EDU 612 Mathematical Thinking & Problem-Solving
Effective mathematics teaching requires understanding what students know and need to learn and then challenging and supporting them to learn it well. To be effective, teachers must know and understand deeply the mathematics they are teaching and be able to draw on that knowledge with flexibility in their daily teaching. This course builds on the candidate's understanding of how young children learn mathematics and examines deeply the problem solving and communications standards as outlined by the NCTM. Supporting mathematical thinking through problem-solving is essential to the effective teaching and learning of mathematics. Teachers will be exposed to a broader perspective of mathematics and what it means to do and learn mathematics with skill and understanding and become knowledgeable about structures that support mathematical inquiry and thinking. Enhances teacher professional judgments about teaching and learning mathematics and will ultimately improve student learning outcomes.