This increase in student population requires that American colleges expand their teacher education programs to meet the increasing need for mathematics teachers in secondary schools. Here at Ramapo College we have anticipated this need by creating a teacher education concentration within the mathematics major. This program is tailored to provide the background and insights needed for a career in secondary education. In addition to the standard calculus-analysis sequence, students receive instruction in algebra, geometry, number theory, probability, statistics, and the history of mathematics. Mathematics majors intending to pursue a career in elementary education will also benefit from the diversity of courses offered in the teacher education concentration.
Students receive additional instruction in the practices and methods of teaching education.
In their senior year, they spend a semester student teaching in area schools. A knowledge of mathematics offers students a diversity of job opportunities. Someone who has completed a major in mathematics has developed a strong set of quantitative and analytical skills. Many companies today do large-scale modeling projects which require sophisticated mathematical analysis. The future of our nation rests with its teachers.