Mathematics 4020

Fall 2006

Instructor: Kelly A. MacArthur

Class Time and Place:4:35-6:35 p.m.
Mondays and Wednesdays in LCB121

Office Hours: Mondays 10:40 – 11:30 a.m., Tuesdays 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.,
Wednesdays 3:00 - 4:00 p.m., and Fridays 10:40 - 11:30 a.m. or by appointment.
Office Location: JWB226
Office Phone Number: 581-6443
E-mail address: macarthur@math.utah.edu
Website: www.math.utah.edu/~macarthu

Text: Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers: A Contemporary Approach,
7th edition, by Musser, Burger, Peterson.

Prerequisite: At least a C grade in Math4010.

Tutoring Lab: T. Benny Rushing Mathematics Student Center (adjacent
to JWB & LCB), Rm 155
M - Th 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
F 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
(opens second week of classes) (closed Saturdays, Sundays and holidays)
They are also offering group tutoring sessions. If you're interested, inquire at
the Tutoring Lab.

Private Tutoring: University Tutoring Services, 330 SSB (they offer
inexpensive tutoring)
There is also a list of tutors at the Math Department office in JWB233.

Math Education Website: The math department has a web page
for math teachers in K-12 schools.

Calculators: You may use any calculator you'd like for this class. You will only
need a basic calculator.

Grading: The grades will be calculated as follows:
Weekly Homework 7%
Problem Sets 8%
Midterm 15%
Midterm 15%
Midterm 10%
Practicum 14%
Portfolio 6%
Final Exam 25%
(Note: There will be 3 midterms. Your lowest midterm score will count for
10% of your grade and your top two midterm scores will each count for 15% of
your final grade.)

Weekly Homework:

I will collect homework during the first class of each week.
All of the homework assigned the previous week is due at that time.
Each section of homework will be worth ten points. For example,
if you have three sections of homework assigned for one week, then
that homework set is worth a total of 30 points.
You will get the full credit if you DO every problem. I will
NOT be grading for correctness, so it is your responsibility to
make sure you understand the problems and their solutions. This
is basically motivation for you to do the homework because that is
the only way to survive a math class. (Please notice that there
is no way to get an A in this course if you choose not to do any of
the homework. On the other hand, turning in all of the homework
can help your grade substantially.)
The homework is to be turned in according to the following
instructions:

The homework set MUST be stapled together with the
corresponding cover sheet as the first page. (I will
provide the cover sheets in class.) A homework set turned
in without being stapled together or without a cover sheet
will not be counted!! Please do not come to class hoping
that I or someone else will have a stapler. Be prepared
when you arrive.
I will accept 10 late homework sections, up
to two weeks late, throughout the semester for full credit.
I will not accept homework more than two weeks late. I
accept these late homework sections to allow for illness,
oversleeping, hectic schedules, etc. Do not ask for special
favors with regard to the homework policy, unless the
circumstances are extraordinarily severe, because my response
will not be in your favor. Also, it is not necessary nor
recommended that you tell me why your homework is late.
This policy is meant to be flexible enough to cover all reasons
and so I don't get calls and emails every week with your personal
drama stories.
I only collect homework during the first class of the
week!! If you need to turn in homework late, you will have
to do so on the first class of the week (one or two weeks after
its due date). This is the only time and location that I
will accept homework. If you slide homework underneath my office
door, I will throw it away without looking at it.

You are responsible for knowing these policies. Please take it
seriously because the flexibility listed here is literally all there is.

WebCT: I will put your grades online on WebCT.
You can get there easily from the main University of Utah website www.utah.edu.
(There's also a link from my website.) To log in, you use the same student id
and password that you use for Campus Information System. I do my best to
update the grades on a regular basis and keep everything accurate.
However, I would advise you to check your grades often to make sure there
were no data entry mistakes. I'm always happy to correct any mistakes I've
made. You just need to let me know about them.

