KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY
GRADUATE COURSE/CONCENTRATION/PROGRAM PROPOSAL
Cover Sheet for Category 3 (Teacher Preparation) Proposals
Course Number/Minor Name/Program Name: ECE 7740 – Early Preparation of the
Mathematical Mind
Department: Elementary and Early Childhood Education____________________
Degree Title (if applicable) M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education with a Montessori Early
Childhood Education 2.5-6 Year Level Concentration
Proposed Effective Date _______Spring 2006_____________________________
Check One or More of the Following and Complete the Appropriate Sections
__ X_New Course Proposal
_____Delete Course From Catalog
__ __Course Title Change
_____Course Number Change
__ __Course Credit Change
_____Course Prerequisite Change
_____Course Description Change
_____Change in Program/Degree Requirements
_____New Concentration Proposal
_____New Program Proposal
Sections to be Completed
II, III, IV, V, VII
I
I, II, III
I, II, III
I, II, III
I, II, III
I, II, III
I, II, III
VI
VIII
*If proposed changes to an existing course are substantial (credit hours, title, and description), a
new course with a new number should be proposed.
**A new Course Proposal (Sections II, III, IV, V, VII) is required for each new course proposed
as part of the program. Current catalog information (Section I) is required for each existing
course incorporated into the program.
Submitted by:
Feland L. Meadows, Ph.D.
Sep. 30, 2005
Faculty Member
Date
___ Approved ___ Not Approved
_________________________________________
Department Curriculum Committee***
Date
___ Approved ___ Not Approved
_________________________________________
PTEU Program Area Committee***
Date
___ Approved ___ Not Approved
_________________________________________
Dept. Chair Responsible for the Course/Program Date
___ Approved ___ Not Approved
_________________________________________
Teacher Education Council
Date
___ Approved ___ Not Approved
_________________________________________
Dean, School of Education
Date
___ Approved ___ Not Approved
_________________________________________
GPCC Chair
Date
___ Approved ___ Not Approved
_________________________________________
Dean, Graduate Studies
Date
___ Approved ___ Not Approved
_________________________________________
Vice President for Academic Affairs
Date
___ Approved ___ Not Approved
_________________________________________
President
Date
***The Department Curriculum Committee and PTEU Program Faculty evaluate a proposal
collectively.
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KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY
GRADUATE COURSE/CONCENTRATION/PROGRAM PROPOSAL
I. Current Information (Fill in for changes)
Page Number in Current Catalog _______XX________________
Course Prefix and Number _________XXXX____________
Course Title :
XXXXX
Credit Hours: _______xxx___________________
Prerequisites: XXX ____________________________
Description (or Current Degree Requirements): xxx
II. Proposed Information (Fill in for changes and new courses)
Course Prefix and Number __ECE 7740________________
Course Title : The Early Preparation of the Mathematical Mind
Credit Hours _3____________
Prerequisites __Admission to M.Ed. Program_____________
Description (or Proposed Degree Requirements)
Students will study the conceptual framework for the presentation of numeration and
mathematical activities to young children. The use of Montessori materials that provide children
with multiple opportunities to develop numeration skills, to understand the decimal system and to
practice the four operations with up to four digits will be presented and practiced. Students will
learn how to present commutative and squaring operations in ways that allow children to discover
their unique characteristics. Students will learn to present numerous math activities and exercises
with a wide variety of different, scientifically designed manipulable materials. They also will
learn to present special memorization materials with which children can review and enhance their
ability to recall all of the number facts they have assimilated from the previous activities. This
Mathematics course is aligned with the standards of the National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics (NCTM).
III. Justification
Most adults attempt to teach young children to count through verbal, rote repetitions before the
child can comprehend the concept of quantity. If the child is able to repeat a sequence of number
names in sequence, the adult believes the skill of numeration has been achieved. That is usually
not the case. Students will study the conceptual framework for the effective early preparation of
the mathematical mind. Students will learn how young children can be assisted in acquiring
numeracy and an understanding of mathematical concepts and operations. The contributions of
practical life and sensorial presentations and activities which prepare children for the introduction
of numerical concepts will be reviewed. How young children develop numeration skills, when
activities are presented with concrete objects at the developmentally appropriate times will be
studied. Students will observe the modeling of presentations with scientifically designed
mathematics materials and will practice with those materials.
