This course explores the role of the administrator in developing leadership strategies that promote high quality teaching in mathematics grades K-12.  The course examines methods and materials as well the scope and sequence of mathematics across the grades. Students examine the most up to date methods of teaching mathematics as well as ways in which administrators can motivate and assist teachers in increasing student achievement while simultaneously assuring that the school meets state mandates regarding adequate yearly progress.

This course examines the most commonly used curriculum materials, including text­books and supportive video and technol­ogy materials, and also at the development of new curriculum materials for special student populations or the enhancement of already available materials for such popu­lations. The course also identifies the learning theories and instructional method­ologies embodied in each curriculum and compares those theories and methodolo­gies for their effectiveness with various student populations and student character­istics. Students examine means, methods, and materials for assessing student under­standing and performance as well as ways to use this information to inform and improve instruction as an ongoing practice in the classroom. Techniques investigated in­clude quizzes, writing assignments, tests, authentic and performance assessment and rubrics. Fifteen hours of fieldwork are re­quired.

This course introduces students to a selec­tion of current issues of concern and inter­est in adolescent mathematics education; provides a sampling of the research that has been conducted relating to these issues; and addresses ways in which the results of such research can be employed by class­room teachers to improve their classroom practice.

This course focuses on the major concepts and skills students should learn and be able to apply in the areas of algebra and trigonometry. The course identifies what students should have learned informally in grades 5 and 6 that can be used to transition to a more formal understanding of these topics. It also examines: the learning theories related to development of understanding from a concrete level using ma¬nipulative materials to model algebraic and trigonometric problems and methods; how to help students move step by step to a more conceptual understanding of the concepts and skills, including the use of symbolic representation and manipulation; and the use of various technologies to enhance understanding and application. As a part of the course, either individually or in small groups, students develop and present appropriate mini-lessons embodying the principles and methods of effective mathematics teaching.

This course focuses on the major concepts and skills students should learn and be able to apply in the areas of geometry, probability, and statistics. The course examines what students should have learned informally in grades 5 and 6 that can be used to transition to a more formal understanding of these topics. The course also examines how to use relevant learning theories to help students transition from a concrete level of understanding of these topics using physical manipulative materials to a conceptual level of understanding using symbolic representation and manipulation. The use of various technologies to enhance understanding is also employed. As a part of the course, either individually or in small groups, students develop and present appropriate mini-lessons embodying the principles and methods of effective mathematics teaching.

This course introduces students to the mathematical properties of the set of rational numbers as well as instructional approaches for teaching students to use and manipulate rational numbers. The course also provides instructional strategies for helping students make the transition from the use of rational numbers in middle school to the use of rational algebraic expressions in high school.

This course introduces students to the top­ics covered in the Advanced Placement Calculus and Statistics courses and pro­vides guidance on how to teach the ad­vanced courses effectively.

This course addresses a selection of topic areas usually taught at the secondary level – including but not limited to algebra, geometry, and probability and statistics – and looks at them from an advanced perspective illuminating their uses, interconnections and the mathematical theory or theories underlying them. This is a capstone content mathematics course helping to unify and enhance the prior college level mathematics courses the students in the program will already have taken as a prerequisite for entrance into the program. 

A continuation of MTHN 654.

This course introduces students to several important topics in the history of mathe­matics, such as: how mathematical discov­eries and developments that occur hundreds or even thousands of years apart can be connected in important ways; and how teachers of mathematics can use inci­dents and stories from the history of math­ematics to make their teaching more interesting and effective.