Pre-service and in-service elementary educators and paraprofessionals will have the opportunity to learn and experience many different approaches to help students understand math through a year-long Math for Elementary Educators sequence offered at WVC.

The sequence begins fall-quarter 2011 with MATH 171, followed by MATH 173 (winter quarter) and MATH 172 (spring quarter). The first course will be offered on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6 to 8:15 p.m.

The three five-credit courses are aimed primarily at future and current elementary educators, including teachers and teacher’s aides who would like better preparation for teaching math to students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

The prerequisite for the sequence is an appropriate placement score or successful completion of Intermediate Algebra (MATH 097 at WVC) or equivalent.

Math 173 meets the Quantitative Skills requirement in the AAS degree at WVC. Math 171 and 172 will be electives in the degree.

These courses meet many math requirements at four-year colleges and universities throughout Washington state, including Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, the University of Washington, Washington State University and Western Washington University.

Additional Course Information

The mathematical content of the entire sequence deals with concepts being taught in kindergarten through 8th grade, and focuses on how current teaching practices are working to get children to understand mathematics. Many different approaches, rather than just rules to follow, are presented. Students will have opportunities to use activities and manipulative devices to aid in their learning and to experience what they will be asking their students to do. The math instructors said that "it has been fun to see some of our students finally understand what they have been doing for years and be amazed by the amount and depth of mathematics that our elementary and middle school students are being taught."