A New Teaching Methods Course and Proposed

Mathematics Education Minor for Prospective Middle School

Mathematics TeachersCarol Fry Bohlin ~

carolb@csufresno.eduKaren Arth ~ karth@csufresno.edu

Lance Burger ~ lburger@csufresno.eduCalifornia State University, Fresno

CMC-North Conference • 5 December 2009

Meeting the Need for More Middle School Math Teachers ~

Fresno StateMathematicians co-developed and co-taught

mathematicially-rigorous 45-hour workshops for Mathematics CSET Subtest I and II preparation.

Math educators and talented secondary math teachers co-developed and co-taught a new Middle School Math Methods course this summer.

Schedule & Target Audience Academic Year

CSET Subtest I and II Workshops (Subtest III planned for Spring)Target Audience: Multiple Subject candidates plus area teachers (

Middle School Mathematics Teaching Methods Target Audience: Multiple Subject Candidates and Liberal Studies/Blended

Program majors In the Future?...New Math Education Minor for Liberal Studies

Summer CSET Subtest I and II Workshops

Target: Multiple Subject candidates and (especially) teachersFree or inexpensive (30 teachers in each section)

Middle School Mathematics Teaching MethodsTarget: Multiple Subject-credentialed teachersFree or inexpensive (60 teachers enrolled this past summer)

Developing the FLM Course… the Journey…

As an Engineer/Project ManagerKnowledgeCollaborationCommunicationModels (visualization)

As a Teacher of MathematicsContentCollaboration

Teacher with Mentors and Peers Students with Teachers Peers

CommunicationMathematical IdeasProblem Solving Strategies

Visualizing/ExperiencingManipulativesLabs

As the Director of the San Joaquin Valley Mathematics ProjectWorking with Grant Participants

STIR (Supporting Teachers to Increase Retention)

Lesson StudySummer InstitutesFollow-up Sessions

Content for the Teacher and their StudentsTime and Opportunities to CollaborateTime and Opportunities to CommunicateExperiencing Mathematics through

Manipulatives

A New Middle School Math Methods Course is Created

Two Mathematics Faculty and the Director and Co-Director of the SJVMP:Collaborating together and

communicating ideas about how to create a course which:Delivered Rich and Challenging ContentModeled good teaching practices/PedagogyTaught/Encouraged Multiple Methods of Solving

ProblemsUsed a Variety of Manipulatives

A minor designed primarily for Liberal Studies students or other majors to acquire sufficient content and teaching knowledge for the Foundational-Level Credential in Single Subject Mathematics (FLM).

Main focus of the MME – Production of excellent middle school mathematics teachers.

Math Education Minor (MME) at California State University,

Fresno

Math 133. Number Theory for Liberal Studies (3)

MATH 134. Geometry for Liberal Studies (3)MATH 137. Exploring Statistics (3)MATH 138. Exploring Algebra (3)MATH 139. Advanced Algebra for Middle

School Teachers (3)Elective(s)–e.g., Trig., pre-calculus or calculus (at least

4 units); doesn’t include remedial math, Math 10A/B or Math 100

CI 161. Middle School Methods (3)taken outside of MEM for CTCC FLM approval.

Proposed Coursework (19 units)

MSTI Web Site: http://csufresno.edu/teachmathscience