Mathematics 4020

Spring 2005

Instructor: Kelly A. MacArthur

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

Office Hours: Mondays 8:30 – 9:30 a.m., Wednesdays 1:30 – 3:00 p.m., and Fridays 10:40 –11:30 a.m. or by appointment.
Office Location: JWB221
Office Phone Number: 581-6443
E-mail address: macarthur@math.utah.edu

Text: Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers: A Contemporary Approach, 6th edition, by Musser, Burger, Peterson.

Prerequisite: At least a C grade in Math4010.

Tutoring Lab: T. Benny Rushing Mathematics Student Center (adjacent to JWB and LCB), Room 155
M - Th 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
F 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
(opens January 19th) (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.

Computer Lab: also in the T. Benny Rushing Mathematics Student Center, Room 155C.
M – Th 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
F 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Link to computer lab

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.

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 February 14th 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 is due April 20th and will be
discussed in more detail during class. For every day, or portion thereof, that your Practicum report is
late, you will be deducted 20 percentage points! Remember that writing the practicum report is required to
pass this course.

Portfolio: The portfolio assignment will be handed out in the first week of class, so you can be working
on it throughout the semester. You can choose to put your portfolio in a notebook or in an accordian file,
whichever you prefer. 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 (April 25th-28th). (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. Please don’t try
to use your negotiating, persuasive skills on me regarding this issue. You will be faced with my polite, but
unwavering “no.”
You may take an alternate exam at the Testing Center 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. Talking to me after the test 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!