Course Descriptions

Math 51200: Middle Grade Curriculum, Philosophy, and Instructional Methods
Required for both State Endorsements in mathematics and science, this course will provide practicing teachers with further knowledge and understanding of the unique intellectual, social, emotional, physical, and developmental characteristics and needs of the young adolescent. Teachers will develop middle school lessons to be shared with their peers in this course and used with their middle school students in the future.

Math 51300: Early Adolescent Psychology
This course is required for both State Endorsements in mathematics and science. The first half of this course explores adolescent development: biological, cognitive, social, moral, identity, psychosexual, and special issues relevant to adolescence. Adolescent risk-taking, the development of gender identity, self-concept and self-esteem are reviewed. Historical and cross-cultural contexts will also be examined. During the second half of this course issues related to working with students who may have special needs or circumstances are explored. The teacher’s role in the identification, assessment, and referral of students to health and social services is examined.

Math 50600: Methods of Teaching Mathematics Grades 6-8
This is a required course for State Endorsement in mathematics. Teachers will be given the opportunity to improve and refine their mathematics teaching practice at the middle school level through participation in and reflection on varied teaching and learning models informed by seminal research from the fields of mathematics education and cognitive science. Reflection on practice will be further informed through mathematics content-rich class activities using manipulatives, when appropriate, video case studies, analysis of student work with an emphasis on mathematical reasoning and with constant attention to standards-based teaching of middle school mathematics at the international, national, state, and local levels.

Math 50900: Introduction to Algebra (Algebra I) for Elementary School Teachers
This is the first of the three Algebra Initiative courses. This course can also be taken for the mathematics endorsement. It will cover elements of set theory, linear relations, functions, coordinate systems, graphs of linear functions, graphing polynomials, measurement, estimation, and problem solving.

Math 52200: Algebra II for Elementary School Teachers
This is the second of three courses in the Algebra Initiative series. Some of the material covered will be linear functions, system of linear equations, rational expressions, and exponential and logarithmic functions.

Math 52300: Algebra III for Elementary School Teachers
This is the third of three courses in the Algebra Initiative series. Some topics include inverses and radicals, polynomials, exponential and logarithmic functions, trigonometry, algebraic numbers.

Math 52600: Use of Calculators in Algebra
This course will explore use of calculators in the study of Algebra. Registrants are required to have complete the Algebra Initiative courses or some equivalent prerequisite such as a high school certificate in mathematics.

Math 51600: Mathematical Strategies I
When does multiplication stop being repeated addition? This new course in mathematics endorsement is designed to help teachers develop strategies to answer nonstandard and/or perplexing questions, as the one above, asked by students in mathematics classes from grades 6 – 12. The course will involve a discussion of questions posed by students and a discussion of the materials on mathematics available in textbooks and school curricula. After which, the Lecturer will present a variety of ideas and suggestions about the mathematical foundations of the topics being discussed.

Math 50500: Geometry for Elementary School Teachers
This course is a survey of the fundamental geometric ideas encountered in the early and middle grades. We take a rigorous approach to the subject, using Euclid’s The Thirteen Books of the Elements as our foundation. Topics to be discussed include constructions, symmetry groups, tessellations, spherical geometry, area, and lattice geometry. These ideas will be explored through a combination of class discussions, problem solving, and homework, all of which will include geometric proofs.

Math 52000: Advanced Geometry
Topics in geometry are discussed which build on the SESAME course in Elementary Geometry. These topics include tessellation, packing, dissection, and lattice point geometry. The objectives of this course are to build teachers’ knowledge in the fundamental ideas of geometry and their application.

Math 51100: Calculus for Elementary School Teachers

*Prerequisite: at least two of the following: Number Theory, Geometry, or Algebra
This course is an introduction to the basic concepts in Calculus, including derivatives and integrals of functions of one real variable. Emphasis throughout is on hands-on numerical computations, which are eventually generalized into compact formulas. The main results concern polynomial functions and power functions, with as much extension as time allows. Results are presented from multiple points of view, in particular, using equations, graphs, tables, pictures, and practical applications to problems of motion. The notion of limit is treated intuitively, but given this limitation, we develop the concepts underlying important theorems such as the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus.

Math 50800: Computer Science
In this course, students will learn the basics of a programming language, and concepts in computer science such as variables, declarations, branching conditions, procedures, and functions. Students will also learn to apply computer programming to problems in number theory. Number theory is not a prerequisite for this course.

Math 51000: History of Mathematics
Some of the topics discussed in this course will be Euclid’s elements, Descartes’ geometry, and Apollonius’ conic sections. This course will investigate the different ways in which people have thought about and used mathematics in the past, and how they affect the student of present day mathematics.

Math 50300: Number Theory
In this number theory course, you will learn about the rules of arithmetic, the well-ordering principal, division algorithm, Euclidean algorithm, primes and divisibility, palindromes, Fibonacci numbers, Egyptian fractions and much more.

Math 50400: Probability for Elementary School Teachers
This course is an introduction to basic concepts in Probability and Statistics, from the elements of set theory and combinatorics through probability spaces and distributions. Emphasis throughout is placed on using and interpreting data and doing hands-on experiments with dice, cards, coins, words, and birthdays, all accompanied with a thorough discussion of underlying principles.