ED 529: Mathematics and the Curriculum
Peter Appelbaum & Wolfram Meyerhöfer, Arcadia University
Spring 2009

Welcome!
... to Mathematics and the Curriculum. In this course, we will do a great deal of investigation into current ways of thinking about mathematics education, and their implications. I have prepared a number of topics that I believe are central to teaching and learning mathematics, including:

• Recent NCTM Principles & Standards and Focal Points compared with the PA and some international standards

• Backlash against the Standards movement
• Social justice mathematics curricula
• Psychoanalysis and mathematics teaching & learning
• Literature-based mathematics education
• The design of mathematical investigations, especially in light of assessment opportunities

• Increased attention to problem solving and topics other than arithmetic; decreased attention to drill & practice
• Alternatives to a problem solving context
• Social rather than psychological analyses of classroom practices
• Mathematics as a social-cultural resource for meaning as opposed to a commodity to be collected, consumed, and spent
• Teaching as curriculum leadership

One tricky thing is for us all to appreciate that the expertise we are developing in mathematics education goes way beyond our individual classrooms or other professional work. This course is preparing us to think about and consult on mathematics education issues in a broad sense, and to develop leadership skills with that in mind. So you are going to be challenged to talk with people who teach different grade levels, to understand your own professional work within this larger context, and to consider ways in which you can apply what we are learning to school-wide, district-wide, state-wide and other levels of mathematics education professional development. We can't wait! It will be a lot of fun to find out what you are interested in this semester!

Contact Information:

Texts
Purchase the following at the Arcadia Bookstore or elsewhere:
Appelbaum, Peter. 2008. Embracing mathematics: On becoming a teacher and changing with mathematics. NY: Routledge. ISBN 0415963850.
Gutstein, Eric, and Peterson, Bob. 2005. Rethinking mathematics: Teaching social justice by the numbers. Milwaukee, WI: Rethinking Schools. ISBN 0942961544.

Conference Fee(s): (a) Equity and Social Justice (Mar 28, Pomona, NJ) 50.00 + bus; and/or (b) NCTM Research Presession (Apr 20-22, Washington, DC) 48.00 + own transportation.

Make sure you have internet access since a number of our readings will be on-line. A number of other readings  will be passed out in class. You will be consulting additional research literature to support your action research projects.

Assignments/Grades:
Your grade in ED 529 will be based on six components:

Course Leadership and Contributions (15%): This is a seminar, which only works well if participants ask questions of each other, help each other to develop ideas, and are patient when others don't understand or have different perspectives. As we work to introduce "communication" standards into our mathematics education practices, it is important for us to experiment with different kinds of communication ourselves.  With this in mind, your efforts to contribute to the course beyond the minimal expectations of attendance will be a component of your course grade. taking a leadership role in class discussions, bringing in outside resources, supporting others' projects, etc., are vital to the professional networking that takes place in this course.

Trajectory Paper (20%): We start the semester combining a perusal of the variety of professional standards and expectations held for mathematics education with an exploration of social justice mathematics curricula. You will demonstrate your understanding of this material through a paper that analyses particular social justice mathematics activities for their potential to address standards and expectations depending on the placement of the activities at the beginning, middle or end of a unit. Please see the Trajectory Specifications Sheet, which describes the creation of a "replacement unit" for your current curriculum, meeting the following objectives:

1. Demonstrate that this lesson/unit idea can cover enough of the current curriculum to justify using it as a “replacement unit.”

2. Describe how the larger curricular context would change if this lesson/unit were at the beginning, middle, or end of the design.

3. Demonstrate working knowledge of NCTM, CIEAEM, and PA Standards/goals.

4. Identify 2 gatekeepers who will need to be convinced that it would be OK for you to use this and include those materials you will use to proactively elicit their support.

Conference: Attend one conference day or its equivalent. We are going as a group to the Equity and Social Justice Conference in NJ, since it is directly related to our course topics. If you have a conflict with this date, you may attend the NCTM Research Pre-Session in Washington, DC.

Action Research Project (30%): Based on your own professional interests, you will develop an action project that will evolve in response to the various topics that we explore throughout the semester. The project will provide a context for applying and interpreting the course material, require you to take action on what you have been learning by connecting with people outside of Arcadia and your regular work environment, and establish a context for further action and a future action plan (the "next step"). Please see the Project Specifications Sheet.

Literature Circle (15%): You will choose a work of literature from Peter's collection and form a group based on reading choice. The group will design a participatory event for the whole class that grows out of your self-directed reading and discussion, using a metaphor for the classroom space (one of the new ideas we will be learning about).

Next Step (20%): During the last four weeks of our course you will take further action based on the work you have done so far. This will culminate in a final "progress report" on your future plans. Please see the Next Step Specifications Sheet.

Tentative Schedule:

What are you going to read over the summer????