Geometric Reasoning in the Elementary Mathematics Classroom

Three credits · Undergraduate

This course invites teachers to explore key topics in the elementary mathematics curriculum, focusing on modern geometries and their application to spatial reasoning. Teachers will investigate and engage with concepts such as symmetry, transformational geometry, and geometric constructions. The course emphasizes supporting students in developing their understanding of geometric ideas through active exploration and inquiry, fostering deeper connections between abstract reasoning and practical application. Three credits. EDUC 404A Exploring Play in the Elementary Mathematics Classroom This course invites elementary teachers to explore diverse conceptions of play in mathematics education across the elementary curriculum. Emphasizing pedagogical documentation and making students' thinking visible, teachers will investigate ways to foster children’s conceptual understanding through play. Using multiple representations—such as concrete models, drawings, symbols, language, and real-world contexts—participants will learn to support children’s mathematical thinking and highlight how play contributes to foundational mathematical ideas. The course encourages reflective practices that make students' thinking visible, enhancing teachers' abilities to observe, document, and respond to learning through play. Three credits. EDUC 404B Teaching Mathematics for Understanding: I This course embraces an enactivist perspective, viewing mathematical understanding as a co-emergent process shaped by active engagement with rich, meaningful tasks. Teachers will explore how learners’ mathematical ideas evolve through interaction, reflection, and collaboration, emphasizing the importance of multiple representations—such as models, diagrams, symbols, and real-world contexts—as tools for learners to continually reframe and expand their understanding. Through an emphasis on responsive teaching, participants will learn how to design experiences that adapt to and build upon students' evolving ideas, fostering a classroom culture where learners and teachers alike engage in a shared journey of mathematical discovery. Three credits.