Math 597T Course Homepage - Spring 2012

Instructors:

Robert Indik, Math 302, indik@math.arizona.edu

Tina Deemer, Math 209, deemer@math.arizona.edu

Michelle Woodward, Math 213, woodward@math.arizona.edu

 

Course Information Course Policy (PDF) Tentative Calendar for Spring 2012 (PDF) Answers to "Card" Questions Some FAQs Texts, Resources, and References Tools for Teaching, 2nd ed, by Barbara Gross Davis, available at amazon.com Teaching First: A Guide for New Mathematicians by Thomas W. Rishel Teaching Guide for Graduate Student Instructors, UC Berkeley GSI Teaching & Resource Center Suggestions for Writing Exams Suggestions for Grading Exams Math 112 Learning Objectives How to Write a Statement of Teaching Philosophy, by Gabriela Montell, for the Chronicle of Higher Education Links to content from TA Training TA Training Manual 2011 Lesson Planning Tool Sample Student Information Sheet, for collecting information about students Classroom Observation Feedback Form Links to Department Pages and Resources Instructor Resource Manual Math 112 Web Page Math 111 Web Page Math Department Schedule - log in with NetID DRC cover sheet (Click the link for a pdf, or see Brooke for a paper copy.) Links to University Pages and Resources Academic Integrity - Help for Instructors Student Code of Conduct UAccess Instructor Center - log in with NetID D2L website Calculator Information A handy Mac/PC emulator for the TI graphing calculators can be found at WabbitStudio Here are some good examples that you can use in class to help students learn that their calculators are NOT as smart as they might think! Pixels.doc - This one uses trig functions to show how the pixels on a calculator screen really limit their picture of the graph of a function. Equations.doc - This one has a variety of functions from trig and algebra. It's written from an instructor to other instructors (so it's not really meant as a handout for your students).

Assignments: For all written assignments in this class, present your ideas in essay form (paragraphs). Your work should be typed (electronic or paper) and turned in no later than 3pm on the date due, unless specified otherwise. Assignment #1 ~ Due Monday, January 23, 3:00 pm Read the section entitled "The First Days of Class" in Tools for Teaching (posted here, if you do not yet have the book). Please read pages 37-45 and bear in mind the questions: How can I set the tone of the class for the coming term? How can I make the time worthwhile? What is the balance of administrative discussion versus math? We will be discussing your experiences during the first week of class on Monday. Read through the course policy and syllabus posted on the course's web page. Login to MyMathLab, and look through the assignments relating to all the material in the course through Test 1. Using these problems, the Final Exam Study Aid, and old exams as a guide, write 2-3 questions for Test 1. Include front matter (directions for test, headers, etc.). Typeset (word process in some way) the problems, and create a pdf document. Post in the dropbox on D2L, and bring 2 copies of your questions to class on January 23. Assignment #2 ~ Due Monday, January 30, 3:00 pm Finish your test, and be sure to give it to your supervisor for approval. Ideally, this should happen by Friday, January 27. In D2L, post at least one comment in the discussion topic "Preparing for Exams - Review Day" to let us know how you are planning to use your "review day" to help students prepare for their first exam. Assignment #3 ~ Due Wednesday, February 1, 3:00 pm Post a final, approved copy of your first exam in the dropbox on D2L. Write up your test solutions and grading criteria, and post a final copy in the dropbox on D2L. Assignment #4 ~ Due Monday, February 13, 3:00 pm Read Chapter 4 "Classroom Conduct and Decorum", sections on General Strategies and Handling Incivilities in the Tools for Teaching text. Read Chapter 7 "Managing Difficult Students", from Taking Back the Classroom by D. Kirk (linked through the D2L page) Write a one-page reflection on a classroom management situation that you have encountered this semester. Describe what happened, how you dealt with it, and based on your reading, what you might have changed in how you handled it. Convert this write-up to a pdf file and post it in the Math 597T D2L dropbox for Assignment 4 by Monday, February 13 at 3:00 pm. Assignment #5 ~ Due Monday, February 20, 3:00 pm Create a worksheet that can be used in your class to have students explore a particular concept using a graphing calculator. You should include all graphing calculator directions (your text has many examples of this), and at least one worked out example that includes a graphic. You should create something relevant to linear, quadratic, or polynomial functions, at the level of Math 112. Worksheets should be converted to a pdf file and post it in the Math 597T D2L dropbox for Assignment 5 by Monday, February 20 at 3:00 pm. Assignment #6 ~ Due Monday, February 27, 3:00 pm Complete your peer observation. (Find out who you are observing.) You will need to set up a day to observe your partner's class, carry out the observation, meet with him or her to provide feedback, and write up a one-page reflection on your experience. Some questions to consider in your write-up are: What did you learn from this experience? Did you observe any particular techniques or strategies that you would like to incorporate in your own class? Was there anything that you observed that has caused you to rethink something that you have been doing in your own teaching? What kind of useful feedback were you able to provide to your partner? What did you learn from the feedback you received on your teaching? Post your writeup in the dropbox on D2L.