In collaboration with University Extension, the Department of Mathematics offers programs of professional development for elementary and secondary school teachers. These programs are content-based and provide an alternative to the method-based in-service programs that have dominated teacher professional development in recent years. They are offered by faculty from the Department of Mathematics at UC Davis, including winners of UC Davis's Distinguished Teaching Award, authors of school texts in mathematics, and individuals formerly affiliated with the Northern California Mathematics Project.
Each programs begins with an accessible, methodical, and engaging development of a topic that is central to school mathematics, - e.g., the concept of divisor, calculation of area, or definition of probability. With such an underlying mathematical idea fully understood, the presentation turns to applications in the school curriculum - e.g., the addition of fractions, Pythagorean theorem, or calculating expected value.
Teachers attending the workshop present alternative techniques for conveying such mathematical concepts to students at a given grade level, taking into account the challenges teachers face in varying school situations (e.g., special ability, gifted, and multilingual classes). These presentations will provide a basis for discussion by the entire group. Rather than setting forth "correct" ways of presenting mathematics, these discussions focus on the extent to which essential mathematical concepts have in fact been conveyed.
At the close, attending teachers are asked to participate in a UNEX assessment aimed at determining the program's effectiveness in enhancing teaching effectiveness.
Click here for a listing of Topics available under Starting With Math.
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For further information about enrollment, please contact University Extension at Education@unexmail.ucdavis.edu.