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Succeeding at Teaching Secondary Mathematics

Your First Year

By: Cheryl D. Roddick, Julie Sliva Spitzer

All the support and guidance new mathematics teachers need—in one invaluable resource!

This guide provides beginning teachers with the information they need to know about teaching middle and high school mathematics—from assessment to standards-based teaching to student engagement strategies. Offering practical strategies and classroom vignettes, the authors focus on NCTM content and process standards and show teachers how to:

Focus on the big ideas in teaching mathematics
Design a curriculum that is meaningful
Differentiate instruction to include all learners
Engage students by meeting their affective, behavioral, and cognitive needs
Use a variety of assessment methods

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Product Details

Grade Level: 6-12
ISBN: 9781412927635
Published By: Corwin
Year: 2010
Page Count: 136
Publication date: March 22, 2010

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Description

"Here is a resource that all math teachers can use. This book maps out a road to success by incorporating best practices, innovative ideas, and proven strategies that will help any teacher reach today's students. It is filled with illustrations and explanations on how to turn your classroom into an active learning environment that appeals to the students of the 21st century. This book is an invaluable resource in transforming my classroom—now my students want to come to math class, and they are learning!"
—Amanda McKee, Mathematics Teacher
Florence County School District #5, Johnsonville, SC

All the support and guidance new mathematics teachers need—in one invaluable resource!

In today's world of increased accountability, teaching mathematics offers more challenges than ever before. This resource helps beginning teachers get off to a great start by providing information on everything from assessment to standards-based teaching to student engagement strategies.

The authors focus on NCTM content and process standards and offer guidelines for instructing and assessing English language learners, students with special needs, and gifted students. Filled with practical strategies as well as helpful classroom vignettes that encourage thought-provoking discussions on teaching middle and high school mathematics, this guide shows teachers how to:

Focus on the big ideas in teaching mathematics
Design a curriculum that is meaningful
Differentiate instruction to include all learners
Engage students by meeting their affective, behavioral, and cognitive needs
Use a variety of methods to assess students' understanding

Covering the key elements to successful teaching, this essential mathematics resource helps beginning educators lead their class with confidence!

Key features

Includes classroom vignettes that encourage thought-provoking discussions related to teaching middle and high school mathematics
Filled with tips charts and guidelines
Focuses on NCTM content and process standards
Gives particular attention to instructing and assessing English language learners, as well as special needs and gifted student populations
Provides easy-to-understand explanations of standards, assessments, and math-testing data analysis
Shows how to design a mathematics curriculum that makes connections across grade levels

Author(s)

Cheryl D. Roddick

Cheryl D. Roddick is an associate professor in the Department of Mathematics at San José State University. She currently teaches mathematics and mathematics methods courses to students in K-12 education. She also supervises field experiences for student teachers at the secondary level.

Roddick’s research interests include the conceptual understanding of fractions and teacher change relative to teaching mathematics. She has presented her research in local as well as national mathematics education conferences. She also facilitates K-12 inservice activities with teachers in local school districts.

Julie Sliva Spitzer

Julie Sliva Spitzer brings a rich background in mathematics, technology, and special education. As an associate professor of mathematics education at San Jose State University, she teaches methods of mathematics instruction to aspiring educators and supervises their field experiences. Julie continues to enjoy inservice work with teachers Grades K–12. Julie’s research interests include studying teacher and student attitudes toward teaching and learning mathematics, and best practices for teaching mathematics to learners with special needs. She is a frequent presenter at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Meetings, the California Mathematics Annual Conference, and the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, North American Chapter.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

About the Authors

Introduction

1. A Glimpse at Mathematics Instruction

Two Illustrations

Vignette 1: Algebra I—Shake Across America

Discussion

Adaptations and Extensions

Vignette 2: Seventh Grade—Surface Area With Polydron Shapes

Discussion

Adaptations and Extensions

Success in Teaching Mathematics

Summary

2. Standards-Based Teaching

Why Do We Need Standards for Teaching Mathematics?

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Principles and Standards

State and District Standards for Teaching Mathematics

The Relationship Between Standards and Standards-Based Mathematics Textbooks

Aligning Algebraic Reading With the Process Standards

Summary

3. Engaging Students in Learning Mathematics

What Is Engagement?

Engaging Learners in the Affective Domain

Vignette 1: Math Clubs

Vignette 2: Seventh Grade—Math Jeopardy

Glasser's Five Basic Needs

Vignette 3: Increasing a Student's Confidence in Mathematics

A Fresh Look at Math Clubs and Math Jeopardy

Affective Issues Related to Teaching and Learning Mathematics

Students Engaged in Learning Probability

Engaging Learners in the Behavioral Domain

Engaging Learners in the Cognitive Domain

Summary

4. Engagement Strategies for Special Populations

Vignette 1: Disparate Learners in Algebra I

The Special Needs Learner

The Gifted Learner

The English Language Learner

Examples of Engaging Learners in a Mathematics Classroom

Vignette 2: Permutations, Counting, and Ice Cream Cones

Discussion

Summary

5. Assessment

Types of Assessment

Rubrics

Developing Assessments: The Use of Backward Design

Grading and Assessment Schemes

Practical Ways of Assessing Throughout the Instructional Process

Tailoring Assessments for Special Populations

Data Driven Instructional Practices

A Word About Standardized Tests

Summary

6. Putting It All Together

The Year at a Glance: Designing Your Curriculum

Making Connections Within Mathematics

Mathematical Connections Across the Grades

More Connections Across the Grades

Making Connections Across the Curriculum

Succeeding at Teaching Mathematics—and Loving It!

Appendix A: Solutions to Shake Across America

Appendix B: Solution to the Following Problem From the Polydron Vignette

Appendix C: The Dart Board Game Solution

Appendix D: Generalization for Original Pizza Problem

References

Index

Reviews

“A nice addition to any burgeoning library of a new teacher.”

Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, April 2011

"A progressive book that tackles current issues facing teachers. The resources in this book are invaluable for new and practicing educators because of the shift in education toward developing data-driven cultures. This transformation has changed the responsibilities of teachers and the structure of mathematics classrooms in middle and high schools to a systematic approach, which facilitates student achievement and guides classrooms instruction."

Christina Silvas-Centeno, Mathematics Instructional Coach
San Jose Unified School District, CA

"Beginning teachers know more math and have met more psychological concepts than they'll ever need for teaching. What they really need and want now is a feel for how to communicate that math to students in the classroom. Roddick and Spitzer connect the dots for these teachers. Their well-designed classroom vignettes encourage beginners to think seriously about how to put together a lesson that engages and encourages students, how to work with children of differing abilities together in the same classroom, and how to evaluate all students fairly."

Gerald R. Rising, Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus
State University of New York

"Here is a resource that all math teachers can use. This book maps out a road to success by incorporating best practices, innovative ideas, and proven strategies that will help any teacher reach today's students. It is filled with illustrations and explanations on how to turn your classroom into an active learning environment that appeals to the students of the 21st century. This book was an invaluable resource in transforming my classroom—now my students want to come to math class, and they are learning!"

Amanda McKee, Mathematics Teacher
Florence County School District #5, Johnsonville, SC

"The authors do an excellent job of raising the most problematic issues for many first-year teachers and give rich mathematical tasks through vignettes that serve to raise, discuss and provide suggestions for addressing the issues. I highly recommend this book for the beginning teacher seeking advice for a successful first year of teaching."

Beatriz S. D'Ambrosio
Mathematics Teacher magazine, February 2011 (Vol. 104, No. 6)

Other Titles in: Mathematics | High School Teaching Methods

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