MATH 306: Teaching Math in the Secondary Schools
3 Semester Hours
Homework:
Homework will be assigned on readings, math problems, and other topics. Late homework will not be accepted. The reasoning behind this rule is that the readings will be discussed in class and the homework or reflections are to encourage self-reflection before this whole class discussion. You will be asked to make class presentations. One objective of this course is for you to practice critically assessing other’s works and being able to provide feedback, so you will be required to evaluate other student’s homework.
Introduction:
This is a methods class intertwined with mathematical content. The topics to be covered will be adapted to meet the needs of this class. Course requirements include class presentations, gainingknowledge of assessment techniques, and thirty hours of field experience withhigh school students in a mathematics class. All students are expected to communicate their ideas and demonstrate their level of understanding in both verbal and written forms; therefore, ACTIVE student involvement in discussions and activities is expected. REGULAR ATTENDANCE IS EXPECTED.Your class grade will be dropped 1 letter (from A to B, B to C, etc), for each unexcused absence after the 1st one.
Course Description:
This course will focus on three major areas of importance to the prospective grades 5-12 mathematics teacher.
1) In general, the first area addresses the middle and high school mathematics curriculum with major emphasis on current trends and issues as specified by the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), with emphasis on new curricular directions for 5-12mathematics in terms of content, organization and priorities.
2) The second area of focus is classroom instruction of mathematics,including modes of instruction, incorporation of manipulatives, models, individual differences of students,enriching mathematics through the selection and utilization of a variety of instructional media, and cooperative learning in teaching mathematics.
3) The third area of focus is classroom assessment, which includes lessonplanning, questioning techniques, tests, evaluation of studentperformance, techniques of motivation, homework, and problem solving.
Tests:
There will be two exams in this course, a midterm and a final exam. Each of them will be worth 100 points.
Field Experience:
One of the requirements of this course is that you must complete 30 hours of field experience at a local high school in a mathematics classroom. You will need to make time in your schedule to complete this experience or you CANNOT pass this class (you will receive a 0).
Trig Unit Plan:
One of the major emphases of this course will be to create a Trig Unit Plan for a high school class. It will consist of approximately 3-5 lessons that will include the unit circle and how to calculate rations and determine angles. Your lessons should align with the Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards. You will need to reflect on the process of making a lesson plan and design assessment items to match the lesson. More details will be provided. .
Final Grade
Field Experience30%Total 100%
Homework20%
Unit Plan20%
Tests20%
Quizzes10%
Course Outline
Unit 1: What Does It Mean to “Do,” “Teach,” and “Learn” Mathematics? (Weeks #1-3)_
Chapter 1: Mathematics as a Process
Chapter 2: Principles of Mathematics Education
Chapter 3: Learning Theories and Psychology in Mathematics Education
Unit 2: The Mathematics Curriculum (Weeks #4-5)
Chapter 4: Curricular Models
Chapter 5: Implementing a Course of Study
Unit 3: Teaching Mathematics (Weeks #6-9)
Chapter 6: Planning for Instruction
Chapter 7: Teaching Tools and Strategies
Chapter 8: Teaching Number Sense and Algebra
Chapter 9: Teaching Geometry, Statistics/Probability, and Discrete Mathematics
Unit 4: Assessment in Mathematics (Weeks #10-12)
Chapter 10: The Role of Assessment
Chapter 11: Principles of Assessment Practices
Unit 5: Meeting Individual Student and Teacher Needs (Weeks #13-15)
Chapter 12: Meeting the Needs of All Students
Chapter 13: The Teacher of Mathematics in the School Community
Standards:
A teacher of mathematics must demonstrate an understanding of the teaching of mathematics that integrates understanding of mathematics with the understanding of pedagogy, students, learning, classroom management, and professional development. The teacher of mathematics to preadolescent and adolescent students shall:
3.D.15- extend work with two-dimensional right triangle including unit circle trigonometry
Math 306- Teaching Math in the Secondary Schools
From Math 306 Syllabus: From Weeks 6-12, students write a unit on working with right triangles including the unit circle and how to calculate trig ratios and determine angles.
