EDUC 547 Teaching Elementary Mathematics I
This course examines effective strategies for teaching math in the number and operation strand to elementary and middle school students. It emphasizes placing students in a role where they actively seek to make sense of mathematics and where they are extending their capacity to think, reason, and problem solve mathematically. Teaching mathematics effectively requires the development of a knowledge base and a variety of skill sets. This includes: (1) an understanding of learning progressions in the elementary math curriculum, as well as aspects of children's' cognitive development that influence these learning progressions, (2) the capacity to use research-based approaches to building foundational conceptual understanding as well as procedural fluency and problem solving skills, (3) strategies for developing academic vocabulary and language in mathematics, (4) the ability to analyze student error patterns to identify student needs and construct targeted interventions, (5) the knowledge to effectively use and sequence the use of multiple representations to make mathematical content accessible to all learners, and (6) the capacity to ‘develop’ (as opposed to merely ‘cover’) concepts and skills for a variety of learners in diverse classrooms. The Common Core State Standards and the Mathematical Standards of Practice will play an important role in this course, and the Learning Progressions (authored by the Common Core Writing Team) are required reading. There are 10 hours of field experience.