Secondary Education: Tchg Math in Sec Schls

Designed for students interested in becoming mathematics educators. Focuses on mathematics teaching and learning at the middle and secondary level. Students will explore ways of probing student understanding, identify and evaluate best practices for instruction, and will examine issues of diversity and equity in the classroom. Credit not awarded for both EDSC 3570 and EDSC 5257.

Secondary MAT and Undergrad students; Minimum Jr standing; Prereq for MATs: EDSC 5207, 5209, 5215, 5216; Coreq/prereq for UG: EDSC 1110, 2070, 2090, 2150, 2160, 2570 Synchronous online and In-Person components: Dates TBD; Open to Degree and PACE students.

This class is designed for students interested in teaching mathematics, and it focuses on mathematics teaching and learning at the middle and secondary level. Students will explore ways of probing student understanding, identify and evaluate best practices for instruction, and will examine issues of diversity and equity in the classroom.

Students in EDSC 3570 will: ● Analyze and discuss how students develop mathematical knowledge and skills. ● Solve mathematics problems and justify their solutions, reflect on their own learning, and show awareness of alternative problem solving processes. ● Develop mathematics tasks to build students’ content knowledge and to assess their understanding. ● Lead discussions about mathematics that elicit and develop student thinking. ● Analyze classroom instruction with regards to whether or not all students have the opportunity to learn. ● Plan five mathematics lessons and teach at least two of these lessons. ● Employ relevant technologies during instruction and analyze the impact on student thinking. ● Engage in discussions on current issues in mathematics education. Note: This is a hybrid course combining in person instruction and asynchronous online work. The details of this will be described on the first day of class.

This course will use a proficiency-based system for learning and assessment. This means that the class will be structured around a set of clearly defined learning targets that will be used to evaluate your performance. The learning targets outline what you will be expected to know and be able to do by the end of this course. Each reading, class activity, and assignment is specifically designed to help you master one of the targets. For each learning target, there is a corresponding performance-based assessment that will allow you to demonstrate your proficiency. You will submit the assessment, a self-evaluation, and a reflection on your learning process. If this submission includes sufficient evidence of your proficiency, then you will move on to focus on other learning targets. If not, you will receive specific feedback on how to improve. You will then have another opportunity to demonstrate your proficiency on that learning target without penalty on the next performance-based assessment.