in the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). To do this, go to their website, www.nctm.org. Click on the “membership” tab at the top of the page. Scroll down and click on “Student E-membership.”
POLICIES
Disability/Special Needs.
If you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting an accommodation, you are encouraged to contact both your instructor and Disability Resources and Services, 216 William Pitt Union, (412) 648-7890/(412) 383-7355 (TTY), as early as possible in the term. DRS will verify your disability and determine reasonable accommodations for this course.
Academic Integrity.
Students in this course will be expected to comply with the University of Pittsburgh's Policy on Academic Integrity (a link is provided on our Blackboard site). Any student suspected of violating this obligation for any reason during the semester will be required to participate in the procedural process, initiated at the instructor level, as outlined in the University Guidelines on Academic Integrity. This may include, but is not limited to, the confiscation of the examination (or written work) of any individual suspected of violating University Policy.
The School of Education Academic Integrity policy can be found on pg. 19 of the New Student Handbook (linked through Blackboard).
Please note the following academic integrity issues related to plagiarism are especially relevant within the context of this program—
· You may not represent ideas, text, or other products/work that was created by others as being your own.
o This means that you must provide appropriate and complete citations when incorporating ideas of others.Moreover, you should put the ideas of others into your own words when incorporating them into documents. Even so, it is appropriate to cite the source of the idea (honor intellectual ownership).
o This also means that you may not represent yourself as having contributed to a project when you have in fact not done so.
o Related to this, you may not allow another class member to represent him/herself as a fully contributing partner on a group project if you have knowledge that his/her contributions were minimal or nonexistent.
o Finally, you may not submit work that you have submitted previously (in other courses or professional contexts) to fulfill the requirements of a course without obtaining express permission from the instructor(s).
Department of Instruction & Learning (DIL) Student Grievance Procedures.
The purpose of grievance procedures is to ensure the rights and responsibilities of faculty and students in their relationships with each other. The rights and responsibilities of faculty and students are described in the University’s Academic Integrity Guidelines at: http://www.bc.pitt.edu/policies/policy/02/02-03-02.html.
(These are also linked through Blackboard.)
When a student in DIL believes that a faculty member has not met his or her obligations (as an instructor or in another capacity) as described in the Academic Integrity Guidelines, the student should follow the procedure described in the Guidelines (p. 16) by (1) first trying to resolve the matter with the faculty member directly; (2) then, if needed, attempting to resolve the matter through conversations with the chair/associate chair of the department; (2) if needed, next talking to the associate dean of the school; and (4) if needed, filing a written statement of charges with the school-level academic integrity officer.
The more specific procedure for student grievances within DIL is as follows:
1. The student should talk to the faculty member to attempt to resolve the matter.
2. If the matter cannot be resolved at that level, the student should talk to the relevant program coordinator (if the issue concerns a class) or his or her advisor. The Secondary Mathematics program coordinator is Dr. Ellen Ansell.
3. If the matter remains unresolved, the student should talk to the associate chair of DIL (currently Dr. Crawford).
4. If needed, the student should next talk to the SOE associate dean of students (currently Dr. Gallagher). If the matter still remains unresolved, the student should file a written statement of charges with the dean’s designated Academic Integrity Administrative Officer.
Sexual Harassment.
The University of Pittsburgh is committed to the maintenance of a community free from all forms of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment violates University policy as well as state, federal, and local laws. It is neither permitted nor condoned. It is also a violation of the University of Pittsburgh’s policy against sexual harassment for any employee or student at the University of Pittsburgh to attempt in any way to retaliate against a person who makes a claim of sexual harassment. Any individual, who, after thorough investigation and an informal or formal hearing, is found to have violated the University’s policy against sexual harassment, will be subject to disciplinary action, including, but not limited to, reprimand, suspension, termination, or expulsion. Any disciplinary action taken will depend upon the severity of the offense. For more information, see the Web site: http://www.pitt.edu~provost/har.html.
The University of Pittsburgh policy for reporting sexual harassment is also described in the New Student Handbook, pg. 24.
G-grades.
If unforeseen events (such as major illness) prevent a student from timely completion of course work, he/she may request a meeting with the instructor to discuss the possibility of earning a “G” grade for the term. If both student and instructor agree to the “G” grade, they collaboratively write a document that describes exactly what the student needs to do to complete the required course work and the time frame within which he/she must do so.
“G” grades are rarely given and only in unusual circumstances.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The federal government’s policies governing educational loans stipulate that a student must be making good progress toward his/her degree in order to continue to be eligible for financial assistance. “Good progress” is measured in part by the student’s completion of at lest 2/3 of all credits for which he/she is registered. Thus, receiving a “G” grade—which indicates that the course has NOT been completed—may negatively impact a student’s ability to receive federally-subsidized loans.
Classroom Recordings.
To ensure the free and open discussions of ideas, students may NOT record classroom lectures, discussions, and/or activities without the advance written permission of the instructor, and any such recording properly approved in advance can be used solely for the student’s own private study.
SCHEDULE
Date / Topic / Readings Completed / Assignments DueClass 1 / Tuesday
8/26 / · Reflecting on Field Experience 1
· Supporting Students in Doing Mathematics (part 1) / Boaler & Humphreys (2005)
Class 2 / Wednesday
8/27 / Supporting Students in Doing Mathematics (part 2)
Class 3 / Friday
8/29 / · Discuss implications of Milner reading
· Reflecting on Field Experience 2
· Levels of Cognitive Demand of Mathematical Tasks / Lesh, Post, & Behr (1987) (optional) / Reflection 1: Dweck due 8/29
Class 4 / Tuesday
9/02 / · Reflecting on Field Experience 3
· Lesson Planning (part 1) / Smith & Stein (1998)
Stein & Smith (1998) / Lesson Plan 1 due 9/02
Class 5 / Wednesday
9/03 / Supporting Students in Doing Mathematics (part 3) / Reflection 2: Milner due 9/03
Class 6 / Friday
9/05 / · Reflecting on Field Experience 4
· Lesson planning (part 2) / Lesson Plan 2 due 9/05
All materials for each class meeting, including powerpoints, can be found on CourseWeb under the Class Folders link (left side on home page).