Central College, Educ 451 J
Fall 2009

Professor: Dr. Wendy Weber
E-Mail:  weberw@central.edu
Office: Vermeer Science Center 130
Office Telephone: 641-628-5100
Class Times: TR 8-8:50am, VSC 143
Final Exam:  10:30-12:30pm, Tuesday, December 15, 2009.
Office Hours: MW 9-9:50am, TF 1-1:50pm, but feel free to stop by anytime (NOT before 8am!)
Textbooks: Principles and Standards for School Mathematics by NCTM [ISBN: 0-87353-480-8] and Teaching Secondary Mathematics: Teaching and Enrichment Units, 7th edition by Posamentier, Smith and Stepelman [ISBN: 978-0-13-118520-3]

Course Content: 
This course serves as an introduction to the methods and curriculum in mathematics in the middle and secondary grades. We will explore the national principles and standards for school mathematics.  We will also discuss the challenge of teaching mathematics as we work on improving your ability to do long and short term planning, teach more effective lessons, develop problem solving skills in your students, use technology to enhance your lessons, and learn to develop appropriate assessment tools.

Course Goals: 
Upon completion of the course, you will

• be proficient at
  • effectively communicating mathematical knowledge through various means;
  • using student questions to develop deeper mathematical understanding;
  • planning and implementing long and short range instructional strategies;
  • introducing and using technology effectively;
  • implementing state and national standards;
• demonstrate
  • conceptual understanding: comprehension of mathematical concepts, operations and relations;
  • procedural fluency: skill in carrying out procedures flexibly, accurately, efficiently, and appropriately;
  • strategic competency: ability to formulate, represent, and solve mathematical problems of teaching;
  • adaptive reasoning: capacity for logical thought, reflection, explanation, and justification;
  • productive disposition: habitual inclination to see mathematics as sensible, useful, worthwhile, coupled with a belief in diligence and one's own efficacy.

Attendance:
Attendance is required. You cannot participate in a discussion or practice using tools if you are not in class.  Contact Wendy ahead of time (when possible) if you will miss class.

Homework:
We will have several long reading assignments during the course.  It is expected that you look head in the schedule (posted on Blackboard) and plan accordingly. Late work is not accepted. 

• Writing Assignment: Your writing assignment will be an essay answering why you are interested in teaching mathematics. You should describe your strengths and weaknesses with respect to teaching mathematics as well as your fears and expectations about teaching mathematics. If you have had any teaching experiences outside your education here at Central College, briefly describe them and the impact they had on you. 
   
• Principles and Standards: We will be reading and discussing the NCTM’s Principles and Standards for School Mathematics. We will use the standards to evaluate classroom activities and lesson plans.
   
• Teaching Secondary Mathematics: This text will be used extensively throughout the semester. Homework assignments will accompany many of the readings and discussions. These assignments will help you develop the skills necessary to plan and teach lessons as well as assess your plans and your students' mathematical understanding.
   
• Micro Lesson Plans, Presentations, & Reflections: Each of you will prepare a lesson and present two micro-teaching lessons.
  • Each presentation must be accompanied by a lesson plan.  You will develop a lesson, have it evaluated by the professor, discuss it with the professor, and revise it. 
  • You will present only 10 minutes of each lesson.  These lessons will be peer-critiqued.
  • One lesson must cover a topic in algebra or geometry; one lesson must use technology (TI-83 calculator, Excel, Geometer’s Sketchpad, etc.); one lesson must discovery based.
  • Pre-approved topics for lessons include Units 13, 20, 21, 24, 29, 31, 34, 37, 40, 41, 42, 49, 50, 52, 57, 59, 67, 69, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 81, 83, 86, 93, 96, 119 in the text Teaching Secondary Mathematics. Other topics (such as from CTA courses, field experience courses, or lessons from the Illuminations CD accompanying Principles and Standards for School Mathematics) must be approved by the instructor.
  • Following the first micro presentation you will type a 1.5 page paper reflecting on the process of planning and teaching the lesson.  In particular you should address what went well, what surprised you and what you would change.  The reflection paper is due 24 hours after your presentation.
     
• Curriculum Resource File: In conjunction with your general methods course, create one! Things to include (for Math Methods) might be mathematical anecdotes, mathematical amusements, interesting problems, notes of historical interest, ideas to teach various topics, teaching games, references to articles worth reading, websites (list the URL and a brief description of information on the site), etc. Sources may include Mathematics Teacher, Teaching Mathematics in the Middle School, The College Math Journal, class, various books, etc. Collect items that will be of use to you in your career as a teacher of mathematics.  Handouts, summaries, and assignments from class are possible items for your file. These items may or may not fit into your General Methods Curriculum/Strategies File; they must pertain to the teaching of mathematics.
   
• Unit Lesson Plan: In conjunction with your general methods course, prepare a unit lesson plan consisting of daily lesson plans, quizzes, activities, and exams. One of your exams should be completed by a classmate and graded by you.  Portions of the unit plan will be due at points during the semester.  You are expected to respond to comments made by the professor on these parts by revising them for the final unit plan; all graded portions must be turned in as appendices in the final unit plan. 

Homework will be returned by passing the graded pile around the classroom.  It is expected that you will be respectful and not look at other students' grades (which will be on in inside page).  If you are uncomfortable with this practice, please let Wendy know, and your assignment will be handed to you directly.

Grading:
Grades will be recorded on Blackboard. Percentages for the course will be distributed as below. Based on this distribution, a letter grade (A, A-, B+, etc.) will be assigned (most likely on a 90-80-70 scale), though other factors (such as participation and effort) may also affect your grade.  There is no extra credit in this course.

Class Resources:
An updated list of resources for teaching can be found on Dr. Weber's website at http://www.central.edu/homepages/weberw/ClassResources.htm .  Please email her with any additional sources you find; include the reference information (URL for websites), a one sentence summary of the source, and the subheading (see the webpage) the source falls under.

Americans with Disabilities Act:
Central College abides by interpretations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that stipulates no student shall be denied the benefits of an education “solely by reason of a handicap.” Disabilities covered by law include, but are not limited to, learning disabilities, hearing, sight, or mobility impairments, and other health related impairments. If you have a documented disability that may have some impact on your work in this class for which you may require accommodations, please see me and Nancy Kroese, Director of Student Support Services and Disabilities Services Coordinator (x 5247) during the first two weeks of the semester so that such accommodations may be arranged.

Academic Integrity: 
Plagiarism and cheating of any form are serious offenses and may result in an F for the assignment, the course, or expulsion from the college. The details of Central’s Academic Integrity policy are found in the Student Handbook on the college’s web site. A copy will be sent to you via email during the first week of the semester. It is your responsibility to read and understand the contents of that policy before you submit work to be graded. Questions regarding the policies and enforcement of the policies may be addressed to me during class or during office hours.

Notification of Participation in College Sanctioned Events:  
Mock Trial participants, choir tour participants, athletes, and others who must miss a class to participate in a college sanctioned event are expected to notify me in advance and complete work, including tests, in advance of the absence. It is the student’s responsibility to communicate with me in advance regarding their absences and to determine a schedule for make-up work