I. Course Title: Early Field Experiences in Teaching Mathematics Grades 6-12
II. Course Number: EDUC 647
III. Credit Hours: 3 credits
IV. Prerequisites: EDEF 600 (or equivalent); EDEF 607 ; admission into the Teacher
Education Program
Corequisites: EDUC 557
V. Course Description:
This field experience is taken in conjunction with the methods course EDUC 557 Methods
for Mathematics Instruction Grades 6-12. The purpose of early field experiences is
to provide teacher candidates with real-world perspectives of teaching, learning,
and school community while integrating educational theories with practice. Early field
experiences in mathematics provide teacher candidates with opportunities to become
acquainted with the classroom and the many roles of the mathematics teacher. Teacher
candidates observe, perform non-instructional tasks, and engage in some closely supervised
delivery of instruction. Through regularly scheduled seminar sessions, teacher candidates
use an academic lens to reflect upon their observations and contributions within the
classroom while considering the early field experience鈥檚 impact on their future teaching.
VI. Detailed Description of Content of the Course:
During this clinical experience, candidates are placed in a middle/secondary (grades
6-12) mathematics classroom with a certified cooperating teacher. The semester begins
with the candidate completing observations of both the teacher and the students, learning
about the school culture, and assisting the teacher as needed with day-to-day classroom
tasks. As the semester progresses the candidate is given additional instructional
responsibilities with students 鈥� individually and in small and large groups. The candidate
also takes pedagogy classes and completes assignments in their classroom setting throughout
the semester, culminating in a multi-day, candidate-designed instructional sequence.
During this time, the candidate teaches and assesses an instructional unit of study
that they have planned. Candidates鈥� practices will utilize the Virginia Department
of Education standards and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Council
for the Accreditation of Educational Programs standards for planning and instruction.
Weekly seminars are scheduled to enhance the professional development of candidates
enrolled in this field experience and include, but are not limited to the following
topics:
- Classroom Management
- Teaching Diverse Learners
- Professional growth, reflection, and evaluation
- Communicating with Families
- Professional Behaviors
- Applications of Instructional Planning, Pedagogy, and Assessment
VI. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course:
EDUC 647 is a clinical experience which involves the students in a 6-12 mathematics
classroom placement. Students work with approved clinical faculty teachers and university
supervisors. The experience begins with observation and culminates in the teaching
of a student-designed instructional unit which is based on the Virginia Standards
of Learning and the NCTM CAEP standards. Weekly seminar meetings focus on classroom
management, preparation for teaching diverse learners, and the professional development
of teacher candidates.
VII. Goals and Objectives of the Course:
Goals, objectives, and assignments address the Virginia Department of Education regulations
for preparing middle/secondary (grades 6-12) mathematics educators and the National
Council of Teachers of Mathematics CAEP Standards for Secondary Initial Teacher Preparation.
Candidates successfully completing this course will be able to demonstrate developing
knowledge, skills, and dispositions of the following:
Area 1: Understand how to effectively design and implement mathematics instruction
- Candidates will begin to develop their abilities to plan lessons and units that incorporate
a variety of strategies, differentiated instruction for diverse populations, and mathematics-specific
and instructional technologies in building all students鈥� conceptual understanding
and procedural proficiency.
- Candidates will begin to develop their abilities to plan and create developmentally
appropriate, sequential, and challenging learning opportunities grounded in mathematics
education research in which students are actively engaged in building new knowledge
from prior knowledge and experiences.
- Candidates will begin to develop their abilities to provide students with opportunities
to communicate about mathematics and make connections among mathematics, other content
areas, everyday life, and the workplace.
- Candidates will begin to develop their abilities to apply mathematical content and
pedagogical knowledge to select, adapt, evaluate, and use instructional tools such
as manipulatives and physical models, drawings, virtual manipulatives and environments,
spreadsheets, presentation tools, and mathematics-specific technologies (e.g., calculators,
graphing utilities, dynamic geometry software, computer algebra systems, and statistical
packages); and make sound decisions about when such tools enhance teaching and learning,
recognizing both the insights to be gained and possible limitations of such tools.
- Candidates will begin to implement techniques related to student engagement and communication
including selecting high quality tasks, guiding mathematical discussions, identifying
key mathematical ideas, identifying and addressing student misconceptions, and employing
a range of questioning strategies.
Area 2: Assess student learning and understanding
- Candidates will begin to develop their abilities to use various strategies and means
for managing, assessing, and monitoring student learning, including diagnosing student
errors.
- Candidates will begin to develop their abilities to assess secondary students demonstration
of their conceptual understanding; procedural fluency; the ability to formulate, represent,
and solve problems; logical reasoning and continuous reflection on that reasoning;
productive disposition toward mathematics; and the application of mathematics in a
variety of contexts.
- Candidates will begin to develop their abilities to collect, organize, analyze, and
reflect on diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment evidence and determine
the extent to which students鈥� mathematical proficiencies have increased as a result
of their instruction and use the evidence to inform ongoing planning and instruction,
as well as to understand and help students understand their own progress and growth.
- Candidates will begin to develop their abilities to plan, select, implement, interpret,
and use formative and summative assessments to inform instruction by reflecting on
mathematical proficiencies essential for all students.
- Candidates will develop their abilities to monitor students鈥� progress, make instructional
decisions, and measure students鈥� mathematical understanding and ability using formative
and summative assessments.
Area 3: Meet the diverse needs of learners to engage them in mathematical thinking
and activities.
- Candidates will begin to develop their abilities to use research-based strategies
to teach mathematics to diverse adolescent learners and use instructional practices
that are sensitive to culturally and linguistically diverse learners, including English
learners, gifted and talented students, and students with disabilities.
- Candidates will begin to develop their abilities to incorporate knowledge of individual
differences and the cultural and language diversity that exists within classrooms
and include culturally relevant perspectives as a means to motivate and engage students.
- Candidates will begin to demonstrate equitable and ethical treatment of, and high
expectations for all students
Area 4: Communication & Professional Development
- Candidates will begin to take an active role in their professional growth by participating
in professional development experiences that directly relate to the learning and teaching
of mathematics.
- Candidates will begin to develop their understanding of, and abilities to select,
adapt, evaluate and use instructional resources from professional mathematics education
organizations such as print, digital, and virtual resources/collections.
- Candidates will begin to develop their abilities to improve communication between
schools and families and ways of increasing family engagement in student learning
at home, in school and with the Virginia Standards of Learning.
VIII. Assessment Measures:
Assessment of teaching in the early field experience is both formative and summative
and is collaboratively completed by the classroom teacher and University faculty.
Evaluation is based upon the INTASC Standards for Beginning Teachers which are embedded
in the Teacher Candidate Evaluation forms.
- Key CAEP Performance Assessment: Lesson Plan Assessment
- Key CAEP Performance Assessment: Impact on Student Learning
- Key CAEP Performance Assessment: Professional Characteristics and Dispositions form
- Key CAEP Performance Assessment: Teacher Candidate Evaluation form
In addition to the assessments above, Teacher Candidates will be assessed using other
measures including, but not limited to:
- Reflective Journals
- Unit Plan
- Focused Observation Assignments
- Class Participation
- Article Critiques
Other Course Information
Graded A-C (+/-).
Review and Approval
March 01, 2021