Assessment: Lesson Plans and Quiz on Unit Circle.
3.I.1: - understand and apply educational principles relevant to the physical, social, emotional, moral, and cognitive development of preadolescent and adolescent;
Math 306- Teaching Math in the Secondary Schools
From Math 306 Syllabus:: Week 1: current trends and standards in mathematics education for 9-12 grades, week 2 - 3: learning theories and how students learn
Assessment: writing assignment on the NCTM, MN state academic standards for mathematics, and Common Core state standards. Exam,
3.I.2: - understand and apply the research base for and the practices of middle level and high school education;
Math 306- Teaching Math in the Secondary Schools
From Math 306 Syllabus: Week 1: reading the NCTM principles and standards for school mathematics,
Assessment: writing assignment on the NCTM principles and standards in comparison with the common core state standards focusing on high school level. Exam.
3.I.3: - develop curriculum goals and purposes based on the central concepts of mathematics and know how to apply instructional strategies and materials for achieving student understanding of this discipline;
Math 306- Teaching Math in the Secondary Schools
From Math 306 Syllabus: Weeks 4-9: the processes of developing lessons for a problem-based classroom.
Assessment: writing series of lesson plans that include measureable learning objectives and goals, state standards, materials, assessment items, and specific activities that layout what need to be done at each of the three main phases (before, during and after). Exams and final exam
3.I.4: - understand the role and alignment of district, school, and department mission and goals in program planning;
Math 306- Teaching Math in the Secondary Schools
From Math 306 Syllabus: Weeks10-12: reading on the program assessment and the process of checking for understanding . In additions, students will consider the different goals for the district, school, and math department in planning assessments and reporting on them.
Assessment: writing assessment items for lessons and reporting results, and exams
3.I.5: - understand the need for and how to connect students’ schooling experience with everyday life, the workplace, and further educational opportunities;
Math 306- Teaching Math in the Secondary Schools
From Math 306 Syllabus: weeks4-9 relating the mathematical content with the students’ everyday life in lesson planning including classroom openers.
Assessment: checking the context of the task used in the lesson plans for connecting students’ experience with everyday life. Exams.
3.I.6: - know how to involve representatives of business, industry, and community organizations and active partners in creating educational opportunities;
Math 306- Teaching Math in the Secondary Schools
From Math 306 syllabus: Weeks #13-15 include understanding the role of the community in developing partnerships. This includes working with diverse students and their parents/guardians and trying to find ways to provide outreach to include them in their child’s education.
Assessment: Writing assignment to include parents in a classroom event such as family night or planning an outing to local business or industry.
3.I.7: - understand the role and purpose of co-curricular and extracurricular activities in the teaching and learning process; and
Math 306- Teaching Math in the Secondary Schools
From Math 306 syllabus: Weeks #13-15 include understanding the role of the extracurricular activities in students’ educational careers and how to help them balance these activities with schoolwork.
Assessment: Reflection on role of extracurricular in students career.
3.I.8- understand the impact of reading ability on student achievement in mathematics, recognize the varying reading comprehension and fluency levels represented by students, and possess the strategies to assist students to read mathematical content materials more effectively;
Math 306- Teaching Math in the Secondary Schools
From Math 306 Syllabus:Weeks #6-9 in planning for instruction, students need to take into account reading difficulties and plan to incorporate graphic organizers, multiple representations, and academic language into lesson planning.
Assessment: Writing lesson plans with academic language, multiple representations, and graphic organizers.
3.I.9: - apply the standards of effective practice in teaching students through a variety of early and ongoing clinical experiences with middle level and high school students within a range of educational programming models.
Math 306- Teaching Math in the Secondary Schools
From Math 306 Syllabus: a 30 hours clinical experience at the local high school (it should be completed between week 3 and week 9)
Assessment: completing 30hours field experience; participating in sharing experience from the clinical to the whole class; and writing a reflection paper on the clinical experience.