Since course participants include professional teachers as well as preservice teachers, the instructor provides textbooks relevant to the student's interest in teaching level. Through class discussions of their findings, students review important mathematics content and methods topics. The first two commentaries provide students with a context for analysis and discussion of the teaching of mathematics or theoretical concepts. In the third commentary students interact with the text, examining the curricular content, methods, and its underlying principles. In addition to problem-solving and reading commentary assignments which may be written collaboratively, most of the class activities are planned for groups of three to four students.
Every member is responsible for contributing some insight, question, or solution.
The class is designed as a workshop so that students will experience many of the same activities they will be providing in their own classrooms. Assuming the role of teacher as student also helps them understand the thinking processes necessary for developing mathematical concepts. Students are expected to experience what can be learned through cooperation. They can discover that collaborative learning promotes active learning and that the individual contributions of group members help to teach one another in unique ways other than the teacher-directed model. After having the experience with manipulatives like straws, Dienes Blocks, pattern blocks, Cuisenare Rods, buttons, and cubic blocks, I could see where these could be used with the material presented in the texts and especially in small groups like we've had in class.