Math 147: Graduate Teaching Seminar

Summer 2013
Kemeny 200, 1-4pm (apart from 12-5pm during math camps). Instructors: Marcia Groszek and Alex Barnett
Teaching assistant: Jenny Harnish

Goals

Here are the course goals as a PDF file.

Readings

The readings (see pre-course work) will be:

James Zull, "The Art of Changing the Brain" (2002).
Richard R. Skemp, "The Psychology of Learning Mathematics," expanded American edition (1987)
Eleanor Duckworth, "The Having of Wonderful Ideas and Other Essays on Teaching and Learning," 2nd edition (1996)

For Duckworth you'll want to read a bit on Piaget before you start, eg here. Watching the videos of kids is fun too (lots more on youtube).

Required books to buy

Steven Krantz, "How to Teach Mathematics," 2nd edition (AMS, 1999).
John Meier and Thomas Rishel, "Writing in the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics" (MAA, 1998).
E. Rogers, N. Davidson, and B. Reynolds, "Cooperative Learning in Undergraduate Mathematics: Issues and Strategies That Work" (MAA, 2001). Out of print and available as photocopy in binder - ask at the math office

Timeline and Assignments

The summer teaching course will be June 27 - August 16, with no classes on July 4 or July 5. Please block out 1-4pm each day in the regular course; some weeks we'll only use 4 of the 5 days. High school math camp will be the weeks of July 15 through 19 and July 29 through August 2 (please block out noon-5pm all days these weeks).

The final week, August 12 through 16, will probably be devoted to guest teaching and not include any class meetings, although this isn't guaranteed; we may need to move some classes to work around the guest teaching schedules of graduate students, or the schedules of our guest speakers.

week	day (date)	tasks / group work / readings due	activities
1	Th June 27	pre-course work	Introductions, syllabus, goals of M147, good/bad learning experiences, categories of features of good ones; settings learning goals (importance, content vs higher-level, two hypothetical courses), brainstorm assessment of a tricky goal.
	Fr 28	prepare 5-min talks, MC1 goals	5-minute presentations (feedback forms, videocamera); brainstorm benefits of lecturing vs of reading, features of good lectures, brainstorm evaluation of one math camp goal.
	M July 1	recap Zull, eval MC1 goals, video response	Chapter summaries of Zull, using Zull to improve teaching, design a learning cycle for 2nd derivatives; what is a lesson plan, design a lesson plan segment
	Tu 2	Duckworth, video response	Discuss Piaget & Duckworth, favorite Duckworth idea, instructor examples of cooperative learning, brainstorm advantages and disadvantages; exercise on coop lesson plan for chain rule.
	We 3	MC1 topic, lesson plan, Skemp	Discuss Skemp, draw concept maps, commit to two MC1 goals, dissect MC1 goal assessment plans; classroom assessment techniques.
2	M 8	sketch plan for MC1	Feedback/dissection of MC1 plan, math goals, exercise on assessment questions; pairs exercise adding CATs to chain rule lesson plans.
	Tu 9	first 2 days MC1 lesson plans	Feedback on lesson plans; readings on coop learning, jigsaw exercise on coop learning plan for Math 20, good blackboard technique.
	We 10	5-min lecture + Hativa	5-minute lectures, feedback, brainstorm blackboard technique; discuss Hativa, MC1 assessment plan.
	Th 11	all lesson plans for MC1	Feedback on lesson plans; classroom management.
	M 15 - F 19		Math Camp 1. 1-4pm each day. (Meet at noon; debrief 4-5pm). Topic chosen: probability.
	M 22	MC2 topic, goals	Questionnaire. MC1 feedback, discuss MC2 topic, goals, Bloom's taxonomy, categorizing FTC problems; creating structured exam questions.
	Tu 23	MC2 sketch plan, eval	Felder-Silverman learning styles (questionnaire), writing lesson plans for FTC addressing all learning styles; Pygmalion effect, discuss MC2 assessment.
	W 24	1st MC2 lesson plans	Discuss lesson plan, teaching successful collaboration; using writing exercises in math.
	Th 25	5-min lecture; MC2 days 1-3	Vocal warm-up & dynamics, 5-minute lectures; discuss remaining lesson plans.
	M 29 - F Aug 2		Math Camp 2. 1-4pm each day. (Meet at noon; debrief 4-5pm). Topic chosen: knot theory.
	M 5		Syllabi and course texts; 1:30-3pm: Carl Thum and Leslie Schnyder from ASC, Larissa Hopkins from SAS, Natalie Hoyt from Undergraduate Deans' Office; dress code, honor code.
	Tu 6	find statements, Krantz	Teaching statements, Grading rubrics, Gender in math and science; 2:40-4pm: Cynthia Tobery (DCAL).
	W 7	own TS, bring qu's	1-2:25pm: TM Mosley (OPAL). 2:40-4pm: Experienced graduate instructor advice session.
	Th 8	5-min final pres	2:40-4pm: faculty advice session.

Online workspaces

Please upload homeworks and lesson plans to the m147x13 folder on DropBox. You will receive instructions by email about this.

Photographs of the process

Here is the directory of photos from the discussions, and a montage from the math camps.

Resources and Articles

Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs), and also here, for rapid formative evaluation. For formative and summative assessment specifically of collaborative learning, see this article by Walker and Angelo (1997).
Alex's advice on how to write good worksheets and use them in class
Clarity in lesson plans: Hativa, N. (1983). What makes mathematics lessons easy to follow, understand, and remember. The College Mathematics Journal, 14, 398-406. Statistically bogus but still a great summary of good techniques.
Rouviere on coop learning ideas in math teaching, Brown on guidelines for group work in math. (Both read on day 7).
Jenny's notes on classroom management.
Bloom's taxonomy of cognitive skills: Taxonomy in math, Shorser on undergraduate mathematics.
Pygmalion Effect (day 11): encyclopedia review, useful summary, another summary with useful lists, recent status.
Learning styles (day 11): Felder and Solomon, Felder and Silverman 1988. Meet your students: Sensing/Intuitive, Sequential/Global, Extrovert/Introvert. Recent commentary in the Chronicle
Dave Raggett's intro to HTML. Make this a file called index.html in directory public_html in your gauss home directory.
Presentation from Cindy Tobery at DCAL: handout, and slides.
Racial microaggressions article.
Why So Few? report on women in science and math (AAUW, 2010). PNAS article finding little evidence of gender bias at the higher levels nowadays.
Exhibits of media/culture representation of women and men in mathematics and science:
- Teen Talk Barbie (1992; withdrawn after protest)
- Land's End backpacks
- Allergic to algebra shirt
- A Beautiful Mind (first 01:15 minute of trailer)
- Big Bang Theory (see clips at 00:47 and 03:23).
Psychology research papers on the effect of attire (dress) on perceived competence of graduate TAs and professors.