Undergraduate Teacher Preparation
The Elementary Teacher Education (ETE) major prepares elementary and middle school teachers and is housed in the School of Education. General information about the ETE major is contained on the Elementary Teacher Education program pages. Secondary school teacher preparation is housed in the Department of Mathematical Sciences.
Mathematics education faculty and staff are responsible for six courses within the ETE major (described below). Faculty and doctoral students are continually engaged in research and development with these courses as part of a continuing program of instructional improvement.
Courses taken by all ETE students
Mathematics for K-8 Teachers: Number and Operations (MATH 251, 3 credits)
Explores concept development in numeration systems, base ten system, the meaning of the four operations, number theory, and integers. Emphasis on problem solving and general number sense.
Mathematics for K-8 Teachers: Rational Numbers and Probability (MATH 252, 3 credits)
Explores concept development in rational numbers, operations with rational numbers, proportional reasoning, and probability.
Mathematics for K-8 Teachers: Geometry, Algebra and Measurement (MATH 253, 3 credits)
Explores concept development in figures, the role of definitions, coordinate geometry, transformations, functions and measurements of length, area and volume.
Elementary Curriculum: Mathematics (EDUC 335, 3 credits)
Selection and use of appropriate methods and curriculum for teaching mathematics in grades K-8. Focuses on curriculum materials, teaching strategies, lesson planning and implementation and the appraisal of pupil achievement. Practicum included.
Courses taken by ETE students selecting Middle School Mathematics as their concentration
Geometry and Measurement for Middle School Teachers (MATH 240, 3 credits)
Explores geometry and measurement topics and how they are developed throughout the middle school curriculum. Topics include properties of 2D and 3D figures, coordinate geometry, transformations, measurement of length, area and volume, and fundamentals of a deductive system. Includes the use of technology.
Middle School Mathematics Curriculum and Methods (EDUC 336, 3 credits)
Investigates curriculum and teaching methods for presenting mathematical concepts to middle school students (grades 5 through 8). Activities include reviewing materials, examining topics and preparing lessons appropriate for this level. Clinical experience included.
About Our Undergraduate Program Students
Approximately 160 students per year complete the Elementary Teacher Education major and are certified to teach grades K-6 in Delaware.
Approximately 20 of these students per year choose Middle School Mathematics as their concentration in order to earn grades 6-8 teacher certification in mathematics. These students complete additional mathematics courses and a teaching methods course in middle school mathematics as part of the ETE major.