Grading Scale: Although I'm not philosophically opposed to curving
grades, I find it's rarely necessary. The grade scale will be the usual:
A (93-100), A- (90-92), B+ (87-89), B (83-86), B- (80-82), C+ (77-79),
C (73-76), C- (70-72), D+ (67-69), D (63-66), D- (60-62), E (0-59).
If I do need to curve the grades, I will simply shift everything down
by a few points (whatever is necessary).

Problem Sets: Throughout the semester, I will assign 6 problem sets
that will be given in addition to your weekly homework. The problem sets will
be graded for correctness, like the exams (unlike the weekly homework). The
grade of each problem set will be based on accuracy, thoughtfulness,
completeness and clarity of communication (i.e. there may be no credit given
for answers given without work shown). Each set will contain roughly 15-25
problems on it and you can use these, as well as the weekly homework, as study
tools for the exams. These problem sets will be due a week or two after
assigned. Since these problem sets will be given out at random times, it is
your responsibility to show up to class in order to have current, correct
information about these problems and their due dates. The lowest problem set
score will be dropped, thus late problem sets will NOT be accepted under any
circumstances.

Practicum: Each student will spend three hours in an elementary school
classroom observing children in the classroom. This classroom experience will
be discussed in our class as an assignment. Please be sure to complete your
observations by date on your course outline and turn in your permission
slip by then (I will not read and/or grade your practicum report unless this
is turned in). After your observations are complete, you will spend another
three hours working with a small group of children (at least two and the
children must be non-family members) teaching a math lesson. The practicum
report is a typewritten analysis of your mathematical work with the children.
Be sure to keep careful notes from this work in order to have the information
available when you write your practicum report. The report will be discussed
in more detail during class. Please pay attention to the practicum due date as
noted on your course outline. For every day, or portion thereof, that your
Practicum report is late, you will be deducted 20 points! Remember that
writing the practicum report is required to pass this course.

Portfolio: The portfolio assignment will be handed out within the first
two weeks of class, so you can be working on it throughout the semester. You can
choose to put your portfolio in a binder or in an accordian file, whichever
you prefer. (I like the binder better, personally.) This is meant to be a
long-term reference for you with regard to all the math we cover in this
course. You will use your portfolio in your Math Methods course to expand
on some of the ideas therein. These will be due during the last week of
class. (I will set up individual appointments with you to bring your
portfolio to me for grading.) I do not accept late Portfolios. The portfolio
assignment will also be discussed more in class.

Other Policies: Due to experience, I have decided to make some
additional policies regarding my classroom administration and grading.

There will be no retakes of exams…ever. Your score is
what you get.
You may take an alternate exam if you talk to me about it first
and explain the extenuating circumstances that make it necessary.
Needing to work, babysitting your siblings, oversleeping, or needing
more time to study do not pass as acceptable reasons to inconvenience
me. Getting in a car crash or your mother’s death, on the other
hand, is sufficient reason to request to take an alternate exam. But,
it is 100% your responsibility to communicate with me as soon as is
possible, before the exam occurs (or as soon as possible).
Talking to me after the problem will be sufficient reason
for me to allow you to get a zero on that test. I reserve the right
to make alternate exams more difficult than the scheduled exam.
I will demand respectful behavior in my classroom. Examples of
disrespect include reading a newspaper or magazine in class, social
chatting with your friend in class, text-messaging your buddies during
class or cuddling with your girl/boyfriend in class. If you choose to
be disrespectful during my class, I can guarantee I will take action
to terminate your disruptive behavior.
There will be no cursing nor negative ranting (for example,
“math sucks”) on any written work turned in. The penalty
for such things on your written work will be a zero score on that
assignment or test!
You need to have a valid email address registered with Campus
Information System. I will regularly send emails to the class and expect
you to be responsible for receiving that information.
If you have crisis-level extenuating circumstances which require
flexibility, it is completely your responsibility to communicate with me
as soon as possible. The longer you wait to communicate with me, the
less I can and am willing to do to help.