Mathematics
Education Newsletter
October 2008
VIP Professor in Mathematics Education Spring 2009!
The Education Department
is thrilled to host this year's visiting international professor, Wolfram
Meyerhöfer, whose focus is in mathematics
education. Dr. Meyerhöfer is from Germany, and is currently at the
Institut für Didaktik
der Mathematik of the Alpen-Adria-Universität in Klagenfurt, Austria. Before
moving recently to Klagenfurt, Dr. Meyerhöfer was a Guest Professor at the
Freie Universität in Berlin, and was an elected representative working in
government in Potsdam, Germany. This coming Spring, Dr. Meyerhöfer will be
teaching a seminar for graduate students in mathematics education, a course
in mathematics for undergraduates, and working with Arcadia students and
faculty to further infuse a global perspective in our programs and ongoing
projects. He will be visiting classes around campus to chat with students,
and will be available as an additional resource for your work should you be
interested in meeting with him.
Don't miss the opportunity to register for Dr. Meyerhöfer's Seminar for Mathematics Educators, ED 558B, which will focus on Dyscalculia and its problems as a lens through which to better understand making mathematics meaningful for all students.
Embracing Mathematics makes Debut!
Embracing Mathematics: On
Becoming a Teacher and Changing with Mathematics (Routledge, 2008)
is now available! See these links:
google books;
the publisher;
amazon. This alternative textbook and teacher discussion book for all
levels of mathematics education has been many years in the making, and most
recent graduates of Arcadia programs have had a hand in its ongoing
development, reading drafts of chapters, commenting, trying out the ideas,
and contributing their own action research stories themselves. Arcadia
mathematics educator authors in the book include Peter Appelbaum, David
Scott Allen, Isaiah Manzella, Karen Cipriano, Ada Rocchi, Colleen Murphy,
Kristen Iaccio, and Petal Sumner. David Kirchner of Louisiana State
University wrote, "This book is likely to have a substantial impact on the
landscape of pedagogical thinking. The pedagogy is a model for how to be
engaged in life, in this sense presenting a personal vision that informs
more than how to teach." Ole Skovsmose of Aalborg University in Denmark
wrote, "Embracing Mathematics presents a wealth of educational ideas.
It provides lenses for seeing classroom practice as open to fascinating
changes. Emerging as a powerful collective achievement, it provides a
dialogical opening of post-modern trends in critical mathematics education,
sees as practice, research, and as learning for everybody."
Isaiah Manzella to Receive Alumni Teaching Award
Isaiah Manzella, 2003 graduate of Arcadia in Special Education, and teacher at Rancocas Valley Regional High School in New Jersey, is this year's recipient of the Arcadia Alumni Teaching Award. Over the past five years, Mr. Manzella has taught Resource Center Mathematics, Inclusion Mathematics, Alternative School Mathematics, and now in a self-contained classroom for students with behavioral disorders. He also coaches soccer, co-runs the EA Sports Video Game club, and the Skateboard Club. He recently wrote about his experiences with his students in putting numbers on trial to prove their value in the book Embracing Mathematics (see above). Isaiah will receive his award during the annual Induction Ceremony for new Education students at the Castle, 7:00 pm, Tuesday, October 14th.
Arcadia Mathematics Education Colloquia Hit the Spot!
These ever-popular evenings continue this year with three lively and applicable topics. Teachers can receive ACT 48 credit, or just come for the great presentation and discussion. They all take place in the Castle with coffee reception at 7:00 pm, presentation from 7:30-8:30, and questions and conversation from 8:30-9:00. Brings friends! Share rides and enjoy the company!
November 11th
- Tuesday - Jacqueline Leonard, Temple University, speaking on: Dilemmas of
Culturally Relevant
Pedagogy. This
presentation focuses on culturally relevant pedagogy and its nexus with
student learning in K-12 classrooms. According to Gloria Ladson-Billings,
culturally relevant pedagogy empowers both teachers and students to be
self-directed and to take charge of their own learning by using
circumstances that arise in the community as forms of official knowledge.
Specifically, the presenter examines how two high school teachers enacted
culturally relevant practices and how these practices influenced diverse
students’ opportunities to learn mathematics. The presentation will focus on
the complexities of implementing culturally relevant projects and some of
the dilemmas that arose in the two teachers’ classrooms. Concerns about
accountability influenced the teachers to attend more to mathematics content
than meaning-making and cultural competence. The presentation will conclude
with a discussion and suggestions about how to make mathematics lessons are
more relevant to the lives of diverse students and how to motivate them to
learn mathematics by making connections to social justice.
February 9th - Monday - Gordon Williams, Ursinus College, speaking on: Breaking the Da Vinci Code. Dan Brown's international best seller The Da Vinci Code has spawned an industry of conspiracy theories, historical television programming, and a movie. Hidden within this tale are some startling claims about the ancient Greeks, classical art and mathematics. In this talk we explore a wide range of the mathematically related claims made by the author and shed some light on those claims which are true, and those which are fiction.
February 19th - Thursday - Sorelle Friedler, University of Maryland, speaking on: How do Computers Solve Geometric Problems? Computational geometry is the study of computer methods to solve geometric problems and the study of geometric problems arising from computer applications. This presentation discusses some classic computational geometry problems, such as Voronoi diagrams and Delaunay triangulations, and ways they can be presented to high school students. These new geometric problems have many applications, from fire engine routes to video animation, and can be added to a high school geometry curriculum to motivate and challenge students.
