Sweet Briar College Science and Math by Inquiry
Inquiry Approaches to Math and Science: Grades 3-8
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MATH 502 Math by Inquiry: Numbers and Operations
Course Description:
This course is designed to engage participants in thinking through the major concepts of K-8 mathematics and examine how children develop understanding of those ideas. Participants will read and discuss parts of the text Teaching Student Centered Mathematics. Their readings will be tied to Virginia’s Standards of Learning (SOLs) and the standards from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). Instruction will cover:
- numbers, ways of representing numbers, relationships among numbers, and number systems
- meanings of operations and how they relate to each other
- computational fluency and reasonable operations
- the development of pedagogical knowledge of number
- the importance of writing in mathematics class
Course Objectives:
- The teacher will develop his or her professional competence, confidence and enthusiasm for the teaching and learning of mathematics.
- The teacher will deepen his or her understanding of children’s mathematical learning of number and operations across grades 3-8.
- The teacher will develop classroom strategies for planning and teaching mathematics; knowing how to select appropriate mathematical tasks, asking productive questions, facilitating useful discussions, and evaluating student work.
- The teacher will select and use manipulatives to connect the concrete phase of mathematical learning to the abstract, symbolic phase of learning.
- The teacher will use course readings to become knowledgeable about the recommendations of various members of the education community for content and curricular knowledge of school mathematics.
- The teacher will take responsibility for his or her own professional growth and contribute to the field of mathematics education.
Assignments:
- Reading and discussion of textbook assignments
- Problem-solving
- Journal writing
- Modeling the use of manipulatives
Grades will be based on:
Completion of pre-assessment work 10%
Readings and small group discussion 20%
Class participation 35%
Homework 25%
Completion of post-assessment work 10%
Funded by State Council on Higher Education of Virginia, No Child Left Behind, Title II, Part A - 2006-2007
A professional development project for elementary and middle school grades in-service and pre-service math and science teachers.
