Methods of Teaching Secondary Mathematics I

Sources: The collection, Algebraic Thinking, published by NCTM is rec-ommended
reading. It is available from NCTM.

Format: Most of the course will consist of teaching by the students. There
will be distributive .html">two sets of presentations. In the first you will present a 50 minute class
working from a lesson in an algebra book. In the second, there will be a wider
choice of activities and there may be some group presentations. There will be
a final exam and a mid term . There may be occasional quizzes. After the first
week we will have usually have two days of presentations and one led by me
each week. Many of the presentations will be in parallel sessions with half the
class attending each presentation.

Grading and Assignments: There will reading as signments roughly every
other week and mathematical homework most weeks. There will be final
examination a midterm. The grade will be based in roughly equal proportions
on your performance on a) the presentations (including lesson plan and review),
b) homework, c) exam(s), and d) general contribution to the class.

Make up work: A student who completes an assignment but gets a poor
grade will be al lowed to redo the assignment (with some additional questions).
The maximal score after redoing is the original grade plus half the remaining
points. The maximum score for which one can redo the assignment will vary.

Students with Disabilities: Students with disabilities who require accommodations
for access and participation in this course must be registered with
the Office of Disability Services (ODS). Please contact ODS at (312)413-2103
(voice) or (312)413-0123 (TTY).

MSCS POLICY ON INCOMPLETE GRADES: The last day to drop
the course without penalty is September 5. INcomplete grades are for hardships
that occur at the time of the final. IN grades must be approved by the Department.
IN grades are normally made up during the first two weeks of the next
semester.
 

First round of presentations. Each student will present a 40 minute
lesson on a topic from high school Algebra. The lesson will be based on a
high school text selected by the student. Texts are available in the Curriculum
library on the 3rd? floor of the main library. We also have a few in Room 219.
One week before the presentation, an approximately one page lesson plan will
be due to me - by e-mail or in class. We may discuss your plan before the class.
The lesson plan should include:

1. A description of exactly the book and page from which the lesson is taken.

2. Specify roughly who the lesson is intended for (e.g. 9th grade regular
algebra in 2nd semester.)

3. A statement of the goals of the lesson in English and connected with a set
of State or District Standards.

4. An outline of the material to be presented (indicating the classroom format)

5. A discussion of the homework in the book.

Teaching Reflection: One week after the presentation, turn in a 1-page
reflection on your teaching.

Other class members are encouraged to ask ‘student questions’.

Suggested topics for the first round are on the next page of the syllabus.
The second round will be assigned in detail later in the semester. YOU MUST
CHOOSE YOUR FIRST TOPIC ON AUGUST 29. But we need four people
to present during the week of August 29, so I need some volunteers on August
24.
 

Topics for Presentations: The topics for these presentations should come
(approximately ) from the following list:

1. Negative numbers and beginning algebra; the number line
2. variables , word problems, and functions
3. solving a single linear equation with applications
4. Cartesian coordinates
5. graphing linear equations
6. standard forms for linear equations
7. solving quadratic equations
8. graphing quadratic equations
9. standard forms for quadratic equations
10. solving systems of linear equations
11. multiplication of polynomials and factoring
12. rules for exponents
13. distributive, associative and commutative laws – connections with arithmetic
14. linear inequalities
15. quadratic inequalities
16. exponents: integral and fractional
17. the notion of function
18. ratio and proportion
19. rational and irrational numbers
20. fractions and algebra
21. distance in the Cartesian plane
22. Student proposal: give title instead of number.