Throughout the series of six courses, participants will deepen both their mathematical content knowledge and their pedagogical content knowledge to become more effective and confident math teachers for elementary students.
In all courses, participants will engage in mathematical problem solving, investigate connections between research and their own practice, and engage with colleagues to build a supportive professional community of math teachers and learners.
In addition, participants will develop as math teacher leaders who can provide professional learning and support for their colleagues, promote productive collaboration related to mathematics, and advocate for high-quality mathematics instruction in their schools.
MATH 55010: Number and Operations, Part 1
- counting and cardinality
- operations with whole numbers (fact fluency, strategies, algorithms)
- exploration of number systems with an emphasis on the base ten system
- introduction to basic number theory to explore relationships between numbers
- making connections within and across operations
- providing equitable access to math content; equitable teaching practices
- building procedural fluency from conceptual understanding
- teaching diverse students
- planning for differentiated instruction
MATH 55020: Number and Operations, Part 2
- defining, ordering and comparing fractions
- equivalence of fractions
- fraction computation
- relationships between fractions, decimals and percents.
- establishing a positive classroom community (norms, discourse, questioning)
- implementing tasks that promote reasoning and problem solving
- eliciting and using evidence of student thinking
- using formative assessment
MATH 55080: Developing Algebraic and Proportional Reasoning
- exploration of patterns and functions
- representation and analysis of mathematical situations and structures using algebraic symbols and models
- relational thinking and properties of equality
- establishing a safe and healthy learning environment for all students
- using and connecting mathematical representations
- culturally responsive pedagogy
MATH 55070: Leadership in Mathematics Education
- share knowledge and learning about high-quality math instruction with other adults
- understand issues related to mathematics teaching and learning specific to elementary schools
- collaborate and communicate effectively with colleagues and administrators
- identify needs related to math education and set goals to address these needs
- advocating for high-quality mathematics instruction
- enhancing collaboration around mathematics within and across grade levels
- supporting professional learning around high-quality mathematics instruction
MATH 55040: Geometry and Measurement, Part 1
- properties and classification of lines, angles, and shapes
- composing and decomposing shapes (2D and 3D)
- transformations and tessellations
- developing conceptual understanding of geometry through problem solving.
- promoting language and communication (oral and written) related to math content
- supporting productive struggle
- evaluating curricula and assessments to identify biases (based on language or prior experiences of students) and improving or enriching materials accordingly
MATH 55050: Geometry and Measurement, Part 2
- area, perimeter, volume, and surface area
- standard and non-standard units for measurement
- estimation, measurement tools, and formulas
- asking statistical questions
- collecting, analyzing and representing data in a variety of ways
- describing and summarizing numerical data sets
- understanding data distributions
- making connections to relevant, real-world contexts
- integrating technology into instruction in meaningful ways
Endorsement Information
This series of six courses is designed to meet the requirements for the Illinois State Board of Education’s Elementary Mathematics Specialist Endorsement. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has approved the University of Chicago’s EMS program.
To receive the endorsement, teachers are required to earn a grade of C or higher in all six courses, complete field experience hours and practicum, and to pass an Elementary Math Specialists content area test offered by the Illinois Licensure Testing Services. This test is currently in development.