For more info on the Arcadia Colloquium Series, including others that are equally fascinating beyond the three in mathematics and mathematics education, click here.
***Stay tuned as well for an announcement of our Visiting International Professor, Wolfram Meyerhöfer, who will be giving a special presentation on Thursday, February 5th, 3:30-6:00 ,in the Mirror and Rose Rooms.
Conferences not to be Missed!
As leaders in the mathematics education community, none of us should miss these upcoming conferences: The 57th Annual PCTM (Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of Mathematics) Conference will be held in the Poconos at Split Rock Resort on November 5-7, 2008. For more info, click here. The 20th annual AMTNJ (Association of Mathematics Teachers of New Jersey) Conference will be held on October 22, 23, & 24, 2008 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel and Holiday Inn, Somerset, NJ. For more info, click here. Looking ahead, the NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) Annual Conference is again within driving distance this Spring, in Washington, D.C.; plan now! April 22-23, 2009; see www.nctm.org/meetings for more info.
SPRING 2009 COURSES IN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
CS201.1 Problem-Solving with Algorithms/Programming I 4 9:45 am 10:50 am MWF Arras
CS201.2 Problem-Solving with Algorithms/Programming I 3 5:45 pm 7:00 pm TR Staff
CS202.1 Problem-Solving w/Algorithms & Program II 4 1:30 pm 2:35 pm MWF Jia
CS202.2 Problem-Solving w/Algorithms & Program II 3 5:45 pm 7:00 pm MW Staff
CS203.1 Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis 3 5:45 pm 7:00 pm TR Engel
CS228G.1 Modern Program Language: SAS II 3 7:10 pm 9:50 pm W Shilling
CS306.1 Building Web Applications 3 7:10 pm 9:50 pm T Engel
CS317.1 Algorithm Design 3 7:10 pm 9:50 pm M Jia
CS358.1 Operating Systems 3 7:10 pm 9:50 pm W Garvin
MA322.1 Abstract Algebra I 4 5:45 pm 7:25 pm MW Wolff
MA331.1 Modern College Geometry 4 6:00 pm 9:10 pm R Lee
MA342.1 Mathematical Statistics I 4 4:00 pm 5:40 pm MW WolffED526A.1 Learning & Assessment in Elem Math 3 7:20 pm 10:00 pm T Acconciamessa
ED526A.2 Learning & Assessment in Elem Math 3 4:30 pm 7:10 pm R Allen
ED528A.1 Problem Solving/Problem Posing Workshop 3 7:20 pm 10:00 pm M Dugan
ED529.1 Mathematics & The Curriculum 3 4:30 pm 7:10 pm R Appelbaum
ED558B.1 Seminar for Mathematics Educators 3 4:30 pm 7:10 pm W Meyerhöfer
ED565B.1 Computers & Technology for Math Education 3 4:30 pm 7:10 pm T Schwartz
Don’t
forget the many other courses in education not specifically in mathematics
that may be of
interest! Check out the course offerings at the
These courses are open to students
pursuing a degree or certification, and also to folks interested in just
taking a course or two. Spread the word! Tell friends and family about the
opportunities here at
Opportunities!
Target Field Trip Grants Program: Educators can choose their own field trip and use grant dollars to take learning outside the classroom. In 2009, target will award 5,000 field trip grants of up to $1000 each. This program is availabel to educators employed by K-12 schools that have a 501(c)(3) or 509(a)(1) tax exempt status. applications are available at www.target.com/teachers through November 1st. Grants are awarded in January, 2009.
Braitmeyer Foundation K-12 Grants. Proposals are due November 1-15. Thsi foundation is interested in K-12 education in the United States, with special interests in curricular and school reform initiative and preparation, as well as professional development opportunities for teachers. The foundation provides up to $10,000 for grants to be used anywhere in teh US as seed money, challenge grants, or to match other grants to the recipient organizations. For more info, see www.braitmeyerfoundation.org/guid.htm.
NCTM E-Workshops. The national council announced new on-line workshops for November. workshops will include both global content for teachers of all levels as well as break-out sessions to target issues and solutions specifically for elementary-middle school and middle-high school teachers. participants will complete a questionnaire before the workshop to identify key areas of interest. This feedback will allow the workshop to address the most critical content for participants.
Book Reviews
Following up on the well-received review of
Rethinking Mathematics: Teaching Social Justice by the Numbers,
by Patricia Marnien Tresnan, Mathematics Teacher,
Possible books to consider reviewing:
D’Ambriosio, Ubiratan. 2001. Ethnomathematics: Link between
traditiona and modernity.
Gellert, Uwe, and Jablonks, Eva (eds). 2007. Mathematisation and
demathematisation: Social, philosophical, and educational ramifications.
Gutstein, Eric. 2006.
Nolan, Kathleen. 2007. How should I Know? Preservice Teachers’ Images of Knowing (by Heart) in Mathematics and Science. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
Skovsmose, Ole. 2005. Travelling through education; Uncertainty,
mathematics, responsibility.
Walshaw, Margaret (ed). 2004. Mathematics education within the
postmodern.
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Mitch’s Corner
