Seminar+1

=Seminar 1 – September 10, 2009=

Topics: Syllabus Understanding the roles of Groupwork Understanding NCTM/GLCEs [|MathGLCEs.pdf]

Readings:

Cohen, Elizabeth (1994). //Designing groupwork: Strategies for the heterogeneous classroom (2nd ed.).// New York: Teachers College Press. Chapter 3 – The Dilemma of Groupwork [|Cohen_GroupWork _Ch3&8.PDF] Chapter 8 – Treating Expectations for Confidence

Summary: This book focuses on how groupwork can be used in the elementary classroom. Chapter 3 mentions some of the status issues that can be address (or further perpetrated) through the use of groupwork, which include: Expert status, academic status, Peer status, and Societal status. It also contains discussions about why teachers should be concerned about inequality in classroom interactions. Chapter 8 addresses some of these concerns by offering, in Cohen's views, why groupwork is successful in changing status in the classroom. Some of her suggestions include having a child serve as expert, having multiple abilities work together, and offering training in the classrooms.

Smith, M. S., & Stein, M. K. (1998). Selecting and creating mathematical tasks: From research to practice. //Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School//, 3(5), 344 – 350. [|Smith&Stein_Selecting Math Tasks.pdf]

Summary: This piece looks at different classifications of mathematical tasks in the classroom (which include high- and low-level tasks). Low level tasks are defined as tasks that are memorized or computed without contextual meaning; high level tasks are tasks that offer contextual meaning or require the students to do mathematics. The authors also provide a set of sample tasks and discussions about the high- and low-level qualities exhibited by the tasks.