Led by Rachlin, the university called together two national conferences, in 1995 and 1996, to examine the emerging middle grades math curricula and to suggest directions for teacher preparation. Funding was provided by the National Science Foundation, the ECU College of Arts and Sciences and the Office of the Governor. In conjunction with the conferences, faculty from each of the 40 participating colleges presented proposals for redesigning their teacher-preparation courses. For its part, ECU revamped the entire program for prospective middle grades teachers, with Algebraic Concepts and Relationships as the first math course. The material in Algebraic Concepts goes only as high as Algebra I, but it takes thought processes to a higher level.
Students have to find their own answers.
No lectures allowed. Instead, the professors guide student learning through questioning. The result can be a struggle for students accustomed to being given formulas and theorems. The goal, however, is not only knowing how, but also understanding why and retaining that information for the long haul. If these students can't retain fundamental concepts, they'll be in trouble when they start teaching.