EDUCATION 489-4 

ADVANCED DESIGNS FOR LEARNING, MATHEMATICS

SUMMER SESSION

INSTRUCTOR: John V. Trivett           

TIME: Tuesday & Friday, 8:30 - 12:30

Education 4754, 

Designs for Learning, Mathematics is a pre-requisite for the taking of

this new course, Education 

489. 

The earlier course introduces an approach to the

learning and teaching of mathematics at any grade based upon the best known principles

of children's learning, communication of the subject and management within classrooms,

a close correspondence to the provincial curriculum guide and a practical integration

of mathematics with what is done in other subjects.

Because the majority of participants begin with the need to change their poor attitude

to mathematics, Education 

475

necessarily for one course, has an objective of first

changing those attitudes and second of studying, designing and implementing a very

few units of classroom practice.

THIS NEW COURSE, Education 1+89, is offered for those who have been practising what

they learned in Education 

475. 

It aims at advancing their work with the advantage that

the substance and practice of mathematics teaching can now become the emphasis since

the old attitudes have been transformed.

Objectives of Education 489 include:

a)

the understandings, design and implementation of a curriculum

of mathemematics teaching and learning, for at least one complete

school year, not only for one grade but which has continuity

across several.

b)

doing so synergetically, because of the substitution of "algebraic"

and powerful dynamic methods in place of the traditional

drills, reviews and reliance on memorization.

c)

integration of the mathematical basics with other disciplines,

especially in relation to language

d)

a better understanding of how to change mathematics at all

grades in line with the well-documented recommendations of

Canadian and other reports.

Topics wifl not be different from those required by curriculum guides, but the

interpretations and practices will continue to be different from the traditional:

1)

Arithmetic, approached practically from an "algebraic" standpoint;

2) Whole numbers and their operations, with computation seen as

a language art;

3)

Fractions, decimals, percentages, seen as forms of rational numbers,

quite viable for elementary grade students;

4) Geometry, experienced dynamically;

5)

Equation solving, but viewed as special cases of sentence

transformations;

6)

"Problems", treated.-.as imaginative applications of most of the

mathematics to commerce, money, measurement, etc.

7)

The teacher's role, as one who has expertise in inviting students

into activities which because of their very structure are most

likely to cause awareness needed for the conquest of the

mathematics;

8)

Texts and materials, but books used as only one type of materials

and augmented by concrete aids advocated in the B.C. math guide;

9)

Mathematics as a subject, but treated as not separable from the

integrated studies and behaviours of all students; 

.

Education 

489-4 

Advanced Designs for Learning, Mathematics (con't)   

Page 

10) ''Bright and slow students", but such simplistic divisions abolished,

being replaced by concentration on the abilities all students

have, provided by the evidence they show of their learning

during the first 

or 6 years of life.

Elementary and secondary teachers of arithmetic and/6r mathematics are welcome.

Requirements for successful passing of the course will include, for each participant:

a)

the selection of a specific spectrum of the mathematics

curriculum for concentrated study;

b) active participation in and between classes;

c)

preparation of a project detailing the design and implementation

for their teaching of mathematics in their classroom for the

school year, 

1980-1981.

For further details, clarification or help please feel free to contact the instructor

Professor John V. Trivett

(14151

or

922-6683).

TEXTS:

REQUIRED:

TRIVETT, J.V., 

... And So On (in mimeograph form available from the instructor),

new designs for the learning and teaching of mathematics; currently in

process of publication.

RECOMMENDED:

GATTEGNO, C., The Common Sense of Teaching Mathematics, Educational Solutions, New

York, 

1973

(QA

135.56314)

KRULIK, S. A Mathematics Laboratory Handbook for Secondary Schools, Saunders Co.,

Tor'onto, 

1972

NIMAN, J. & POSTMAN, R. Mathematics on the Geoboard, Cuisenaire Co., New Rochelle,

New York, 

1974

PETERSON, J. & HASHISAKI, J., Theory of Arithmetic, Wiley & Sons, Toronto, 

1963

TRIVETT, J.V.; Games Children Play for Learning Mathematics, Cuisenaire Co. New

Rochelle, New York, 

1973 (50 QA 95T75)

WEISSGLASS,; Exploring Elementary Mathematics, Freeman & Co., San Francisco, 

1979