Dr. Cecelia Laurie

1
The Mathematical Education of Teachers One
Universitys Approach

• Dr. Cecelia Laurie
• Dr. Julie Herron
• University of Alabama

2
Math Content Courses at UA

• NCLB Education requirement 12 credits of math
  content
• Collaboration between Arts Science and
  Education
• Spring 2003 began development of a three-semester
  sequence of mathematics content courses for
  pre-service elementary school teachers
• Math 208 Number and Operations
• Math 209 Geometry and Measurement
• Math 210 Algebra, Data Analysis, and
  Probability.
• Follow national recommendations Prospective
  teachers need mathematics courses that develop a
  deep understanding of the mathematics they will
  teach Mathematical Education of Teachers, CBMS,
  2000

3
COURSE THEMES

• Explain the why, not just the how
• Activity Based
• Multiple representations and strategies
• Connections
• Communication

4
STRUCTURE

• Taught by regular faculty, beginning to involve
  full time instructors
• 32 students per class
• Classroom set-up tables with 4 students at a
  table
• 3 sections of Math 208, 2 sections of Math 209, 1
  section of Math 210 per semester

5
The Elementary Education Program

• Students take one math methods course
• 12 semester hours of math is required

Semester Enrollment
Fall 05 23
Spring 06 39
Fall 06 33
Spring 07 61
Fall 07 44
Spring 08 88
6
Math Course for ELED Majors

• 135 Respondents in the 07-08 school year
• 85 of those students took a least one math
  course designed for elementary education majors
• It is recommended that our students take these
  courses but it is not required.

208-Number Operations 84.3
209-Geometry Measurement 74.7
210-Data Analysis, Probability, Algebra 53.9
7
Math Course for ELED Majors

• What are the ELED majors taking
• 2 course students-What they took

Took 1 of the three courses at UA 85
Took 2 of the three courses at UA 67
Took all three courses at UA 29
208 209 60
208 210 23
209 210 17
8
What ELED Majors Have to Say

• Math 208 and 209 deals with conceptual
  understanding and 380 demonstrates how to teach
  math.
• The concepts taught in 208 209 are different
  than any math class I have taken before.
• I feel like 208 prepared me for 380 because some
  of the activities overlapped and it helped me get
  into the mindset of how kids learn not just
  thinking about the math.
• I learned how to write my thoughts and processes
  in Math 208 and 209.

9
What ELED Majors Have to Say

• The math classes focused on our perspective as
  future teachers.
• It is very good to teach concepts. The regular
  math classes at Alabama only teach procedures.
  Elementary Education majors NEED this because
  they have to know how to explain it to kids.
• Those classes helped me to think about how
  children think about math.
• Before those classes I never thought about the
  WHY of math. I just DID math.

10
What ELED Majors Have to Say

• Spring Sections (n90) were asked Did 208, 209,
  or 210 help prepare you for 380?
• 5 of the respondents didnt take any courses at
  UA

Response Percent
Yes. 68
It made me reflect on my thinking and childrens thinking 17
Somewhat 8
It make me think about teaching 4
It taught conceptual understanding 4
11
Implications

• For the Methods Course
• Understand how to explain their mathematical
  thinking which becomes the foundation for methods
• Student have begun to think about mathematics
  rather than just do mathematics
• Less time on content More time on pedagogy