Appraising and Reimagining Middle and High School Mathematics Education

This course examines critical issues in middle and high school mathematics education in the United States from a variety of perspectives. Questions addressed include: what are the goals of mathematics education at the middle and high school level? Why does math education in middle school and high school matter? What societal structures (historic, economic, political, and cultural) impact mathematics education and how does math education impact those structures in turn? As the world changes, in what way do the goals of mathematics education change? Given goals and what we know about learning, how can we improve practice in the classroom? We sharpen the lens through which we view math education in the US by looking at some international case studies, as well as case studies from different classrooms in the US. This is a discussion-based course. Students are expected not only to be active participants in discussions but also to take a lead in conducting discussions.