Fall 2005 Freshmen seminar on
Teaching and Learning Elementary Mathematics in China and US

Here is the general information.
Students of this class should visit MATH150-01-F05 via http://blackboard.wm.edu/.

• Jinchuan Hou
  President of the Shanxi Teachers University and 2005 W&M Freeman Visiting Fellow,
  Office: Jones 101D, Tel:221-2570, Fax: 221-7400, E-mail: jxhoux@wm.edu
  http://www.math.wm.edu/~ckli/pdf/hou.pdf
  Office hours: TWR 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. or by appointments.
• Chi-Kwong Li
  Office: Jones 116, Tel:221-2042, Fax: 221-7400, E-mail: ckli@math.wm.edu
  http://www.math.wm.edu/~ckli
  Office hours: TWR 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. or by appointments

Course Description

Meeting Time and Place Tuesday/Thursday 9:30 - 10:50 a.m. Morton 341

Main reference Knowing and teaching elementary mathematics: Teachers' understanding of fundamental mathematics in China and the United States, Liping Ma.

Additional references A lot of information on the web.

Format Instructors and students take turn to report and take the lead of discussion of chapters in the book. Two to three students in a team to talk and take the lead of discussion every time. Students can reflect their mathematics learning experience. Professor Hou will give insights about the mathematics teaching in China.

Assessment

   Presentations (evaluated by instructors and peers)      25%
   participation (1 point for each meeting roughly)        25%
   Homework      (technical problems and evaluations)      25%
   Class project                                           25%
   Extra credit                                             5%

 
       % : 0 -  55 - 60 - 65 - 70 - 75 - 80 - 85 - 90 - 100
             F     C-   C    C+   B-   B    B+   A-   A
 

• What is the theme/topic in this chapter?
• Describe, according the book, the behavior of US teachers the behavior of Chinese teachers.
• Find the differences between US teachers the behavior of Chinese teachers.
• What is the author's opinion?
• What do you think? (your and your friends' experiences, your point of view about the author's opinion, analysis and conclusion.)
• Your suggestions on Math learning and teaching.
• What questions do you think that are interesting or worth to be discussed further in the seminar or future?

A simple form could be:
Date:
Speakers:
Lecture theme:
Rating of the presentation:
Any special techniques/equipment/technology used: 
(Constrictive) comments about the presentation:
Comments about the contents: 
  1. Do you have similar experience in learning mathematics?
  2. Can you think of any related experience?
  3. Any suggestions in improving the teaching and learning?
  4. Give an example to illustrate the difference between the
     US and Chinese ways of teaching of the topic discussed today.
  

• Discuss a particular topic they have special experience in learning, or survey their friends to see whether the findings in the book are accurate.

Book presentations

• 9/6,8 Sean Clark and Devin Mawdsley (Chapter 1)
• 9/13,15 Amanda Goehring and Jeff Yang (Chapter 2)
• 9/20,22 Nicole Bost and Than Maung (Chapter 3)
• 9/27,29 Brent Paladin and Chris Ray (Chapter 4)
• 10/4,6 Brittany Gleason and Peter Carlson (Chapter 5)
• 10/13,18 Derek, Matt, Klaudyna (Chapter 6-7)

Projects