EDUC_287

Santa Clara University

School of Education and Counseling Psychology

Department of Education

Education 287:Secondary Mathematics Methods I (3 units)

Winter 2016

EDUC 287 (Secondary Math Methods I) course is Part 1 of a two-course sequence in secondary mathematics teaching methods. This sequence is designed to provide teacher candidates with a coherent set of experiences for mathematics teaching and learning in secondary schools. Through assigned readings, classroom discussions, content rich mathematics activities, and assignments that require data collection in your field placement, you will be supported as you make sense of how to approach the profession of teaching. Through thinking about ourselves as teachers, examining classroom culture and structures, facilitating mathematical discussions, and assessing student work, we will set the stage for our development as secondary mathematics teachers.

Please note: We will adhere to the syllabus as much as possible. However, we are sensitive to the needs of the class, therefore, the syllabus is subject to change.

1. Available at SCU bookstore: Boaler, J. (2015) What’s math got to do with it?

2. Other required readings posted on our course Camino website or distributed in class.

Note: Supplemental readings may be added during the quarter in response to students’ interests and/or needs; these readings will be made available on our Camino website or distributed in class.

ALL READINGS SHOULD BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO CLASS.

The course provides an opportunity for sustained learning and professional growth. Our goals are to help you:

• 1. examine your own knowledge, beliefs, and assumptions about mathematics, teaching, and students,

  2. increase your knowledge of mathematics and mathematics pedagogy,

  3. increase your theoretical knowledge and practical experience in planning, teaching, and assessing mathematics,

  4. understand the mathematical needs of a diverse range of students,

  5. understand the complexities of diverse, multiply-ability classrooms while broadening your repertoire of teaching techniques, and

  6. learn from your experiences in schools through informed reflection.

This course is not designed to turn you into an expert mathematics teacher. Instead, it aims to help you become a “well-started novice”: a prospective teacher who has thought hard about some of the central questions in mathematics teaching; who has ideas about these questions that she or he can defend articulately; who knows a bit about the practical side of mathematics teaching and about resources available to teachers; and who has the skills, the confidence, and the curiosity to learn from teaching and from the other opportunities for learning that lie ahead.

All assignments are due by 11:00pm.

1. Math Autobiography (10 points) – Due 1/11/16

2. Number Talk Assignment (50 points) – Due 2/15/16

3. Assessment Assignment Memo (10 points) – Due 2/22/16

4. Assessment Assignment Final Write Up (50 points) – Due 3/7/16

Your final grade will be based on the total percentage earned:

90-100% = A

80-<90% = B

70 - <80% = C

<70% Resubmit work to improve grade

Attendance. Regular attendance at all class meetings is a requirement in this program. For each class session you miss, 10 percentage points (e.g., you will drop one letter grade) will be deducted from your final grade for the course. Each of you will be granted one Emergency Release (ER). Your ER excuses you from one class session. To use your ER you must notify me by email or phone BEFORE class.

Students will not be penalized for absences due to the observance of religious holidays that fall on our scheduled class day; please give me advance notice of these absences so I can make the necessary accommodations. All other absences are unexcused and will affect your grade.

The TPAs, based on the California Standards for the Teaching Profession (CSTP) as exemplified in the Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs), assure that multiple and single subject teacher candidates have the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of beginning public school teachers in California. The TPAs are embedded within the course content and the field experiences in our teaching credential programs. The TPA comprises four tasks: Subject-Specific Pedagogy; Designing Instruction; Assessing Learning; Culminating Teaching Experience. Each task assesses candidate mastery of multiple TPEs.

Mission and Goals of the Department of Education

Rooted in the Jesuit tradition at Santa Clara University, the mission of the Department of Education is to prepare professionals of competence, conscience, and compassion, who will promote the common good as they transform lives, schools, and communities. Our core values of reflective practice, scholarship, diversity, ethical conduct, social justice, and collaboration guide both theory and practice.

Faculty, staff, and students in the Department of Education:

• Make student learning our central focus

• Engage continuously in reflective and scholarly practice

• Value diversity

• Become leaders who model ethical conduct and a commitment to social justice

• Seek collaboration with others in reaching these goals

MS/SS Teaching Credential Program Learning Goals (PLGs)

The PLGs represent our commitment to the individuals who earn their MS/SS credential at Santa Clara University. The MS/SS faculty focus on ensuring that beginning teachers leave our program ready to:

1. Maximize learning for every student.

2. Teach for student understanding.

3. Make evidence-based instructional decisions informed by student assessment data.

4. Improve their practice through critical reflection and collaboration.

5. Create productive, supportive learning environments.

6. Apply ethical principles to their professional practices.

The PLGs guide our program. Therefore, all MS/SS teaching credential program course objectives are cross-referenced with the PLGs. (A fully elaborated version of the MS/SS PLGs can be found on pp. 8-9 of the Teacher Candidate Handbook.)

Disability Accommodations Procedure

To request academic accommodations for a disability, students must be registered with Disabilities Resources, located in Benson, room 216. If you would like to register with Disabilities Resources, please visit their office or call at (408) 554-4109. You will need to register and provide professional documentation of a disability prior to receiving academic accommodations.

Sexual Harassment and Discrimination (Title IX)

While I want you to feel comfortable coming to me with issues you may be struggling with or concerns you may be having, please be aware that there are some reporting requirements that are part of my job at Santa Clara University.

For example, if you inform me of an issue involving harassment, sexual violence, or discrimination, I will keep the information as private as I can, but I am required to bring it to the attention of the institution’s EEO and Title IX Coordinator. If you inform me that you are struggling with an issue that may be resulting in, or caused by, traumatic or unusual stress, I will likely inform the Office of Student Life.

If you would like to reach out directly to the Office of Student Life for assistance, you can contact them at www.scu.edu/osl/report. If you would like to talk to the Office of EEO and Title IX directly, they can be reached at 408-554-3043 or by email at bguthrie@scu.edu. Reports may be submitted online through www.scu.edu/osl/report or anonymously through Ethicspoint: www.ethicspoint.com. Additionally, you can report incidents or complaints to the Office of Student Life (OSL), Campus Safety Services, and local law enforcement. For confidential support, contact the Counseling and Psychological Services office (CAPS), the Wellness Center, the YWCA, or a member of the clergy (for example, a priest or minister).

Finally, please be aware that if, for some reason, our interaction involves disruptive behavior, a concern about your safety or the safety of others, or potential violation of University policy, I will inform the Office of Student Life. The purpose of this is to keep OSL apprised of incidents of concern, and to ensure that students can receive or stay connected to the academic support and student wellness services they need.

Academic Integrity

The University is committed to academic excellence and integrity. Students are expected to do their own work and to cite any sources they use. A student who is guilty of dishonest acts in an examination, paper, or other required work for a course, or who assists others in such acts, will receive a grade of F for the course. In addition, a student guilty of dishonest acts will be immediately dismissed from the University. Students that violate copyright laws, including those covering the copying of software programs, or who knowingly alter official academic records from this or any other institution, are subject to disciplinary action (ECP Graduate Bulletin, 2013-2014 http://www.scu.edu/ecp/studentlife/bulletin/upload/Graduate-Bulletin-2013-14-01-27-14-Final-with-cover.pdf).