IV. Additional Information (for New Courses Only)
Attach Syllabus/Course Outline:
Second Phase of the Early Childhood, (2.5 – 6) Level Track of the M.Ed. Program
Instructor:
Feland Meadows, Ph.D.
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Texts:
Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L. and Cocking, R. R. Eds. 2000. How People Learn: Brain, Mind,
Experience, and School. National Academy Press.
Lillard, A.S. 2005 Montessori, the Science Behind the Genius. Oxford University Press.
Montessori, M. [1914] 1965. Dr. Montessori’s Own Handbook. N.Y.: Schocken Books.
Montessori, M. 1915. The California Lectures of Maria Montessori, 1915. Oxford: Clio Press
Montessori, Maria 1995. The Discovery of the Child. Oxford, England: Clio Press.
Montessori, M. [1936] 1989. The Secret of Childhood. N.Y.: Ballantine Books
Standing, E.M. 1984 Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work. Fairfield, PA: Plume.
Warner, Sylvia Ashton 1963 “The Golden Section” in Teacher. N.Y.: Simon & Schuster
Additional readings in selected texts from the bibliography will be assigned.
Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, candidates will:
1. understand the conceptual framework for the early preparation of the mathematical mind;
2. present materials that provide children with multiple opportunities to develop numeration
skills, to understand the decimal system, and to practice both static and dynamic addition,
multiplication, subtraction and division operations with the decimal system materials;
3. present numerous activities and exercises with color coded bead bars, bead chains to the power
of two, materials for binomial addition and polynomial multiplication;
4. present memorization materials with which children can review all of the number facts for all
of the tables;
5. be able to give 142 presentations with 83 scientifically designed and sequenced mathematics
materials.
Candidates will also:
1. demonstrate their ability to design the learning environment by ordering and structuring the
mathematics materials correctly on the classroom shelves;
2. demonstrate their ability to diagnose the developmental needs of children they observe;
3.correctly present the developmentally appropriate mathematics materials in the correct
sequence to children in the classroom.
Instructional Method:
The conceptual framework for the early preparation of the mathematical mind will be presented
and discussed. Strategies for the presentation of each material will be modeled by the Instructor
and other faculty. Students will have hands-on experience with materials and will receive student
manuals which they will complete after observing the modeling of presentations by the instructor.
Instructional strategies include readings, lectures, group discussions, text reviews, audio-visual
presentations, individual and group assignments, modeling of teaching strategies, presentation of
materials and independent research. Students will observe children of various ages and stages of
development in the classroom working with the math materials. Students will also have ample
opportunities to observe and interact with children during their fieldwork experiences.
Method of Evaluation:
Students will demonstrate their knowledge of how to design the learning environment by ordering
the mathematics materials in the correct sequences on the classroom shelves. Students will
present the developmentally appropriate mathematics materials in the correct sequence to the
instructor. Students will document their understanding of the process through which the early
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preparation of the mathematic mind takes place in a final examination. Students will be observed
during their fieldwork to record their competency in presenting mathematics materials and
activities to children at the appropriate times in their development. Each candidate’s culminating
evaluation will occur during the Third Phase, Module VI of the program when s/he will
demonstrate competence in presenting randomely selected materials to a virtual child and will
submit a final portfolio of materials which demonstrates a thorough understanding of the concepts
and practices acquired in the program.
V. Resources and Funding Required (New Courses Only)
Resource
Amount **
Faculty
__________
Personnel
Equipment
Supplies
Travel
New Books
New Journals
Other (Specify)
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
Specialized funding from Foundations
Total
__________
** All funds to be applied from current masters program budget
Funding Required Beyond Normal Department Growth
__________
Explanation of Resources and Funding Requirements
VII. COURSE MASTER FORM
This form will be completed by the requesting department and will be sent to the Office of the
Registrar once the course has been approved by the Office of the President.
The form is required for all new courses.
DISCIPLINE
COURSE NUMBER
COURSE TITLE FOR LABEL
Early Childhood Education
_______ECE 7740_______
Early Prep. Math
(Note: Limit 16 spaces)
CLASS-LAB-CREDIT HOURS
Approval, Effective Quarter
Grades Allowed (Regular or S/U)
If course used to satisfy CPC, what areas?
3 semester hours
Spring 2006
Regular_____________________
N.A._______________________
Learning Support Programs courses which are
required as prerequisites
N.A.________________________
APPROVED:
__________________________________________________
Vice President for Academic Affairs or Designee
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